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Heart of Thorns #2
Tears of Frost
The electric second book in the Heart of Thorns trilogy explores the effects of power in a dark magical kingdom—and the fierce courage it takes to claim your body as your own.
Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive. Pilar is on a hunt of her own. Betrayed by her mother, and plagued by a painful secret, she’s determined to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan… until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.
As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom and opportunity. But with the winter solstice drawing near, they must confront the truth beneath the glimmering ice, as lines between friend, foe, and lover vanish like snowflakes on a flame.
Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive. Pilar is on a hunt of her own. Betrayed by her mother, and plagued by a painful secret, she’s determined to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan… until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.
As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom and opportunity. But with the winter solstice drawing near, they must confront the truth beneath the glimmering ice, as lines between friend, foe, and lover vanish like snowflakes on a flame.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2019
85 people are currently reading
5706 people want to read
About the author
Bree Barton
4 books508 followersBree is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and mental health advocate who believes stories have the power to heal. She’s written four novels (HarperCollins, Viking/Penguin Random House) translated into six languages and published in nine countries.
As a seasoned speaker and workshop leader, Bree has worked with 30+ schools, colleges, and nonprofits nationwide, creating safe spaces where people of all ages can share their own stories of resilience and survival. She has collaborated with NAMI, United Way, Family & Children's Services, and other social service organizations to expand mental healthcare accessibility.
Through her advocacy and essays in Slate, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, Bree uses authentic storytelling to destigmatize sticky subjects like mental illness. She’s also the founder of Rock 'n' Write, a dance-and-writing program for young folx—because sometimes you need to move your body before you can move your pen.
I N S T A G R A M: instagram.com/speakbreely
Y O U T U B E: youtube.com/breebarton
As a seasoned speaker and workshop leader, Bree has worked with 30+ schools, colleges, and nonprofits nationwide, creating safe spaces where people of all ages can share their own stories of resilience and survival. She has collaborated with NAMI, United Way, Family & Children's Services, and other social service organizations to expand mental healthcare accessibility.
Through her advocacy and essays in Slate, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, Bree uses authentic storytelling to destigmatize sticky subjects like mental illness. She’s also the founder of Rock 'n' Write, a dance-and-writing program for young folx—because sometimes you need to move your body before you can move your pen.
I N S T A G R A M: instagram.com/speakbreely
Y O U T U B E: youtube.com/breebarton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
February 22, 2022
Tears of Frost kicks off directly after the startling conclusion of the first book in the trilogy, Heart of Thorns.
Mia and Quin have been seperated; upsettingly, Quin believes Mia has been killed. Pilar sets out on a mission of revenge after she has been mislead and betrayed. All is not good for our young protagonists.
Mia sets her sights on Luumia in the Snow Kingdom with the hopes of finding her mother, long believed dead, to finally get some answers.
Pilar is also making her way to Luumia, but on a separate journey. She is searching for an infamous assassin who she hopes can help her get revenge. When Pilar stumbles across Prince Quin, the two team up and make their way to the palace of the Snow Queen together.
On her own, Mia is still trying to deal with the ramifications of the spell that allowed her to escape her sister's grasp. It has deeply effected her; it feels like she's not truly alive.
She finds a new ally in a boy named, Zai, and finds herself beginning to desire him a way that surprises her, but is he really someone she can trust? She's been burned before.
Quin and Pilar start to open up to one another. They seem to forgive each other for past grievances, but can all ever be completely forgiven.
This book was absolutely packed full of new information. It put all of the previous characters on difficult paths. The world is in turmoil as Angelyne and Zaga vying for complete power. Angelyne is so devious.
There were many revelations, as to the past and to the character's lives. Who they are, who they're related to, who they can be; including some shockers.
Additionally, I appreciated the feminist undertone, as well as the exploration of sexual assault and trauma recovery. I thought Barton handled those issues well, although I still personally feel like this story reads on the younger-side of YA.
Towards the end, though, I felt like there was too much going on. It got a wee bit convoluted, but I'm still intrigued overall.
I am definitely planning to read the final book of the trilogy, Soul of Cinder very soon!
Mia and Quin have been seperated; upsettingly, Quin believes Mia has been killed. Pilar sets out on a mission of revenge after she has been mislead and betrayed. All is not good for our young protagonists.
Mia sets her sights on Luumia in the Snow Kingdom with the hopes of finding her mother, long believed dead, to finally get some answers.
Pilar is also making her way to Luumia, but on a separate journey. She is searching for an infamous assassin who she hopes can help her get revenge. When Pilar stumbles across Prince Quin, the two team up and make their way to the palace of the Snow Queen together.
On her own, Mia is still trying to deal with the ramifications of the spell that allowed her to escape her sister's grasp. It has deeply effected her; it feels like she's not truly alive.
She finds a new ally in a boy named, Zai, and finds herself beginning to desire him a way that surprises her, but is he really someone she can trust? She's been burned before.
Quin and Pilar start to open up to one another. They seem to forgive each other for past grievances, but can all ever be completely forgiven.
This book was absolutely packed full of new information. It put all of the previous characters on difficult paths. The world is in turmoil as Angelyne and Zaga vying for complete power. Angelyne is so devious.
There were many revelations, as to the past and to the character's lives. Who they are, who they're related to, who they can be; including some shockers.
Additionally, I appreciated the feminist undertone, as well as the exploration of sexual assault and trauma recovery. I thought Barton handled those issues well, although I still personally feel like this story reads on the younger-side of YA.
Towards the end, though, I felt like there was too much going on. It got a wee bit convoluted, but I'm still intrigued overall.
I am definitely planning to read the final book of the trilogy, Soul of Cinder very soon!
Want to read
June 6, 2019I'm honestly just here for my darling Quin
April 30, 2019
Better—deeper, richer, more rewarding, more surprising, and more beautiful—than the first one. Tears of Frost is what a sequel should be.
November 7, 2019
****4.25 Which side am I on? Stars****
I am confused on how I feel about this part of the series....I am not a big fan of jumping around relationships, so I think it took away from the story for me.
Don't get me wrong, I want to continue to read to see what happens to Mia and Pil and Quin but I hope the next one stays on the correct relationship path!
I am confused on how I feel about this part of the series....I am not a big fan of jumping around relationships, so I think it took away from the story for me.
Don't get me wrong, I want to continue to read to see what happens to Mia and Pil and Quin but I hope the next one stays on the correct relationship path!
November 15, 2020
I gave Heart of Thorns 4 stars.
I loved Mia Rose and I loved Quin, he was such an intriguing character. I loved the relationship built around these two characters and how it was not driving the plot. I had Tears of Frost on my TBR for a while, and the book was gathering dust so I thought it was time to give it a go.
Result? 1 star.
Why? The new POV - Pilar.
Pilar takes a great part of the narrative. Pity is, I didn’t like her, I couldn’t even remember her from the first book. She was annoying and I couldn’t care less about her and all the rebellious acts. I was so relieved when Mia Rose was reintroduced in the plot. Except, Mia Rose was not the same character. Same, sadly, for Quin, the only reason why I picked up the sequel.
Pilar killed Quin - not in the literal sense, but Quin’s personality. He, with everything he was in the first book, is tragically transformed to suit Pilar’s character development. Quin as we get to know him on Heart of Thorns, is gone, butchered by a writer who clearly lost the plot and purpose of the story, and is destroyed by nonsensical and unwanted romance.
And here’s the worst part of this book, and the main reason why I gave it one star.
TW: sexual abuse and light spoilers ahead
Pilar’s annoying personality was justified halfway through the plot with the reveal of past sexual abuse. If Pilar’s past was so relevant to fully understand her actions or her close personality, it’s something that should have been hinted throughout the whole story, not at the end, when it doesn’t make sense. And then this passage came:
“Pilar knew how to touch herself. She’d figured that out when she was nine years old. In the beginning, she’d used her magic to whip herself into a frenzy [..]. But before long she discovered she preferred just her fingers. They were magic enough.”
How can I be the only person who finds this passage DISTURBING. How the heck did this passage pass rounds of edits? This is disgusting and disturbing.
How this is supposed to help the story? How!?!?
Using sexual abuse, or talking about how a child, A CHILD, touching herself at 9 !! Just to make a character more likeable and forgivable is just wrong.
What bothers me it's that the writer consciously chose NINE as age, and I am sorry but for me these two elements (child and sexual discovery) shouldn't be put together, not in this context. Moreover, and more importantly, it doesn't add anything to the story.
The plot was just a massive information dump of the world and magic system, and after a while, I stop remembering all the details. I really don’t understand this book. In the first book, the writer built something strong around the relationship between Mia and Quin. None of that stayed.
The second book was supposed to be built around the trauma of sexual abuse, but it has been exploited in the wrong way, it wasn’t in any way cathartic or educative and in no way relevant to the plot. Moreover, both Pilar and Mia are set to find specific people in their journeys but when they found these people, nothing happens. Pointless. Thank you so much for wasting my time.
All the events at the end added more confusion, made no sense, and honestly, that passage pissed me off and I was set to dislike this book. It was a massive NO NO.
I loved Mia Rose and I loved Quin, he was such an intriguing character. I loved the relationship built around these two characters and how it was not driving the plot. I had Tears of Frost on my TBR for a while, and the book was gathering dust so I thought it was time to give it a go.
Result? 1 star.
Why? The new POV - Pilar.
Pilar takes a great part of the narrative. Pity is, I didn’t like her, I couldn’t even remember her from the first book. She was annoying and I couldn’t care less about her and all the rebellious acts. I was so relieved when Mia Rose was reintroduced in the plot. Except, Mia Rose was not the same character. Same, sadly, for Quin, the only reason why I picked up the sequel.
Pilar killed Quin - not in the literal sense, but Quin’s personality. He, with everything he was in the first book, is tragically transformed to suit Pilar’s character development. Quin as we get to know him on Heart of Thorns, is gone, butchered by a writer who clearly lost the plot and purpose of the story, and is destroyed by nonsensical and unwanted romance.
And here’s the worst part of this book, and the main reason why I gave it one star.
TW: sexual abuse and light spoilers ahead
Pilar’s annoying personality was justified halfway through the plot with the reveal of past sexual abuse. If Pilar’s past was so relevant to fully understand her actions or her close personality, it’s something that should have been hinted throughout the whole story, not at the end, when it doesn’t make sense. And then this passage came:
“Pilar knew how to touch herself. She’d figured that out when she was nine years old. In the beginning, she’d used her magic to whip herself into a frenzy [..]. But before long she discovered she preferred just her fingers. They were magic enough.”
How can I be the only person who finds this passage DISTURBING. How the heck did this passage pass rounds of edits? This is disgusting and disturbing.
How this is supposed to help the story? How!?!?
Using sexual abuse, or talking about how a child, A CHILD, touching herself at 9 !! Just to make a character more likeable and forgivable is just wrong.
What bothers me it's that the writer consciously chose NINE as age, and I am sorry but for me these two elements (child and sexual discovery) shouldn't be put together, not in this context. Moreover, and more importantly, it doesn't add anything to the story.
The plot was just a massive information dump of the world and magic system, and after a while, I stop remembering all the details. I really don’t understand this book. In the first book, the writer built something strong around the relationship between Mia and Quin. None of that stayed.
The second book was supposed to be built around the trauma of sexual abuse, but it has been exploited in the wrong way, it wasn’t in any way cathartic or educative and in no way relevant to the plot. Moreover, both Pilar and Mia are set to find specific people in their journeys but when they found these people, nothing happens. Pointless. Thank you so much for wasting my time.
All the events at the end added more confusion, made no sense, and honestly, that passage pissed me off and I was set to dislike this book. It was a massive NO NO.
Want to read
February 27, 2019WE HAVE A COVER!!!!
i’m so excited for this sequel 💜
i’m so excited for this sequel 💜
December 18, 2020
Tears of Frost picks up after the climatic ending of Heart of Thorns, this time from the differing points of view of Mia and Pilar. After Mia decoded her mother's message, and stopped her heart in order to slow down Angelyne and Zaga's wicked plans, she awoke in the forest without her feelings and emotions. She thinks that if she can get to Luumia, and the renowned Snow Queen, she may discover the truth about her mother, and be able to return to the Glas Ddir, and save Quin. For Pilar, she's on a similar track. Fleeing to Luumia, to find her father and escape her past, Pilar refuses to use her magic for anything, and soon stumbles across a disoriented Quin, finally free from Angelyne's control, and hell bent on getting as far away as he can. As the two are drawn together throughout their travels, it seems that their common goal may just be what brings them happiness.
I wanted to love this book, especially considering how much I adored Heart of Thorns, but parts of this book were lacklustre to me. I think the biggest reason I only gave this book 4 stars was Pilar's point of view, and the way Mia was so wholly different from her character in book 1. Pilar was a character I thought abrasive when we first met, but she proved it when we were in her own head. I really felt for her, and her past abuse (the assault and sexual violence is never explicitly shown on page, but may be triggering), but I still couldn't find her chapters enjoyable. Her and Quin together were a couple I never would have imagined, but it did work for the most part. For Mia, her actions in stopping her heart, and essentially dying, killed a part of her inside, and she can no long feel sensation or emotion. Because of this, she lost that spark that made me love her so much, I was a little bored during her chapters at times. Again, the second part of the story, where the action was ramping up, and the reveal that had been teasing us in Angelyne's letters, is what made this whole book, and because of that, I gave this 4 stars. I will still be reading Soul of Cinder, but I'm not as hopeful for another five star read.
I wanted to love this book, especially considering how much I adored Heart of Thorns, but parts of this book were lacklustre to me. I think the biggest reason I only gave this book 4 stars was Pilar's point of view, and the way Mia was so wholly different from her character in book 1. Pilar was a character I thought abrasive when we first met, but she proved it when we were in her own head. I really felt for her, and her past abuse (the assault and sexual violence is never explicitly shown on page, but may be triggering), but I still couldn't find her chapters enjoyable. Her and Quin together were a couple I never would have imagined, but it did work for the most part. For Mia, her actions in stopping her heart, and essentially dying, killed a part of her inside, and she can no long feel sensation or emotion. Because of this, she lost that spark that made me love her so much, I was a little bored during her chapters at times. Again, the second part of the story, where the action was ramping up, and the reveal that had been teasing us in Angelyne's letters, is what made this whole book, and because of that, I gave this 4 stars. I will still be reading Soul of Cinder, but I'm not as hopeful for another five star read.
August 25, 2023
świetna rozrywka, bawiłam się genialnie. do tego to zakończenie >>
December 30, 2020
Rant incoming..
I read Heart of Thorns and liked it enough to purchase Tears of Frost and pre-order Heart of Cinder. I finished Heart of Thorns and settled down to read this and... well it's shit..
In a nutshell, the plot goes nowhere, the characters are pointless wastes of skin and I couldn't tell you what the point of the plot was.
Instead of following Mia returning from the grave and coming back to deal with her sister and Zuga we get.
1. Pilar whose POV can be summed up in one sentence... Cottage, broken bow, she doesn't like magic and she's angry.. Do you want to spend time divining what happened to her? Don't bother because if she mentions it once a chapter she'll mention it two or three times just in case you're not aware that she was raped.
2. Mia is depressed and drunk. She doesn't feel anything and she's going to Iceworld because... actually her reasoning is lost between her meeting of new, utterly pointless friends.
3. A pointless meander through the ice kingdom is here because 'colonialism is bad dude' or something. There's some bullshit about illuminations and resources but really why is this place here? It adds nothing to the plot.
4. Tons of pointless letters from Angelyne.
5. Random bad guy from nowhere.
6. Utter destruction of Quinn as a character. I guess in a 'feminist fantasy' you can't have a decent male character, they're always villains in disguise.
7. 1 scene appearance of Mia's mother because... why the hell not?
Basically the plot goes nowhere. It goes nowhere because the author decided to write an 'Very important book about surviving abuse and depression' And whilst dealing with depression and abuse is an important thing it's fucking idiotic to basically render an entire book in a trilogy as pointless just to say 'abuse isn't your fault m'kay and depression sucks huh?'
You want to see Mia take charge and deal with the mess she made of Glasdir? Nope.. that's not this book.
You want to see a mature relationship not spoiled by pointless lies? Nope that's not this book.
But if you want a book filled with pointless, unnecessary wanderings to a part of the world you couldn't care less about and lots of personal angst then this is the book for you
I read Heart of Thorns and liked it enough to purchase Tears of Frost and pre-order Heart of Cinder. I finished Heart of Thorns and settled down to read this and... well it's shit..
In a nutshell, the plot goes nowhere, the characters are pointless wastes of skin and I couldn't tell you what the point of the plot was.
Instead of following Mia returning from the grave and coming back to deal with her sister and Zuga we get.
1. Pilar whose POV can be summed up in one sentence... Cottage, broken bow, she doesn't like magic and she's angry.. Do you want to spend time divining what happened to her? Don't bother because if she mentions it once a chapter she'll mention it two or three times just in case you're not aware that she was raped.
2. Mia is depressed and drunk. She doesn't feel anything and she's going to Iceworld because... actually her reasoning is lost between her meeting of new, utterly pointless friends.
3. A pointless meander through the ice kingdom is here because 'colonialism is bad dude' or something. There's some bullshit about illuminations and resources but really why is this place here? It adds nothing to the plot.
4. Tons of pointless letters from Angelyne.
5. Random bad guy from nowhere.
6. Utter destruction of Quinn as a character. I guess in a 'feminist fantasy' you can't have a decent male character, they're always villains in disguise.
7. 1 scene appearance of Mia's mother because... why the hell not?
Basically the plot goes nowhere. It goes nowhere because the author decided to write an 'Very important book about surviving abuse and depression' And whilst dealing with depression and abuse is an important thing it's fucking idiotic to basically render an entire book in a trilogy as pointless just to say 'abuse isn't your fault m'kay and depression sucks huh?'
You want to see Mia take charge and deal with the mess she made of Glasdir? Nope.. that's not this book.
You want to see a mature relationship not spoiled by pointless lies? Nope that's not this book.
But if you want a book filled with pointless, unnecessary wanderings to a part of the world you couldn't care less about and lots of personal angst then this is the book for you
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
Page 215.
No.
Just, just no.
I nearly DNF’ed right there.
But alas, I persisted. It didn’t get too much better.
But page, 215, man.
Page 215.
I’m actually kind of glad I read this, because this is something I’ve been wanting to rant about, but I never had the platform to do it.
Hey, Bree! Bree Barton, you grown woman, I, a fifteen year old girl, have something to tell you...
Periods are gross.
There, I said it.
Periods are disgusting.
“But they’re NATURAL!!” She says. Well, newsflash.
So is pissing. And sh*tting.
It’s a bodily function. Sure, it’s something only a woman can have, but it’s still waste.
And it’s gross.
As women, we should be proud of how far we’ve come as a gender. We should be proud of the brave women of the past who fought bravely for the rights and equality we enjoy today.
Not a gross monthly bodily function.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.
ANYWAY....
Wanna know what's even more gross?! Page 279. Ew. Ew, ew.
I can’t believe how much I hated this book. After relatively enjoying Heart of Thorns, I was extremely disappointed to find that Tears of Frost feels like a disservice to the previous book.
What was the POINT of having Quin/Mia in Heart of Thorns but then throwing it out for Pilar, a character I hate?! The badass female character trope was cool in a couple YA books, but now it’s just stupid, overused, and cliché. Scratch that, any character, where badass is just their defining character trait, is stupid, overused, and cliché.
What was the POINT of the whole Wynna plot in Heart of Thorns if she just comes in HALFWAY through Tears of Frost?!
WHY WAS MIA A STUPID DRUNK THE WHOLE TIME? I WANTED TO SOCK HER SQUARE IN THE FACE!!
MIA ROSE, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU’RE THE SECOND MOST PUNCHABLE FICTIONAL CHARACTER. THE FIRST IS DOLORES UMBRIDGE.
I...I just...WHY?!
WHAT WAS THE FRICKING POINT?!
Even after all this, though....
I’m still reading the last book.
Lol.
No.
Just, just no.
I nearly DNF’ed right there.
But alas, I persisted. It didn’t get too much better.
But page, 215, man.
Page 215.
I’m actually kind of glad I read this, because this is something I’ve been wanting to rant about, but I never had the platform to do it.
Hey, Bree! Bree Barton, you grown woman, I, a fifteen year old girl, have something to tell you...
Periods are gross.
There, I said it.
Periods are disgusting.
“But they’re NATURAL!!” She says. Well, newsflash.
So is pissing. And sh*tting.
It’s a bodily function. Sure, it’s something only a woman can have, but it’s still waste.
And it’s gross.
As women, we should be proud of how far we’ve come as a gender. We should be proud of the brave women of the past who fought bravely for the rights and equality we enjoy today.
Not a gross monthly bodily function.
Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.
ANYWAY....
Wanna know what's even more gross?! Page 279. Ew. Ew, ew.
I can’t believe how much I hated this book. After relatively enjoying Heart of Thorns, I was extremely disappointed to find that Tears of Frost feels like a disservice to the previous book.
What was the POINT of having Quin/Mia in Heart of Thorns but then throwing it out for Pilar, a character I hate?! The badass female character trope was cool in a couple YA books, but now it’s just stupid, overused, and cliché. Scratch that, any character, where badass is just their defining character trait, is stupid, overused, and cliché.
What was the POINT of the whole Wynna plot in Heart of Thorns if she just comes in HALFWAY through Tears of Frost?!
WHY WAS MIA A STUPID DRUNK THE WHOLE TIME? I WANTED TO SOCK HER SQUARE IN THE FACE!!
MIA ROSE, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU’RE THE SECOND MOST PUNCHABLE FICTIONAL CHARACTER. THE FIRST IS DOLORES UMBRIDGE.
I...I just...WHY?!
WHAT WAS THE FRICKING POINT?!
Even after all this, though....
I’m still reading the last book.
Lol.
June 18, 2024
I'm really quite shocked and disappointed at the direction this book took. After reading heart of thorns for the second time i was so looking forward to diving into tears of Frost i loved Mia and Quin's growing relationship in the first one and was looking forward to feeling more for them. I expected to see a stronger relationship bond and further expansion on the world and magic system in here but alas it wasn't to be as the previous relationship that I'd rooted for was totally dropped, and another POV was added which I absolutely didn't care for.
I think Mia and Quin spent about 10 pages at most together in this entire 480 book which honestly left me struggling to see anything good about this instalment, Quin is paired with Pillar which I just didn't find believable, Mia no longer feels anything after stopping her heart and in turn i no longer felt anything about her either really they were all just sort of changed in this book and not for the better.
I also don't actually think much happened in here either, yes this book explores things like self discovery, grief, forgiveness and trauma but I was hooked in by the romance and was left disappointed when it was left out of this book which is actually a personal preference, so while for me this was a pretty bland reading experience it might be for you if you don't care for romance in your YA fantasy. Although I will say there isn't much fantasy going on in here either. I will still read the last book to finish off the series and see how it all ends, although I'm no longer expecting a 5 Star read.
Thank you so much to the publishers for a E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
I think Mia and Quin spent about 10 pages at most together in this entire 480 book which honestly left me struggling to see anything good about this instalment, Quin is paired with Pillar which I just didn't find believable, Mia no longer feels anything after stopping her heart and in turn i no longer felt anything about her either really they were all just sort of changed in this book and not for the better.
I also don't actually think much happened in here either, yes this book explores things like self discovery, grief, forgiveness and trauma but I was hooked in by the romance and was left disappointed when it was left out of this book which is actually a personal preference, so while for me this was a pretty bland reading experience it might be for you if you don't care for romance in your YA fantasy. Although I will say there isn't much fantasy going on in here either. I will still read the last book to finish off the series and see how it all ends, although I'm no longer expecting a 5 Star read.
Thank you so much to the publishers for a E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2021
So I really wanted to love this. It was a good story, well written, with interesting twists and turns and I got to discover more of the magical world Bree Barton created, which I really enjoyed. But in this book Pilar, one of the side characters from Heart of Thorns is introduced as a main character and there are a lot of chapters in her perspective. Sadly I found her annoying and couldn't bring myself to like her or to like reading from her perspective. It got better towards the end but most of the time I just couldn't connect or relate to her, especially with how she was hating on other girls.
Nearly the same goes for the switching relationships. I wasn't swooning over Mia and Quin but I definitely felt their attraction. For the newly introduced relationships I just didn't feel anything.
Those things took away a lot of my enjoyment of the story but thanks to the plot twists and a very interesting ending I'm still looking forward to the third and last book of this series.
Nearly the same goes for the switching relationships. I wasn't swooning over Mia and Quin but I definitely felt their attraction. For the newly introduced relationships I just didn't feel anything.
Those things took away a lot of my enjoyment of the story but thanks to the plot twists and a very interesting ending I'm still looking forward to the third and last book of this series.
February 7, 2022
3/5⭐️
Ta część była słabsza niż pierwsza. Prowadzenie akcji mniej mi się spodobało i jakoś nie mogłam się połapać co na celu miały pewne wydarzenia. Ogolnie powiedziawszy pomysł na książkę podoba mi się, przypomina mi troche okrutnego księcia, jest wątek wlw, który ma duże znaczenie w całej historii. Jest sporo postaci należących do społeczności lgbt, dzięki czemu książka ma dla mnie większe znaczenie. Zdenerwowało mnie jak potoczyła się relacja Quina i Pilar i dosłownie myślałam, że wyjdę z siebie i stanę obok.. było sporo plot twistów które ratowały sprawę
Ta część była słabsza niż pierwsza. Prowadzenie akcji mniej mi się spodobało i jakoś nie mogłam się połapać co na celu miały pewne wydarzenia. Ogolnie powiedziawszy pomysł na książkę podoba mi się, przypomina mi troche okrutnego księcia, jest wątek wlw, który ma duże znaczenie w całej historii. Jest sporo postaci należących do społeczności lgbt, dzięki czemu książka ma dla mnie większe znaczenie. Zdenerwowało mnie jak potoczyła się relacja Quina i Pilar i dosłownie myślałam, że wyjdę z siebie i stanę obok.. było sporo plot twistów które ratowały sprawę
October 10, 2019
Spoiler-free Review:
You ever finish a book and just know that that is a book that is going to stick with you? That was me all while reading this book. It was poignant, funny, heartbreaking and necessary in all the best ways. Bree absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. It is the Empire Strikes Back of a magnificent trilogy. It is what I want all sequels to beloved books to be like. She took the characters and world i already adored and just deepened everything. Bonds were tested, broken, and strengthened along the way in the most surprising of ways. I could not have predicted the journey I would go on with these incredible characters when I started it but I wouldn't have changed it for anything. Equal parts devastating and inspiring all at once, Tears of Frost has taken root in my heart and I don't think it'll ever leave. Bree doesn't hold back in this one, really grappling with so many important issues like sexism, the effects of oppression and abuse, living with depression and so much more. Painful though it was sometimes, I really applaud Bree for facing it and how she handled it. As someone who struggles with depression, that storyline in particular really resonated with me in a profound way. Depression and mental illness is a difficult subject to tackle so it is so rare that I feel that seen in fiction but I really did in Tears of Frost.
I could go on for pages and pages but in the interest of keeping this review spoiler-free, I will refrain. All of this is to say that Bree has done something really special with this wonderful follow-up to the spectacular Heart of Thorns. As much as I just loved Heart of Thorns, I didn't think it would be possible for Bree to top herself with Tears of Frost but she did in spades and I cannot wait for everyone else to read this breath-taking continuation. You won't regret it.
I will also add that I respected the hell out of Bree for adding trigger warnings at the beginning and hotline numbers at the back. These are weighty and important issues she is covering but she also gives warning which not a lot of other authors do. So that being said there are triggers for sexual assault, depression, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation.
You ever finish a book and just know that that is a book that is going to stick with you? That was me all while reading this book. It was poignant, funny, heartbreaking and necessary in all the best ways. Bree absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. It is the Empire Strikes Back of a magnificent trilogy. It is what I want all sequels to beloved books to be like. She took the characters and world i already adored and just deepened everything. Bonds were tested, broken, and strengthened along the way in the most surprising of ways. I could not have predicted the journey I would go on with these incredible characters when I started it but I wouldn't have changed it for anything. Equal parts devastating and inspiring all at once, Tears of Frost has taken root in my heart and I don't think it'll ever leave. Bree doesn't hold back in this one, really grappling with so many important issues like sexism, the effects of oppression and abuse, living with depression and so much more. Painful though it was sometimes, I really applaud Bree for facing it and how she handled it. As someone who struggles with depression, that storyline in particular really resonated with me in a profound way. Depression and mental illness is a difficult subject to tackle so it is so rare that I feel that seen in fiction but I really did in Tears of Frost.
I could go on for pages and pages but in the interest of keeping this review spoiler-free, I will refrain. All of this is to say that Bree has done something really special with this wonderful follow-up to the spectacular Heart of Thorns. As much as I just loved Heart of Thorns, I didn't think it would be possible for Bree to top herself with Tears of Frost but she did in spades and I cannot wait for everyone else to read this breath-taking continuation. You won't regret it.
I will also add that I respected the hell out of Bree for adding trigger warnings at the beginning and hotline numbers at the back. These are weighty and important issues she is covering but she also gives warning which not a lot of other authors do. So that being said there are triggers for sexual assault, depression, alcoholism, and suicidal ideation.
December 27, 2019
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Tears of Frost, by author Bree Barton, is the second installment in the authors Heart of Thorns series. The key characters in this book are Mia Rose, Pilar d'Aqila, and Quin Killian. Mia is being hunted by her own sister Angelyne after she stopped her own heart & was brought back to life. She is numb and no longer has an emotions. She hopes that if she can find the mother who betrayed her, she might find the answers to her condition as well as stopping her sister before she gets too powerful.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Tears of Frost, by author Bree Barton, is the second installment in the authors Heart of Thorns series. The key characters in this book are Mia Rose, Pilar d'Aqila, and Quin Killian. Mia is being hunted by her own sister Angelyne after she stopped her own heart & was brought back to life. She is numb and no longer has an emotions. She hopes that if she can find the mother who betrayed her, she might find the answers to her condition as well as stopping her sister before she gets too powerful.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
June 20, 2020
It was overall a little disappointing, I didn’t like the direction the characters went in the end most of the romances were ended, so what was the point in them. The ending was again disappointing and whilst i will read the next one i will only read to see if the ending makes up for the catastrophe of the a second book.
The one thing i did love was the expansion of the magic system, the myths of the six souls and how they open up new possibilities.
The one thing i did love was the expansion of the magic system, the myths of the six souls and how they open up new possibilities.
December 3, 2024
3.5 stars
November 14, 2019
I gave this book five stars, but I'm honestly so conflicted about so many things. So I'm going to split this into things I liked and things I didn't like. Here we go.
Things I ADORED.
- The FEMINISM. Like, if the first book was a feminist masterpiece, this one takes it one step further and guts you and gives you female empowerment and sisterhood and all the things you need. It is grand. Mia and Pilar are going to run the world.
- Pilar's backstory (tw: rape). This was really beautifully handled and expertly woven into the story. Pilar is just such a strong character and I really loved getting inside her head for this book. She's so incredible. She's perfect. I love her. I send her all the hugs.
- The discussions on colonialism were SO GRAND. I might be saying this because I'm currently writing my thesis on postcolonialism and quoted darling Zai, but this was great. So well done.
- The expansion of magic from oppressed women to all oppressed peoples. I liked how the Addi also possessed magic, regardless of gender, how their oppression worked similarly to the oppression of women
Things I'm not such a huge fan of
- QUIN. My freaking cinnamon roll boy's entire character just got flayed and DESTROYED and I'm annoyed. Because the ending sets him up to basically be the villain of the next book and I am not here for this. The message that sends is basically that no man can be a feminist? That all men are the enemy? And I get it. I get that this is a series about girl power and women taking back their voice and agency and all. I get all of that. But I just don't get why that means Quin can't be on our side for this? Quin, who accepted Mia the moment he knew she was a witch? Quin, who respects all people/ Quin, who wanted his sister to be queen? Quin, who is just a sweetheart? Quin, who in this book was lying to everyone about everything, who knew Mia was alive while he was sleeping with Pilar, who SLEPT WITH PILAR WHILE KNOWING HE WAS LYING TO HER (this just felt wrong to me because she's been raped and she felt safe with him and then ughhhh). I just really reeeeally loved Quin in the first book, and then this one just tore him apart.
- Mia's mom. Like....why. Why are you alive. What purpose do you serve. Just, why.
- Angelyne. Also why. Honestly, she's just insane. She was all, oooh Pilar is the sister I deserve! And then, meh, you can kill her. Like, what even Angie, what is going on in your head? And then, I'm assuming she died at the end? So what was the point of her? And she killed Pilar's mom, so both our villains are gone?
- Zai and Mia. I wanted to like them. I did. But then he was also lying, and I couldn't stop thinking about Mia and Quin and how cute they were in the first book. And I know that everyone has grown and changed and whatever. But idk. I think I would have preferred the setup of this story if Pilar had been traveling with someone new (say, ZAI) and Mia had been traveling on her own or with Quin and they could have worked through their issues and differences and parted on better terms.
I know it looks like the things I didn't like are bigger than the things I liked, BUT I did just really love all the conversations on women and oppression and colonialism. I loved those things, and that was what made this book a five star read. The actual plot? Meh, not so much.
I am excited about the third book and seeing where Mia and Pilar take us. (and also, because I've low key wanted this since they met...can we get a Quin and Dom romance? Because that might just make my day if we have to deal with Quin as the villain)
Things I ADORED.
- The FEMINISM. Like, if the first book was a feminist masterpiece, this one takes it one step further and guts you and gives you female empowerment and sisterhood and all the things you need. It is grand. Mia and Pilar are going to run the world.
- Pilar's backstory (tw: rape). This was really beautifully handled and expertly woven into the story. Pilar is just such a strong character and I really loved getting inside her head for this book. She's so incredible. She's perfect. I love her. I send her all the hugs.
- The discussions on colonialism were SO GRAND. I might be saying this because I'm currently writing my thesis on postcolonialism and quoted darling Zai, but this was great. So well done.
- The expansion of magic from oppressed women to all oppressed peoples. I liked how the Addi also possessed magic, regardless of gender, how their oppression worked similarly to the oppression of women
Things I'm not such a huge fan of
- QUIN. My freaking cinnamon roll boy's entire character just got flayed and DESTROYED and I'm annoyed. Because the ending sets him up to basically be the villain of the next book and I am not here for this. The message that sends is basically that no man can be a feminist? That all men are the enemy? And I get it. I get that this is a series about girl power and women taking back their voice and agency and all. I get all of that. But I just don't get why that means Quin can't be on our side for this? Quin, who accepted Mia the moment he knew she was a witch? Quin, who respects all people/ Quin, who wanted his sister to be queen? Quin, who is just a sweetheart? Quin, who in this book was lying to everyone about everything, who knew Mia was alive while he was sleeping with Pilar, who SLEPT WITH PILAR WHILE KNOWING HE WAS LYING TO HER (this just felt wrong to me because she's been raped and she felt safe with him and then ughhhh). I just really reeeeally loved Quin in the first book, and then this one just tore him apart.
- Mia's mom. Like....why. Why are you alive. What purpose do you serve. Just, why.
- Angelyne. Also why. Honestly, she's just insane. She was all, oooh Pilar is the sister I deserve! And then, meh, you can kill her. Like, what even Angie, what is going on in your head? And then, I'm assuming she died at the end? So what was the point of her? And she killed Pilar's mom, so both our villains are gone?
- Zai and Mia. I wanted to like them. I did. But then he was also lying, and I couldn't stop thinking about Mia and Quin and how cute they were in the first book. And I know that everyone has grown and changed and whatever. But idk. I think I would have preferred the setup of this story if Pilar had been traveling with someone new (say, ZAI) and Mia had been traveling on her own or with Quin and they could have worked through their issues and differences and parted on better terms.
I know it looks like the things I didn't like are bigger than the things I liked, BUT I did just really love all the conversations on women and oppression and colonialism. I loved those things, and that was what made this book a five star read. The actual plot? Meh, not so much.
I am excited about the third book and seeing where Mia and Pilar take us. (and also, because I've low key wanted this since they met...can we get a Quin and Dom romance? Because that might just make my day if we have to deal with Quin as the villain)
November 3, 2019
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All options are my own.
Author: Bree Barton
Book Series: Heart of Thorns Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual assault and depression tw, some violence)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Synopsis: Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive. Pilar is on a hunt of her own. Betrayed by her mother, and plagued by a painful secret, she’s determined to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan… until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.
As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom and opportunity. But with the winter solstice drawing near, they must confront the truth beneath the glimmering ice, as lines between friend, foe, and lover vanish like snowflakes on a flame.
Review: Holy cow this book is so good. It's full of rich analysis and parallels to the issues that today's women and girls face. The book has amazing character development and touching yet realistic sibling relationship too. The writing is truly amazing and this book, for me, was a great improvement from the first one. The author is definitely one to watch for as she grows in her craft.
My only little nitpick issues are that the pacing was off in places and the world building could have been a bit better. That's it for me! Truly a wonderful book.
Verdict: definitely recommend.
Author: Bree Barton
Book Series: Heart of Thorns Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual assault and depression tw, some violence)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Synopsis: Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive. Pilar is on a hunt of her own. Betrayed by her mother, and plagued by a painful secret, she’s determined to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan… until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.
As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom and opportunity. But with the winter solstice drawing near, they must confront the truth beneath the glimmering ice, as lines between friend, foe, and lover vanish like snowflakes on a flame.
Review: Holy cow this book is so good. It's full of rich analysis and parallels to the issues that today's women and girls face. The book has amazing character development and touching yet realistic sibling relationship too. The writing is truly amazing and this book, for me, was a great improvement from the first one. The author is definitely one to watch for as she grows in her craft.
My only little nitpick issues are that the pacing was off in places and the world building could have been a bit better. That's it for me! Truly a wonderful book.
Verdict: definitely recommend.
December 2, 2019
I’m honestly not sure where to start. Let me begin by saying I was initially here for Quin and Mia, a couple that I find work(ed) well together since they truly understood each other in the last book. Unfortunately, that plot line got thrown out the window pretty quickly.
Overall, this book felt a bit too “jumpy” for me. It’s evident in the newly formed couples’ storylines, which I think were too underdeveloped to be convincing. They were just too sudden, and not meaningful enough.
What I really liked about Tears of Frost was Mia. I love that her wit and perseverance were balanced by her moments of vulnerability as well as her ability to accept when she’s wrong. It also made me really happy that she stood by Pilar when no one else did.
The author wonderfully displays the beauty and intricacies of women without depicting them as perfect. I just wish the sisterhood was stronger, but maybe that’s what the next book will be about.
Overall, this book felt a bit too “jumpy” for me. It’s evident in the newly formed couples’ storylines, which I think were too underdeveloped to be convincing. They were just too sudden, and not meaningful enough.
What I really liked about Tears of Frost was Mia. I love that her wit and perseverance were balanced by her moments of vulnerability as well as her ability to accept when she’s wrong. It also made me really happy that she stood by Pilar when no one else did.
The author wonderfully displays the beauty and intricacies of women without depicting them as perfect. I just wish the sisterhood was stronger, but maybe that’s what the next book will be about.
September 5, 2020
Hmm I can't decide if I'll read the next one or not because I... didn't actually like this one.
I think I liked the last one because it was a different take on things but this one added new levels of complicated. I liked the development of the world with the lore of the snow queendom, but it was confusing with all the different names. I know it's rooted in real life lore, but it felt so preachy- it shoves feminism down your throat and also native rights. Now, those are VERY IMPORTANT issues but it felt like the book was trying to parade it around to get a pat on the back rather than trying to educate. IDK it just wasn't for me.
I also didn't care much for Quin in the first and he absolutely gets worse in this one. He plays the victim card so. dang. much. Not for me.
Come on y'all, I need to get over these duds!
I think I liked the last one because it was a different take on things but this one added new levels of complicated. I liked the development of the world with the lore of the snow queendom, but it was confusing with all the different names. I know it's rooted in real life lore, but it felt so preachy- it shoves feminism down your throat and also native rights. Now, those are VERY IMPORTANT issues but it felt like the book was trying to parade it around to get a pat on the back rather than trying to educate. IDK it just wasn't for me.
I also didn't care much for Quin in the first and he absolutely gets worse in this one. He plays the victim card so. dang. much. Not for me.
Come on y'all, I need to get over these duds!
November 16, 2019
This book was such a let down after the first one. It starts up months after the first one ends so there are a lot of gaps that don’t end up getting filled until the end. The second POV in this story doesn’t seem like it’s important at all, I would’ve rather just had Mia’s POV. The new characters that are introduced aren’t developed and are hardly in the story at all. The book is way too fast paced and has a ton of details that I end up not remembering at all. The only good thing about this book is the setting. The world building is great and I like the setting of this world in Lummia a lot. Also, why is the mom in this book but yet not really in it at all?? I thought that was the main point of the story...?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2019
After loving the first book this fell so flat for me. It was really easy to read but the plot went in so many strange directions I almost couldn’t follow it.
A little disappointing after how amazing book 1 was.
A little disappointing after how amazing book 1 was.
March 7, 2020
This one is worse than the first, a true train wreck. This author is going into my small “automatic no read” pile.
She may be woke but she’s a terrible writer in terms of plot, character development, character interactions or, really, most anything.
She may be woke but she’s a terrible writer in terms of plot, character development, character interactions or, really, most anything.
April 19, 2020
Action packed from beginning to end!
Must say I enjoyed this book slightly more than the first. The pace of this book is awesome & definitely didn't want to put it down. It's also action packed from beginning to end with some very unexpected twists.
Must say I enjoyed this book slightly more than the first. The pace of this book is awesome & definitely didn't want to put it down. It's also action packed from beginning to end with some very unexpected twists.
January 10, 2021
3,5 stars. (Or more like 3,75?)
March 28, 2020
PLOT TWISTS FOR DAYS! This book is crazy good! At the beginning, the author gives a content warning because this book deals with some heavy topics such as depression. I think the author did such a great job writing about it. This book picks up a little while after the last book ended. It was confusing at first to realize it’s about Pilar in the beginning and not Mia Rose. I love how Pilar’s backstory unfolds throughout the novel. Mia’s chapters were heartbreaking to read but I think they are crucial to the storyline. I really liked how the author included letters from Angelyne in this novel! It was a great touch! I also loved how she weaved everybodies lives into each other with plot twist after plot twist and lies and secrets! The ending had me in tears, but ready for book three!
December 6, 2023
Przysięgam, jak babcię kocham, że miałam tej książce wystawić 2. Naprawdę! Jednak ostatecznie, po zakończeniu, podciągnęłam trochę ocenę, bo trochę mnie zaskoczyło i na pewno chciałabym przeczytać kontynuację.
Ale nie wyprzedzajmy faktów, jeśli chodzi o tę historię. Nie byłam taka zachwycona właściwie przez ponad połowę. To, co tak bardzo spodobało mi się w 1 tomie, przynajmniej tak mi się wydaje, zostało całkowicie zmienione. I chyba nie mogę tego przeżyć. Autorka miała dobry pomysł, ale chyba nie do końca pykło z wykonaniem. Oczywiście, od razu na wstępie zaznaczone jest, że osoby o słabych nerwach lepiej, żeby nie czytały, ale szczerze mówiąc, oprócz szlachetnego zamiaru autorki, który jak najbardziej popieram, to uważam, że było to nadal dość marginalne, a może po prostu źle przedstawione u tej postaci... No nieważne, nie był to główny wątek.
Jeśli chodzi o bohaterów, to jestem mega i okrutnie rozczarowana. Pilar była tak mega żałosna z tym swoim "kung-fu" i irracjonalnym poczuciem winy, a zarazem nienawiścią do całego świata, żeby nagle w "dłoniach" chłopca, stać się mięciutkim puszkiem. Ogólnie nie lubię takich zabiegów, gdzie rzekomo silna bohaterka nagle jest obłoczkiem chmurki, bo "maślane oczy". Więc jej serdecznie podziękuję za poświęcenie, ale nie.
Quin to rozmokła klucha o niedorobionej duszy artysty ze spalonego teatru. W oczach tego bohatera wszystko jest piękne, urocze i oczywiście nie zna uczucia nienawiści. Chociaż muszę przyznać, że miejscami mnie zaskakiwał i to były dobre strony barykady.
I jest jeszcze Mia Rose. O niej najlepiej mi się czytało. To co jej się przydarzyło było (jak na tę historię) fascynujące i wciągające. Książka podzielona jest na kilka części i to właśnie jej rozdziały czytało mi się najszybciej i były najciekawsze. Nie mogę za dużo o tym pisać, ale bardzo lubię tę postać, chyba jako jedną z nielicznych, bo nie jest jakoś ślepo zapatrzona w swoje krzywdy. I nawet jeśli cechuje ją jakieś poczucie winy, to dziwnie mi nie przeszkadzało, bo nie było głupie. Może sympatia do niej zrodziła się u mnie już w 1 tomie, a może była lepiej wykreowana, ale zdecydowanie jestem na tak!
Jeśli o samą powieść chodzi, to czytałam ją trochę z na wpół zamkniętymi oczami ze zmęczenia. Jednak jestem pod lekkim wrażeniem pomysłu i zakończenia, bo totalnie się go nie spodziewałam i bardzo przypadło mi do gustu, co w ogólnym rozrachunku, może być lekkim szokiem.
Polecam, czy nie, myślę, że jeśli ktoś chce przeczytać, to powinien dać tej serii szansę, ale jeśli ktoś się waha, to jest zdecydowanie więcej lepszych książek. Na pewno nie będę tych słów łagodzić, czy im zaprzeczać. Nie jest to najgorsza książka tego roku, ale również nie najlepsza.
A, jeszcze na koniec, bo być może kogoś to zaciekawi! W książce pojawiają się wątki LGBT i miejscami jest to spoko, w tym sensie, że występują u różnych postaci i niekoniecznie muszą one być dobre i szlachetne. Wybaczcie te gorzkie słowa, ale takie jest życie, tak samo jak ludzie są różni. Indywidualność nie wybiera charakteru. Jednak, trochę też zauważyłam, że jest to w pewien sposób potraktowane po macoszemu, żeby po prostu było, bo jest "modne" (nie chcę nikogo obrazić, chodzi mi o to, że teraz jest ten wątek w każdej książce i to oczywiście propsuję, ale mam nadzieję, że wiecie o co chodzi), ale nadal potraktowane tak, jakby dwa czy trzy zdania miały jakieś znaczenie, ale w ogólnym rozrachunku mogłoby ich nie być i na to samo by wyszło. Trochę to słabe, bo jednak jest to ciekawie zarysowany wątek, a nadal wciśnięty na siłę.
Myślę, że moje słowa zostawię do głębszego przemyślenia, ponieważ ja na pewno chcę kontynuować serię, ale czy ostatecznie zostawię ją jednak na półce, to tylko 3 tom może o tym zdecydować.
Ale nie wyprzedzajmy faktów, jeśli chodzi o tę historię. Nie byłam taka zachwycona właściwie przez ponad połowę. To, co tak bardzo spodobało mi się w 1 tomie, przynajmniej tak mi się wydaje, zostało całkowicie zmienione. I chyba nie mogę tego przeżyć. Autorka miała dobry pomysł, ale chyba nie do końca pykło z wykonaniem. Oczywiście, od razu na wstępie zaznaczone jest, że osoby o słabych nerwach lepiej, żeby nie czytały, ale szczerze mówiąc, oprócz szlachetnego zamiaru autorki, który jak najbardziej popieram, to uważam, że było to nadal dość marginalne, a może po prostu źle przedstawione u tej postaci... No nieważne, nie był to główny wątek.
Jeśli chodzi o bohaterów, to jestem mega i okrutnie rozczarowana. Pilar była tak mega żałosna z tym swoim "kung-fu" i irracjonalnym poczuciem winy, a zarazem nienawiścią do całego świata, żeby nagle w "dłoniach" chłopca, stać się mięciutkim puszkiem. Ogólnie nie lubię takich zabiegów, gdzie rzekomo silna bohaterka nagle jest obłoczkiem chmurki, bo "maślane oczy". Więc jej serdecznie podziękuję za poświęcenie, ale nie.
Quin to rozmokła klucha o niedorobionej duszy artysty ze spalonego teatru. W oczach tego bohatera wszystko jest piękne, urocze i oczywiście nie zna uczucia nienawiści. Chociaż muszę przyznać, że miejscami mnie zaskakiwał i to były dobre strony barykady.
I jest jeszcze Mia Rose. O niej najlepiej mi się czytało. To co jej się przydarzyło było (jak na tę historię) fascynujące i wciągające. Książka podzielona jest na kilka części i to właśnie jej rozdziały czytało mi się najszybciej i były najciekawsze. Nie mogę za dużo o tym pisać, ale bardzo lubię tę postać, chyba jako jedną z nielicznych, bo nie jest jakoś ślepo zapatrzona w swoje krzywdy. I nawet jeśli cechuje ją jakieś poczucie winy, to dziwnie mi nie przeszkadzało, bo nie było głupie. Może sympatia do niej zrodziła się u mnie już w 1 tomie, a może była lepiej wykreowana, ale zdecydowanie jestem na tak!
Jeśli o samą powieść chodzi, to czytałam ją trochę z na wpół zamkniętymi oczami ze zmęczenia. Jednak jestem pod lekkim wrażeniem pomysłu i zakończenia, bo totalnie się go nie spodziewałam i bardzo przypadło mi do gustu, co w ogólnym rozrachunku, może być lekkim szokiem.
Polecam, czy nie, myślę, że jeśli ktoś chce przeczytać, to powinien dać tej serii szansę, ale jeśli ktoś się waha, to jest zdecydowanie więcej lepszych książek. Na pewno nie będę tych słów łagodzić, czy im zaprzeczać. Nie jest to najgorsza książka tego roku, ale również nie najlepsza.
A, jeszcze na koniec, bo być może kogoś to zaciekawi! W książce pojawiają się wątki LGBT i miejscami jest to spoko, w tym sensie, że występują u różnych postaci i niekoniecznie muszą one być dobre i szlachetne. Wybaczcie te gorzkie słowa, ale takie jest życie, tak samo jak ludzie są różni. Indywidualność nie wybiera charakteru. Jednak, trochę też zauważyłam, że jest to w pewien sposób potraktowane po macoszemu, żeby po prostu było, bo jest "modne" (nie chcę nikogo obrazić, chodzi mi o to, że teraz jest ten wątek w każdej książce i to oczywiście propsuję, ale mam nadzieję, że wiecie o co chodzi), ale nadal potraktowane tak, jakby dwa czy trzy zdania miały jakieś znaczenie, ale w ogólnym rozrachunku mogłoby ich nie być i na to samo by wyszło. Trochę to słabe, bo jednak jest to ciekawie zarysowany wątek, a nadal wciśnięty na siłę.
Myślę, że moje słowa zostawię do głębszego przemyślenia, ponieważ ja na pewno chcę kontynuować serię, ale czy ostatecznie zostawię ją jednak na półce, to tylko 3 tom może o tym zdecydować.
August 29, 2022
I read Heart of Thorns almost two years ago, but I remember really liking it and was excited to return to the story after the first book's cliffhanger. Unfortunately, Tears of Frost was painfully boring, unnecessarily long, and contained none of its predecessor’s charm.
I won't deny that Heart of Thorns had a generic and clunky story. However, that was offset by the genuine charm of Mia and Quin’s growing relationship—which was the primary reason why I had hope for this sequel. But this novel has next to nothing on that front: not only is Quin and Mia’s relationship practically abandoned, but Quin’s character is done a major disservice (in more ways than one). Without those emotional anchors, this world and narrative sputter and die. Tears of Frost is nothing but a lump of magical rhetoric and spews of nonsensical exposition, all performed by oddly flat characters, with nothing human to latch onto, enjoy, or anticipate. I am, to quote Prince Humperdinck, very put out.
It’s hard to figure out this book’s purpose. Little (if anything) was accomplished and the characters are too uninteresting—and oftentimes downright contradictory—for Tears of Frost to work as a character-based installment. (Many a trilogy's "middle entry" have been salvaged by strong character beats and deeper exploration of the world and relationships. This is not one of those times.) The split point-of-view between Pilar and Mia felt particularly jarring and unnecessary. Though neither woman is especially memorable, Pilar is quite generic (to the point where I barely remember her in the first book) and, looking back on the information and developments in her chapters, I can’t recall anything significant occurring. Mia’s storyline at least contained scenes that mattered (even if it took forever to get there). Her change in character was weird but not unpromising—I’ve always loved characters who struggle to feel emotion, but Mia's situation came off less like a young woman suffering from magical trauma, or even a mental illness allegory, and more like she was a fickle stick in the mud. Also, for a girl who is supposedly dead inside, she sure got the hots for some other guy super quickly (and that didn’t even amount to anything? Seriously, the “romances” in this book were so bizarre and incomprehensible).
Everything about this book was horribly disappointing. I was willing to overlook the shortcomings in Heart of Thorns because it had some really powerful ideas and, most importantly of all, whenever Mia and Quin worked together, I cared about what happened to them. Here, I felt no sympathy whatsoever for anyone. I was bored and frustrated, and the book seemed almost equally bored and frustrated with itself. On top of failing to continue the story in a satisfying way, it basically stomped on everything that made its predecessor work. So thanks for nothing, Tears of Frost. I haven’t been so relieved to finish a book in a long time.
1.5 stars.
I won't deny that Heart of Thorns had a generic and clunky story. However, that was offset by the genuine charm of Mia and Quin’s growing relationship—which was the primary reason why I had hope for this sequel. But this novel has next to nothing on that front: not only is Quin and Mia’s relationship practically abandoned, but Quin’s character is done a major disservice (in more ways than one). Without those emotional anchors, this world and narrative sputter and die. Tears of Frost is nothing but a lump of magical rhetoric and spews of nonsensical exposition, all performed by oddly flat characters, with nothing human to latch onto, enjoy, or anticipate. I am, to quote Prince Humperdinck, very put out.
It’s hard to figure out this book’s purpose. Little (if anything) was accomplished and the characters are too uninteresting—and oftentimes downright contradictory—for Tears of Frost to work as a character-based installment. (Many a trilogy's "middle entry" have been salvaged by strong character beats and deeper exploration of the world and relationships. This is not one of those times.) The split point-of-view between Pilar and Mia felt particularly jarring and unnecessary. Though neither woman is especially memorable, Pilar is quite generic (to the point where I barely remember her in the first book) and, looking back on the information and developments in her chapters, I can’t recall anything significant occurring. Mia’s storyline at least contained scenes that mattered (even if it took forever to get there). Her change in character was weird but not unpromising—I’ve always loved characters who struggle to feel emotion, but Mia's situation came off less like a young woman suffering from magical trauma, or even a mental illness allegory, and more like she was a fickle stick in the mud. Also, for a girl who is supposedly dead inside, she sure got the hots for some other guy super quickly (and that didn’t even amount to anything? Seriously, the “romances” in this book were so bizarre and incomprehensible).
Everything about this book was horribly disappointing. I was willing to overlook the shortcomings in Heart of Thorns because it had some really powerful ideas and, most importantly of all, whenever Mia and Quin worked together, I cared about what happened to them. Here, I felt no sympathy whatsoever for anyone. I was bored and frustrated, and the book seemed almost equally bored and frustrated with itself. On top of failing to continue the story in a satisfying way, it basically stomped on everything that made its predecessor work. So thanks for nothing, Tears of Frost. I haven’t been so relieved to finish a book in a long time.
1.5 stars.
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January 14, 2021PROS
Loved the world-building in the first part of the book. I love that we got to explore the second kingdom.
We got to learn more about the magic system and the myths behind Six Souls, which was the best part in my opinion.
The letters served as fantastic interludes in the story and I read those with the uttermost attention.
I liked the shift of focus on Pilar!
CONS
Again, this was just too long.
Quin - my favourite character from the first book was kind of destroyed. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but I felt like this wasn't the same character I loved so much in the first book.
The main character definitely wasn't as annoying as I thought she was in the first book. In fact, she didn't even feel like a main character at all. She felt like she was in the story, but her story wasn't as important anymore.
Now, even tho I do like that we got to see more of Pilar, I felt like she stole the entire story. She literally felt like the main character, and I don't know how that happened.
Again, the book is still fun to read, but I have to admit I was disappointed. The first 150 pages I was so excited because it was just what I wanted from the first book. More details about the world we read about, seeing my favourite characters continue their journey...But then somewhere in the second half, a lot of unexpected twists happened that were kind of...weird. It didn't feel natural. It felt a bit forced.
You're made to feel as if you can never trust any character, as with any turn of the page, it could turn out that he/she was totally playing a role or hiding a big secret...
Fingers crossed that the third book is better.
Loved the world-building in the first part of the book. I love that we got to explore the second kingdom.
We got to learn more about the magic system and the myths behind Six Souls, which was the best part in my opinion.
The letters served as fantastic interludes in the story and I read those with the uttermost attention.
I liked the shift of focus on Pilar!
CONS
Again, this was just too long.
Quin - my favourite character from the first book was kind of destroyed. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but I felt like this wasn't the same character I loved so much in the first book.
The main character definitely wasn't as annoying as I thought she was in the first book. In fact, she didn't even feel like a main character at all. She felt like she was in the story, but her story wasn't as important anymore.
Now, even tho I do like that we got to see more of Pilar, I felt like she stole the entire story. She literally felt like the main character, and I don't know how that happened.
Again, the book is still fun to read, but I have to admit I was disappointed. The first 150 pages I was so excited because it was just what I wanted from the first book. More details about the world we read about, seeing my favourite characters continue their journey...But then somewhere in the second half, a lot of unexpected twists happened that were kind of...weird. It didn't feel natural. It felt a bit forced.
You're made to feel as if you can never trust any character, as with any turn of the page, it could turn out that he/she was totally playing a role or hiding a big secret...
Fingers crossed that the third book is better.
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