The Frost Eater

The Magic Eaters Trilogy #1

by Carol Beth Anderson

A lonely princess.
A flying teen.
A kidnapped girl who only remembers what happens at night.

Seventeen-year-old Princess Nora is a frost eater who creates magical ice. Her royal life is luxurious but stifling.

Krey West has a rare magical talent: when he eats feathers, he can fly. His one goal is to find his missing girlfriend, Zeisha. He thinks someone in power abducted her.

Krey’s daring feats of magic earn him an invitation to the palace. Craving adventure and friendship, Nora offers to help him find Zeisha. He’s desperate enough to accept—though he hates the monarchy.

The truth is more terrible than they could imagine.

Every night, Zeisha wakes in a dark room full of sleeping people, unable to remember what she did in the light. Her dreams provide violent glimpses into her forgotten days.

If Krey and Nora can’t save her, Zeisha may lose herself forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Dystopia, Ebooks, Fantasy Romance

410 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2020

About the author

Thanks for visiting my Goodreads Author page! I'm Beth, author of fantasy novels, microfiction, and nonfiction for authors.

If you're interested in what books I'm reading, feel free to connect with me on my personal Goodreads too.

Reviews

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the beginning of, what looks like it will be, an epic YA fantasy series from Carol Beth.
Once I got past some of the cheesy points of The Frost Eater I really enjoyed it. You just have to get past the way our characters got their magic and a few other nuances that felt awkward to me. But hey, there are dragons! So get past the initial cheesiness and it pays off. Plus you get to look at this gorgeous cover.

Cheesy at First
The opening chapter feels like a scene from Frozen. No joke, our leading teen girl “eats ice” and can produce pretty snow and ice magic, just like Elsa. She’s even a princess just to put the icing on the cake. But here’s the thing... once I got over the way our magic users “fuel up” (by eating certain items) I loved the magic. It’s interesting, unique, and yet familiar so it took me very little time to slide into the magical lore. I really like that the magic runs out; like your strength and stamina do.
Which brings me to cheesy issue number 2. These people are Earth humans... whom got magic in a way they aren’t sure of and live on a different planet than Earth. I’ll leave more of the details out for you to discover on your own; but essentially the construct is this is a post-apocalyptic human existence with a lot of fantastical magical twists. The human/Earth connection felt unnecessary to me. The history is mostly irrelevant in book one but maybe it plays a part in the future books? I’d have preferred Anderson just built her own world and didn’t include humans or Earth at all.

Great Series Start
There is a lot of story to tell here still. We get a semi-end; but it does lead into a cliffhanger for book two (out Sept 2020). A lot is unknown about why certain magic works, what caused major past events and a multitude of other things. I assume, and it feels like, Anderson has a plan and will reveal more and more as the series moves on which is very exciting!

Characters
I was really enamoured with all of our characters; but I held a personal preference for the manly guard that is one of our four teenage main characters. We get glimpses of events and thoughts from each POV; but the majority of the story is told via our lead princess. There was a moment where I felt like pieces of The Frost Eater were reminiscent of A Curse So Dark and Lonely (which I loved); however, these are teen characters and there is more of a YA basis and feel here. Additionally the romance story is far from the main focus.

Romance & Plot
The Frost Eater is definitely in the YA/teen genre. So be prepared for our characters to have multiple love interests, first kiss excitement and all that teenage lust/love stuff. Thankfully the romances aren’t the core story; they are more of a driver for a couple plot points and flow naturally given the close proximity and deadly circumstances our characters find themselves in; never mind a lack of people and friends our princesses age to interact with.
The actual plot is politically driven and Anderson keeps the reader guessing who is involved throughout. None of the instances felt convenient (my usual complaint with YA books) and everything doesn’t go “as planned” which is important to me in a story; because nothing goes as planned in real life.
Additionally Anderson ensures to have details another sustainment of life including bathroom needs, food, water, sleep, etc. No one is seemingly indestructible and injuries don’t heal magically (until they are healed with magic, lol); and there isn’t really a replacement for sleep. This attention to detail makes the story feel more real for me and I appreciate that Anderson gives them a place throughout.

Overall
The Frost Eater is a solid YA fantasy choice. Especially given it’s an indie book. I’m surprised that Anderson hasn’t been picked up by a major publisher as she has a number of series that are well done and deserve to sit on a shelf next to today’s hyped YA fantasy picks. Although as I write that I realize she has perhaps kept herself indie to keep some control; but I’m speculating.
If the introduction and way our characters fuel up their magic was a little less cheesy this could just reach a five-star rating. As always four-stars from me means it’s a solid read and I would recommend it to others with small caveats; in this case our Frozen start has to be pushed through, but otherwise I believe most will enjoy this series introduction.
It’s definitely worth the $0 price on KU! And quite affordable in other formats making it well worth trying out to see if it’s for you. I’m now counting down the days to September 2020 for book 2!

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the author via BookSprout. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Frost Eater is chock full of fantastic magical-fantasy goodness. The world is introduced slowly which helped to not feel overwhelmed by the details. The writing and world building are great. I enjoyed the smart, strong, sassy princess. There were some pacing issues making the book feel 50 pages too long, and at times the long-winded descriptions and chatter had started to bore me; I felt that time could have been spent fleshing out the characters a little more. Overall, The Frost Eater is a unique book with passion at its core.

[K. Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually review books but after experiencing the author's taste on twitter I had high hopes. Tldr: it's good. Go read it, especially if you're a preteen or mom looking to get into a kid's head.

I'd like to get the cons out of the way first. My first impression of The Frost Eater was: wow, highly marketable. With a princess with ice powers, it skirts dangerously close to Frozen. Throw in a cast almost universally brown colored, casual lesbian relationships, and women in many leadership positions, and Frost Eater feels tailor-made for appealing to a literary public. Then there are the excerpts from Princess Nora's ancestor, which serve not only as exposition but as a reminder that an adult with pretty strong opinions of technology, planned parenthood, and community is in fact writing this book. Ultimately I felt the villain's motivation could have been fleshed out better, and the rationale is a bit of a copout.

But given all those things, the author establishes characters I supported and a simple style early on that make the post-apocalyptic magical fantasy highly palatable. Fans of the practical fantasy of Diana Wynne Jones will find a familiar voice here, with a subtle flavor of steampunk and bracing modern language that places a dashing American flair on everything.Teenage rebellion quickly finds roots in grief, young love, and issues that matter to everyone. I love that everybody is full of hormones but are rational enough to think through passion. Characterization is very skilled, done through placement of characters and feels cinematic. This thing is dense in the latter half, fitting in a whole bunch of heavy hitting action and gut punches in the feels to satisfy any drama queen.

Please, please give Ovrrun a meat-eating power in the second half. I want to see him eat a cheeseburger and suddenly be able to lift cars.

[Carol Anderson]

Hi, readers!

Thanks for checking out The Frost Eater. I hope you enjoy this magical, post-apocalyptic story at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Can't get enough of Anyari? The Seer's Sister is a full-length prequel that takes place two hundred years before The Frost Eater. You can read it before or after the trilogy or as a standalone.

Right now, The Seer's Sister is only available as a free gift to my Email Insiders. To snag it for free, please visit this website. Make sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf first!

Thanks for reading; thanks for reviewing; and thanks in general for being an awesome book lover!

-Beth

P.S. 4-16-21: If you've read the book, check out the notes I made if you'd like an insider perspective on the story. Click here to read them.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/8/2020)! 🎁

[Benjamin Fife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this a Kissing Book?

Ok, with a title like that for my review, I’d better explain pretty quick, lest I lose the young Fred Savages out there.

YES. There is kissing in this book. More detailed than the likes of the young Fred being read to than the old Peter Falk might enjoy. But – in the spirit of The Princess Bride – There’s so much more – Fencing (come to think of it, might not be fencing in Frost Eater), fighting, torture, revenge, giants (no giants either), monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles… and of course… MAGIC! Unlike Goldman’s retelling of S. Morgenstern’s The Princess Bride however, neither of these books are really any kind of satire.

Very shortly after I started listening to the Frost Eater, I was struck by a couple of similarities to Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. (I recently listened to that one too, and in a sense this is kind of my review of it as well). There are a few things that Ms. Anderson may have learned very well from the modern master of fantasy that she handles just as well as he does. Sanderson is a stickler for having “systems” of magic, and the Magic Eaters trilogy most certainly nails that. Without giving away too much of the plot – said magic eaters obtain their “fuel” for their magical abilities by eating a physical variety of the powers that they exhibit/can call upon, not entirely unlike the Allomantic Metals of the Mistborn series, in that they can run out of fuel for example, and not every magic eater is of the same type. There were a couple of other similarities to Mistborn that struck me too: There was something that happened in the past (200 years in Magic Eaters, 1000 years in Mistborn) that in part brought about the magical society they are now involved in. Also, both books have a very well written heroine as the main character. Also, like Mistborn, each chapter begins with an excerpt from an old diary / memoir that sets the tone for each chapter. There are other similarities further in the book as well, but I don’t want to divulge them for fear of spoiling one or the other stories for the uninitiated. Gotta say though, I'm glad I don't have to eat diced feathers.

Do I think this is a copy of Mistborn? No. Similar, but it’s also very much its own well thought out thing, with unique characters, unexpected plot turns, unknown back elements pulling strings we don’t yet find out fully in this book, and so forth. I DO think anyone who likes Mistborn would like this book. And vice versa.

The differences – That’s where “is this a kissing book” comes in. The main characters – In Mistborn – Vinn is a street rat with enormous abilities she’s just discovering; Kelsier serves as her mentor – older, wiser etc. In the Frost Eater – Nora is a princess who has had life handed to her on a silver platter; Krey West serves as a much younger Kelsier, but exceedingly talented mentor with a chip on his shoulder for Nora. In my view, the differences in the main 2 characters from both of these books is what sets them apart from each other the most. Both Vinn & Nora are discovering who they are – in a surprisingly perpendicular fashion – Vinn has to live as an aristocrat, and Nora as a street rat (slight spoilers, but not much). Likewise, Both Kelsier & Krey are motivated by their love for their parted soul mate. The difference being that Krey’s is still alive & he’s determined to rescue her – which is the main driving force behind the whole plot of The Frost Eater. The Frost Eater is geared to a slightly younger audience probably as both Krey and Nora are teens, and as teens are hormonal. Ms. Anderson’s writing of the “kissing scenes” is very tastefully done however. Mr. Sanderson – There’s a very little bit of kissing, but it’s much less a part of the plot or character development, nor is it in quite as much detail. On the other side of things, Mistborn is more graphic in its depiction of violence & deaths. Both writers are great at painting a picture in your head & world building. Those who find romance off-putting might do better with Mistborn & those who find gore off-putting might do better with The Frost Eater.

Both authors also excel in their overall worldbuilding. Sanderson is well known for it. Anderson is just as good, though maybe just a little slimmer, but it’s apparent that she’s thought out the world of Enyari thoroughly & I’ll be curious to read more of the universe(s) she creates.

Other differences – Brandon Sanderson, self admittedly, writes bricks. His books are mouthfuls. As such, the cast of Mistborn is much broader than The Frost Eater, with more developed characters (in some instances) and more “weaving” of the plot than you get in a shorter book like The Frost Eater. At the same time, I feel a little more intimately connected to the characters in the Frost Eater. Maybe its because they are written from a more youthful perspective & feel just a little bit more approachable. Carol Beth Anderson is not as established as a writer as Sanderson, but I feel she has every bit the potential that He has obviously already shown with his extensive catalog of material. (Mistborn alone has over 50,000 ratings on audible – Oh what I wouldn’t give for that! And I’m sure Ms. Anderson would say the same – Good luck to her- Sanderson doesn't need luck anymore)

This was my first experience with Ms. Anderson as both an author and a narrator. I’m sold on both counts. I’m eagerly awaiting book 2 of The Magic Eaters – due out September 1st I’m told. Some authors try narration & bomb at it miserably. Her narration of her material was superb in quality, pace, characterization. I don’t think she’s narrated anyone else’s material, but she could certainly pull it off. I would both read & listen to anything she would do based on her performance in this book. As far as Mistborn’s Narration, Michael Kramer is certainly a pro & it shows. He’s got over 50,000 ratings on Mistborn alone, along with another 239 titles under his belt. I just signed on for my 28th audiobook project officially this morning, so I’m hoping I’ll get there in a few years. Good luck Carol & let me know if you ever need a male narrator if you can’t book Michael Kramer. :)

When I started this post, I really only intended on reviewing the one book… But it worked out so well, especially since I hadn’t reviewed Mistborn yet. So… The “stars” Verdict- 5 Stars all around for Both! Writing, Narration, Overall. Great books. I recommend them to anyone who loves a good fantasy novel, or just good writing in general. And in particular to anyone who has read one but not the other.

And to the young Fred Savages out there… One day you might not mind so much.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

My original rating stands and for the exact same reasons: the “romance” and the swiftness of events at the end. However, I still absolutely adore this book! It took me some time to get into it again, and I was also rereading The Hobbit at the same time, but once I got going, I fell right back into obsession. It’s such a good story, and I love everything about it from the plot to the characters to the exposition. The world-building is strong, and so is the conflict. And, as before, I started The Vine Eater immediately upon finishing The Frost Eater. Even knowing what happens overall in this series, I still can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s also been fun to fill in gaps of things I forgot and to just revisit scenes I remembered and enjoyed. I’ve even noticed things that hint (imo) at the ending, so that’s been fun, too! Finally, I’ve noticed again the emphasis on faith that I really appreciated when reading the first time.
Overall, I still love this book and strongly recommend it!

*****4.5*****

What I like best about this book would have to be the world-building. I love the excerpts from Liri Abrios's book that begin each chapter, but that's not the only way Anderson lets us know about the world--we learn about it as we go, no info dumping, but we're told what we need to know when we need to know it. I also love that there are facets of the world that aren't explained but shown. She does a wonderful job of creating this new place, this new planet, colonized by people from earth long ago, changed forever by a mysterious stone. I love that there are colonists from earth with all their tech that come to Anyari, but then, there are also Pre-Day and Post-Day inhabitants that have such strikingly different lifestyles. So, this is set in the future, post-technology but also post-apocalyptic and therefore pre-tech, as well. It's such an interesting dynamic. Oh, and the magic system. So interesting! It reminds me a tiny bit of the magic that Jean Rabe created for her Dragonlance books, this "earth magic," so to speak.
What I like second best is the characters. Krey is by far my favorite, and I feel a little weird as a 36-year-old shelving a book with a young adult in it as a literary crush, but crush can be interpreted loosely here, and I really love his character. I love Ovrun, Nora, Zeisha, Isla, Osmius, and Taima as well. There are other well-drawn characters that I appreciate, too, that play important roles but more secondarily. I love the character development over the course of the novel, especially when it comes to Nora, who definitely changes the most.
Third best would have to be the political undertones. I love a good tavern scene, and we have a few, and I also love books about revolution and rebellion, and we get that, too. I like the stark contrasts in the settings from Krey's town to Cellerin City to Deroga. We see a wide range of social classes and situations in this novel, and that adds layers to the plot.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that some scenes and plot points feel rushed. Everything is well-written, but I kind of groaned over some scenes that moved too quickly. There are also some cheesy lines with the romances, especially between Nora and Ovrun. I know they're young, but all the "hot" talk made me cringe a bit. Those are minor, minor points, though, because overall, I loved this book so much!!
I strongly recommend this book to YA sci-fi, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, fantasy lovers. I mean, you have abandoned skytrain tracks in a city that also has dragons flying over it. I'm so thankful that Carol Beth Anderson shared this book for free on her birthday and that I saw the link on Twitter. I'm also really happy she shared the whole trilogy and the prequel because, with that ending, I'm diving right into book two, The Vine Eater, and I have two more books after that to look forward to!

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an early copy of this book from the author and am leaving an honest review.

Obviously, I devoured this book-read it in 2 days. I found myself sucked in to the post-apocalyptic life described in Cellerin. I particularly enjoyed the animals that played parts in the story. Made it feel like more than just “earth re-imagined”.

The characters-their flaws, their quirks, their growth throughout the story, their friendships/relationships/betrayals are what really drew me in and kept me engrossed in the story. I found myself as I was reading trying to predict how certain characters would react to things because I felt like I knew them.

I don’t want to give away anything, so please forgive my vagueness, but the action in the book is perfectly paced and I’d deem the book appropriate for my 6th grade daughter, and plan to stock copies in our grade-school library for the 6-8th graders. Yet though it would be appropriate for that age level, I truly loved it as adult!

There are a lot of unanswered questions and conflicts to be resolved. I eagerly await the second installment!

[B · Rating 1 out of 5]

How in the world did this get such great reviews? I desperately wanted to love this but I don’t even know where to start. The pacing of this novel was so off, and time passed without letting you know that it had passed. All of a sudden it would be two weeks from the last chapter or a month, and they would just tell you what happened instead of showing you. And don’t even get me started on the characters. Krey is such a whiny little bitch who held a grudge for way too long, and against someone who didn’t even have anything to do with his issue. Every time he spoke I wanted to punch him in the face. Nora honestly wasn’t any better and she seemed a lot younger than seventeen, and all of her choices made me want to throw the book on the ground. She was awkward in the worst way, and so unbelievably naive and stupid. The dialogue was cringey at best, the battle scenes were boring, and if this were a hundred pages shorter, it wouldn’t have made a difference. I don’t think the people who gave this four and five stars actually read this, or they just cared that it was a pretty cover and contained dragons. Other than that, unless you really really love fantasy novels and don’t care about flat characters who literally cry over every inconvenience, don’t pick up this book.

[Michele Quirke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED The Frost Eater! I think it's safe to say the magic system in this book is one of the best I've ever read about. The idea that lysters (magic users) need to eat a certain type of fuel (ashes, ice, BRAIN, etc.) in order to use their magic was really unique and cool.

The characters in this book are great and although Krey's hatred for the monarchy (and Nora by extension) was a bit much at first, once we learned his reasoning it made total sense. I'd be upset if I were him too! I particularly liked Nora. She started the story as a sheltered and spoiled princess, but she grew so much by the end. Krey did too! I loved watching their friendship develop and to he honest, their platonic relationship was one I found refreshing. That's not to say there isn't romance in this book though! Not only did I love how dedicated Krey was to finding and saving his missing girlfriend, but there was also Ovrun. I really enjoyed the romance between him and Nora! I hope to see more of it in book 2!

Overall, The Frost Eater was an incredible book with lots of action, suspense, plenty of romance, and unexpected twists!! Oh, and there are dragons!! It's a real page-turner and I HIGHLY recommend it! Looking forward to reading more in this series!

[Marochka · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10

[T.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Frost Eater is a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel with an intriguing magic system and a whole cast of unique characters each struggling with their own personal challenges. When plot events bring these characters together, the relationships that develop between them give the fast-paced, high-stakes plot even more depth and importance in a way that creates an engaging story from the first page to the last.

I love seeing real character growth and change in a story, not just on an individual level, but also in characters' relationships and interactions with each other. And this book absolutely delivers that. Nora is a likeable but spoiled and naive princess who has never wanted for much of anything, and when we first meet her, she has absolutely no idea what challenges daily life presents for people outside the monarchy. She 100% believes that everything the monarchy does is for the good of the people, and as certain events unfold, it's interesting to see her grapple with some of the questions and realizations she's presented with. A lot of those realizations come from Krey, our other protagonist, who is Nora's complete opposite in almost every way. He's cynical and sarcastic and often unable to hide the fact that he has some major beef with the monarchy and what it represents. Pairing these two together creates some great conflict, and their interactions are always interesting to read.

Then there's Ovrun, who gets dragged into the middle of things but quickly becomes a very important member of the group. I love big-tough-warrior-with-a-heart-of-gold trope, so obviously I loved Ovrun. There is a bit of a romantic subplot here, which I absolutely loved, and it is woven into the main plot of the story and the character development really well.

The magic system was really interesting, with magic users having to ingest fuel in order to use their specific brand of magic. It kind of reminded me of Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy in that way, but Anderson does some unique things here that were really interesting to learn about as the story progressed. I was especially interested in the post-apocalyptic angle of the story and the connection between this world and the one that came before The Day. I hope to learn more about that in future books of the series, and I absolutely cannot wait to read more.

[C.L. Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most unique books I've read in a long time! It did take me a little while to get into, but once I did, I was pretty engaged throughout.
The magic system is strange but fascinating! Some beings in the story have magical abilities that they "feed" through eating fire, snow, feathers, and some other interesting substances.
The character interactions feel real. I could feel the teenage angst and insecurity, but I didn't really feel deeply connected to them as people, and thus it was harder for me to worry about them when they were in danger.
I listened to the audiobook, which was read by the author, who did a fabulous job. I don't know how many indie books I sample audiobooks of and just go with the ebooks instead because the voices are so terrible. Anderson was lovely to listen to, and there were no production value problems. The only thing I can think of with the audiobook that was a little jarring at first was when each chapter started. The majority of the book is in the third person, but each chapter begins with journal notes from the generation before that are written in first-person, and until you get used to that, it is a bit confusing. I do love the history put into the novel in these moments, though. I'm sure it translates much better in print and ebook format.
I did enjoy the way Anderson portrays class differences not only in a way that describes the poor class's plight, but also the difficult decisions of the royals as well.
The downfall of technology and scarcity of creature comforts solidly sells the post-apocalyptic atmosphere without resorting to too many tropes that this genre tends to suffer from. (This was not the Hunger Games, but the world still felt just as tangible!)
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and more books in this series.

[Angela Hagerfamilyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and truly can’t wait for the rest of the series. I saw that its genres were simply Young Adult and Fantasy, but there’s certainly more to it than that. The book is set in a post apocalyptic world that was colonized by Earth thousands of years ago. So, it’s definitely Dystopian with a tiny hint of Sci-fi too.

Carol Beth Anderson took on a lot in building this world. She layered an Earth like world with an apocalypse that wiped out most of the people and all the modern advancements with newfound magic and even magical creatures. There are times it felt a bit forced or hard to believe, but mostly it all fit together really well. I honestly can’t say if the magical system is wholly unique, but it was something completely new to me. Having a magical talent that compels you to eat the source associated with that talent. I have to admit, I found myself feeling bad for certain people for what they had to eat for their magic. I could handle eating ice. Feathers though? From actual birds? No thank you.

I really liked the trio of MC’s. They fit well together. They had their ups and downs, both individually and together. They were far from perfect and didn’t get along all the time. They had to learn to trust each other. I like going through that process organically with the characters. It makes them feel that much more real. And they also truly felt their ages. Sometimes you read a YA and it’s got a serious case of “Grease Syndrome”... dressing up full grown adults and trying to pass them off as teenagers. But these three felt like actual teenagers. From walking around angry at the world to asking “Wait. You think I’m hot?” It may have been a *few* years since I’ve been a teenager, but I could definitely remember and relate to what they were feeling.

As for the story itself, it flowed extremely well. For me, there weren’t any heart stopping moments, but it never dragged either. The pacing was wonderful. The plot and all its parts progressed at a great pace, always leaving me wanting to keep reading whenever I had to put it down. I also appreciated the fact that, while there is still clearly an overarching conflict ready to continue in the second book, this part of the story was brought to completion. The story is clearly not over, I’m certainly coming back for book two, but I still got to feel good about something by the end without the gnawing pit of a massive cliffhanger. (I enjoy a good cliffhanger too, but I like that not all books need them)

I am so glad I was sent this book and I will certainly be recommending it to others! I’m always evaluating the YA I read for whether or not I’d be okay putting it in the hands of my 13 year old daughter and I can say that I would happily hand her The Frost Eater and know she’d enjoy it as much as I did.

[Jacob Klop · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Frost Eater's main plot revolves around three character’s (Nora, Krey and Ovrun) search for a missing girl (Zeisha). Swirling around that main plot are suspicions of treason from within the palace, the question of why Zeisha was taken, romance between Nora and Ovrun, and some fantastic world building.

There are so many great things in Frost Eater that I probably won’t get them all, but here are the ones that stood out for me. The history – every chapter opens with a reflection from the first generation, and the reflections often have hints of what’s to come and some wonderful detail of what the world was like after billions of people were killed by a tragic event. The magic system – After the devastating event some people became gifted with the ability to do magic by eating the appropriate related substance. For example feathers = flying, ice=snow/ice. It’s really an excellent system, but I admit to feeling an urge to gag every time Krey eats feathers. The world – for me, it feels like a combination of fantasy and technology which works quite well. I also enjoyed reading about the ruins of the old society that could not be maintained when so many people died. There are very short chapters from the prisoner’s point of view that I liked as well.

Minor spoilers - The over-all plot is quite good. I liked the call back to a certain character near the end, and the way dragons are used is both creative and entertaining. I found using mind control as a magical power from eating brains to be clever as well. The main culprit within the palace is a good choice, as I wasn’t entirely sure who it would turn out to be and it does a good job of expanding the scope of the novel.

Frost Eater is extremely well written and edited, though I do feel like there is too much time spent investigating the disappearance of Zeisha that I would rather have seen devoted to Nora’s/Krey’s apprenticeships and more world building. For me, a portion of this novel feels more like a mystery than a fantasy in some respects. The action scenes waver a bit, as sometimes they have a general over-all edit that takes away from the excitement. The romance is fairly good, and there is one really excellent scene when Nora and Ovrun kiss that is very powerfully written.

Frost Eater is a very entertaining novel with excellent world building and a nicely developed magic system. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Casie Aufenthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carol Beth Anderson has created an incredible introduction to an epic fantasy series. As someone who has read fantasy since my youth, I was overjoyed to find a new take on magic with clearly defined mechanics and boundaries. The history of magic and the establishment of this new society are thoroughly explained, every tidbit on the different colored sky and the use of slang pertaining to the world’s history, e.g., by the stone, allow a reader to feel wholly and wonderfully immersed in the world of Anyari.

Now, I have to digress from the main story to say some of my favorite parts of the book came from the snippets at the start of each chapter. DO NOT SKIP THEM. Often these shorts from the world’s past contain some of the most poignant passages and added a level of world-building that was next-level.

As equally impressive as the worldbuilding was the character development. The story follows a sheltered princess named Nora (the frost eater), who learns more about the real world and herself when she meets a fellow magic eater named Krey, whose past as left him with a fairly jaded take on society. Their friendship, which started on rather amusing rocky ground, was my favorite part of the story. They each grew and became better people through their joined adventure, seeing the world through another’s eyes. Their other friend, Ovrun, also serves as a fun love interest for Nora, adding a nice bit of spice and romance to this fast-paced adventure.

If you love fantasy, you have to give this a read. The Frost Eater is nothing short of fantastic.

[Esther Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a complimentary ARC and am leaving my honest review**

An imaginatively fun adventure

"The Frost Eater" follows Princess Nora as she goes from a sheltered, spoiled life to truly seeing the world and political machinations around her for what they are.

I quite enjoyed this novel. The worldbuilding and fantasy elements were well thought out, and I loved how real every character felt. The opening did seem a bit slow, but by taking its time to set up all the interpersonal relationships between Nora and her friends and family, every moment once the action really got going felt 100% earned, and made the twist very effective.

My favourite bit of the novel was the short journal entries at the beginning of chapter. Not only did they reveal a fascinating - though tantalisingly far from complete - glimpse into the past of "The Frost Eater," but they usually directly related to something within the subsequent chapters, and it was fun to try and figure out the connection between each little "preview," as it were.

The middle of the book got a bit slow for me. Between the chapters just chewing the scenery for a while with not that much happening, and the number of times it was mentioned that characters had to sleep because their reserves had been exhausted, I had a hard time fully engaging with that section of the book.

I must say, I'm not usually one for romantic subplots, especially in adventure books, but the one in this novel was done really well, and I was rooting for two certain characters the whole time.

Overall, a well crafted book whose fun moments definitely made up for the parts I wasn't especially keen on. Oh, and it had dragons. I loved that!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, I was contacted by @cbethanderson for an opportunity to receive and review her 1st book in a new series called The Magic Eaters Trilogy. So first of all, I can't thank the author enough to sending a copy to Japan for my review! It was an honor and pleasure to experience. Once I finally got around to picking up The Frost Eater, I was surprised by how captivated I was by the story. There were a lot of unique aspects to this book, especially with it starting out feeling like a post-apocalyptic story, to nicely rolling into what felt like a full-blown fantasy novel. I think one of my favorite pieces of this story has to be the friendships. I have never seen a magic system like this one - where the characters essentially eat things and draw power from them - and I found it actually quite refreshing. Also, and I'm not even sure if this is a mild spoiler, but DRAGONS. I feel like you guys should know this because, I mean, I love a good dragon element. So, I definitely recommend you guys give this a try if you enjoy YA fantasy with tight friend groups, unique magic systems, royal/political intrigue, various diverse representation, familial drama, and fantastical creatures. The second book is already available for preorder on Amazon and the cover is so pretty!!

[Cindee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much it was so well written I loved everything about it there were so many surprises that were just so well pulled off there was never a dull moment. I really loved the characters especially Nora and Krey they had a great friendship that took a bit to get going with Krey distrusting Nora in the beginning. I also loved Ovrun he was an amazing love interest for Nora with his own unique personality and willingness to fight for who and what he believes in. I loved Nora as a Character that went from a naïve princess to someone who had to do so much to save the people she cares about. I really liked the plot it started with a missing girl and the rush to find her and find out why she went missing in the first place in the process of this so much was uncovered that changed so much. So overall I loved this book I will read the rest of the books soon.

[Sara Cleveland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Frost Eater is hands down the best YA book I have read in a long time. Maybe ever. Someone give this woman a movie deal and then don't botch the adaptation, please.

Although the genre is slightly different, this really put me in the mind of YA bombshells like Divergent and Hunger Games. I think it's that partly post-apocalyptic flavor. Yet, it had that fantasy/sci-fi edge that I personally really crave.

Anderson's characters are wonderfully imperfect creations. Krey is an arrogant hot-head, but underneath that beats a heart of gold. Nora is naive and more than a little socially awkward, but she genuinely cares for her friends and her people. Ovrun, who has no special gifts or station, is arguably the best of them all.

All in all, excellent book. I'm really looking forward to diving into the next two in the trilogy.

[Shiulie Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an imaginative post-apocalyptic world we enter here. The magic system is well-thought out and truly inventive. People are able to wield their powers after consuming something linked to that power - e.g. the feather lyster can fly after eating feathers. It's a clever idea, and we learn how these abilities came into existence through a series of extracts about an event that happened in the past. The characters will draw you in, they're engaging and three-dimensional. The tale is full of magic and adventure, and there are twists and turns galore. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FROST EATERS skillfully blends one of the most detailed and grounded magic systems I’ve ever encountered while introducing a world beyond our own, but with indelible traces of its earthly origins. Laced with interludes from a memoir from one of the founders of this world-beyond-extinction, THE FROST EATERS thrusts us into a world driven by those touched by the same magic that once destroyed civilization, and ruled by a monarchy with those same talents. At its heart are two young “magic eaters,” both seeking the truth of what happened to those they loved, and what secrets this seemingly idyllic civilization holds, who risk everything—status, family; life and limb. The more I learned about this world, and this magic, the more I was fully engrossed. Can’t wait for the next one in this series!

[Charlotte Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book within two nights, and I thoroughly enjoyed the cleverly constructed world in which I was absorbed. Anderson has created a phenomenal fantasy which will have you eagerly turning the pages, and I simply loved the feisty and platonic relationship between the two main characters, who were thrown together at the start. I think it is safe to say that they both ended up teaching the other a little of what each personality was missing! I was so relieved to discover that this is the first in a trilogy, so if you will excuse me, I have an eagerly anticipated date with The Vine Eater now!

[Jennifer Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Beth Anderson's take on this Post Apocalyptic world, magic, and how people who can produce magic actually fuel it! The Frost Eater follows the sheltered princess Nora of the Post Apocalyptic Earth, and her very unlikely friendships with Krey both magic users. Nora has ice-magic, this she is a Frost Eater. Krey is a rare duo magic user and has both ice and feather(flight) magic. Krey, who is in love with Zeisha, a Vine Eater, is convinced that Zeisha, who was supposed to be selected to be trained by the elite, has actually been kidnapped, and no one has seen her since. Krey goes out if his way to impress Nora and the King with his use if magic, in order to find his missing Zeisha. Nora, bored in her role at the castle, naive , and spoiled, is in need of friends, as much she is an adventure, and the two become close friends on the long journey, a long with a castle guard, to find not only what has happened to Krey's beloved Zeisha, but other missing magic users as well. I honestly was very impressed with the author's unique idea that to use a person's individual magic, they had to consume that particular fuel, and that if they didn't consume enough fuel that their magic would run out. The author actually also used great care in the linguistics in the book, developing other words that are close in the English language, but had slightly different quantitations, like distance. So her Post Apocalyptic world had some of it's own language, without actually needing a separate dictionary contained within the novel to explain her meanings. Character development was very well done, and you learn to love as well as love to hate the characters the author provides in this book. Unfortunately, I felt a slight lag, by the time the threesome actually find out what's going on, and why the magic users have been taken from the Kingdom, and that was before their actual attempt to free the magic users even took place. It felt almost too long getting to the point to where our "heroes", and "heroine" actually get to the point to where the battle takes place. I did finish the novel, both because I love this author's writing, and because I fell too in love with the characters not to see it through, plus I'm loath not to finish a book once I've started, and even though the book slightly lagged, it was satisfying in the end! I did receive an advanced copy of this book, and this is my personal and honest review if the book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

New to me author, I was intrigued by the cover.
It looked very interesting and the cover and name captured me.
I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator was okay. I listened to it at a faster pace of 1.75. I felt that at that pace the voice was a better fit for Nora compared to just 1x pace.
The story moved at a slow pace at the beginning while the author created the world for us and we dived into this unique world. This story follows a princess, guard, and a apprentice. The princess lives a very sheltered life and she goes on a journey with the guard and apprentice. Oh boy, the journey is a fun ride and I fell in love with the trio!!
Give the story a chance. It’s a great story that has twists and turns. Loved it.

[CM_Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm going to admit I was a BETA reader for this book. I have seen it in its unvarnished state. You know what? It still sparkled like a diamond. Very captivating story. Great characters. Edge of your seat action. I plowed through it in a short time - and would have been shorter if I hadn't had to take care of my family, lol. I recommend this to everyone. Buy a copy for you and then some for your friends. It will be worth it, you will not regret it, and you will be chomping your toes for the next in the series. I know I am!

[Raven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really struggled to get into this one. I persevered because of the high average rating but honestly didn’t enjoy it much and predicted the major twists.
I liked the idea of the magical- dystopian origins and the way that their magic is fuelled by a component of the type of magic that they have. For example our main character has ice magic and as a consequence has to consume ice on a regular basis in order to perform this magic hence the title of the book. Meanwhile someone who is a healer has to consume blood in order to fuel this magic (this one did creep me out a bit not going to lie😂 for some reason to me it seemed weirder than vampires).

[D.M. Shepard · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.” CS Lewis

I had the pleasure of being asked to do an honest review of Beth Anderson’s young adult, dystopian fantasy novel The Frost Eater; book one of The Magic Eater’s Trilogy. I have always been a fan of fantasy and all of its sub-genres. I spent many hours in my youngest years reading books like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I progressed to Anne Mc Caffrey’s blend of fantasy and science fiction. By my teenage years I began books like Dragon Lance series and the Wheel of Time. While I don’t write fantasy myself at this time, I admire writers who have the capability of building unique new worlds without bogging the story down.

What is Dystopian Fiction?

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/...

According to the above article, Dystopia is an antonym for Utopia. In contrast to a perfect society described by Sir Thomas Moore in his book written in 1516, a Dystopian society is dark, impoverished, and inhumane.

Beth does a good job of easing into the dystopian theme in the Frost Eater. Her novel is set 200 years after a cataclysmic disaster wiped out most of the planet Anyari’s population. Anyari is a future colony of earth that has been cut off from its home planet for some time. It thrived until the event known as “the Day.” A mysterious orange stone pulled from the ground unleashed a deadly wave of radiation. It killed most of the planet, destroying technology. The survivors discovered it had also created magic creatures and capabilities amongst the once humans inhabiting the planet.
Beth’s novel reminds me of Anne McCaffrey’s style of blending science fiction and fantasy. One of the things Beth does well here is leaving some information open to questions. I think some science fiction writers feel they have to describe EVERY detail of the science behind their stories. I almost want to scream at them that they’re writing fiction, not a tech manual or survival guide. If I want that, I’ll shop in the non-fiction section, thanks. It’s great to leave some things open to question, even debate. Especially in writing targeted toward the young adult crowd. Beth’s story provides just enough to spark questions like:

• Could radiation have such and effect on the planet? What are some of the things that are considered global killers by scientists?
• How does solar power work? Why can’t they just turn it back on?
• Energy sources—unless they had large animals/plant life decaying millions of years prior, the planet is just not going to have large hydrocarbon deposits. What other energy sources might people colonizing another planet use?
• How will we travel to distant planets?
• What are the challenges of surviving interstellar travel and still being able to reproduce?
• Could we grow food on a planet with different conditions than our own? Could we eat the plants and animals that may already be there?
• What are the consequences of a losing technology once you are dependent on it? Surviving a disaster is one thing, but then surviving the lack of technology might be another.

I’ve mentioned this reference in previous posts, but a great source of information on life on other planets and how many “habitable” planets may exist in the universe is Wait but Why’s article, The Fermi Paradox by Tim Urban:

https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-...

Her story sparks many more interesting questions about birth control, feminine hygiene products, clothes, many things we take for granted in a modern society when we have plentiful energy. As an electrical engineer, I think her story makes for great talking points amongst young people about not only how to solve this problem if there was no energy, but how much of this do we waste right now on what we don’t need. Many have a pessimistic attitude of the state of the planet and what the future holds. I can understand why. Things are not in the best of conditions. But I for one have hope. People pick on the next generation, but I work with young people on a regular basis, and I see a generation asking questions, rejecting the status quo. These questions are the sparks of ideas that will turn the tide.

Showing vs. Telling

Sometimes fantasy and science fiction novels lend themselves toward data-dumping and too much exposition that bogs down the plot. Beth does a great job of giving out the background behind “The Day,” in little snippets throughout the story. She does this the form of excepts from history written by the first survivors of the cataclysm. The allow her to maintain the pace of the story but give the reader insight and history. She matched the excerpts very well with the theme of each chapter.

Characters

Magical Powers or Mutant Capabilities?

“What we call Man's power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.” CS Lewis

I really enjoy the Marvel X-men series. Super Villain Magneto is one of my favorite characters. His fears of being exterminated by humans for his differences are founded on his past experiences. In the Frost Eater, this trope is turned on its head. It is the people with magic capabilities that have become royalty, and the people without are commoners. The friction between the two factions is growing.

Princess Nora Abrios

One of the trends in fiction that bothers me is the rise of the “bad-ass” female stereotype trope. In my opinion, this has become worse than the dreaded “Mary Sue.” In the name of feminism, I see a lot of writers striving for the ruthless “alpha” female. She is better than any man—dammit! She is going to prove it any way she has to, with no help from anyone. She can out-smart, out-fight, out-drink, out-cuss and out-sex any man or woman for that matter. Set up on a pedestal, she has a long hard way to fall, but never does, of course.

As a woman who has worked in a male dominated profession for over 20 years now, this really defeats the purpose. I can only speak for myself, but my professional success as an electrical engineer, operator and technician has been my ability to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and continue to grow and develop over time. While there are times insecurity creeps in, my success has had nothing to do with being better than anyone.

This also runs the risk of making a character unrelatable. Unlike Mary Sue or the “Super-Alpha-female,” no one is perfect. As readers, we fall in love with flawed characters and their insecurities that remind us of ourselves. It’s great to have a larger than life character, but there has to be believability.

What Beth depicts in her female lead here is far better. She shows honest character development that reminded me of my own high school years. Was I a beautiful, rich princess on an alien planet? No. But I was young with hopes, desires and insecurities about where I belonged in the world and my future.

The pampered, sheltered Princess Nora has never experienced the true hardships the commoners of Cellerin face. She also has no real friends, which leaves her naïve, lonely and bored. Surrounded by adults in a world where she knows that someday she will face the pressures of running the kingdom, it leads her to befriend the enigmatic Krey. He is a Frost Eater like herself and has talents that no one else is willing to teach her. As her eyes become open to what is really going on, she begins to mature. She also develops latent magical capabilities. While she always dreamed of having these powers, they will alter the course of their quest and even her own destiny as Princess.
Her loss of innocence as she discovers the truth about herself and her family is what bridges the gap to real friendship between herself and her companions. It also gives her credibility that she really will have what it takes to be a competent ruler someday.

Kreyven West

Krey has a huge chip on his shoulder when it comes to the royal family and an ulterior motive for grudgingly accepting Nora’s friendship. He is on a quest to find his girlfriend Zeisha. He was told she left for an apprenticeship, and subsequently sent him a letter coldly breaking off their relationship. Certain the note was fake, he is determined to find her. Even with his mistrust of the royal family and his belief that they are behind Zeisha’s disappearance the slow development of their friendship is heartwarming and believable.

The one thing I would say that could have been done better here was a few more hints as to why he mistrusts the royals over the beginning parts of the book. Maybe more flashbacks to the reason without coming out and saying it (avoiding spoilers the best I can here). We’re bombarded with his anger and his constantly being nasty to Nora which starts to make me resent him. She puts up with it because she’s lonely, wants a friend, and wants to learn more about being a Frost Eater. Frankly there’s times in the book I would have told him to get over it or explain why.* At the scene where he finally ‘fesses up, it is because of the character in the story I like to call “the voice of reason.” Almost like Samwise Gamgee in the LOTR trilogy, this person usually the calm, logical, collected one. In the Frost Eater, its Beth’s character, Ovrun.

*Just to be clear—this is a very minor dislike and just my personal opinion, otherwise, great character development. And I understand why she might not want to reveal much as it might take impact away from “the big reveal scene” you could argue the point either way.

Ovrun

Ovrun starts out a secondary character in the story, but becomes a stronger presence in the adventure as the story unfolds. Nora’s crush, he loses his job as a royal guard for the sake of helping the two on their quest to find Zeisha and the truth. His logic and practicality during the action and tough situations is a great foil to Krey’s recklessness and Nora’s naivety. I really enjoyed the slow burn of romance between Nora and Ovrun. Beth builds on genuine conflict between the princess and the commoner. At first it comes off as just teenage hormonal passion, but as the story progresses, they realize they have something deeper. A real future together may not happen since she is expected to have her future husband chosen for her, and that future husband has to have magical capability (which he doesn’t). This prevents them from acting further on their romance, but you can cut the tension between the two with a knife by the end.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” CS Lewis

As the three teens travel into the “abandoned” cities on Anyari, searching for Zeisha, the bond between them grows. They test the limits of their magical capabilities and the bond of friendship. The vivid images of a decaying modern city gave me the chills. High rise buildings filled with bones, crumbling light rail lines suspended in mid-air, and empty streets decaying in the sun were all easy to visualize. While the city is “abandoned” it is not empty. The teens encounter Troggs, the people they have been taught are savages. There will be many things that make them question their upbringing and what is right and wrong. It is clear from the beginning of the story that the government has something to do with the disappearance of the young people with magic capabilities. By the end of the story, all three will have to decide where they will make their stand. With each other, or the life they once knew.

Beth’s first book in the Magic Eaters Trilogy leaves the reader hungry for more. Unlike some dystopian novels, I would argue there is a sense of hope that our young people will prevail, though it will be a tough rough ahead. I can’t wait to see where she takes us in the next offering, The Vine Eater.

I obtained my CS Lewis quotes from the website below:
https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/c...

[Bert Edens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been jonesing for some fresh fantasy novels, so when I found a copy of this audiobook available through the author, I jumped at the opportunity to see what kind of world she could build. Naturally this is an honest review, and the fact I received the audiobook at no cost does not bear into my review.

First, while this is a fantasy novel at its core, it's set in a post-apocalyptic world. Many of the words have traces of Earth in their origins, yet they are also unique. This allows the listener to have an anchor to something relatable, which can be hard with some fantasy novels.

What stuck with me most was the originality of the magic system, which can be hard to pull off, but Anderson does it well. Essentially some people have the ability to use magic, but it is usually limited to a specific skill set, and they must be "fueled up" by eating something related to the power. Cast ice? Eat ice. Fly? Eat bird feathers. And so forth.

The title of the book relates to Princess Nora, who is what they call a frost eater. She eats ice, and it allows her to form ice shapes, make it snow, etc. She gets involved with Krey, who is able to fly and cast ice, which fascinates Nora. The princess discovers a possible treasonous or rebellious plot, and soon she is knee-deep in getting to the root of the problem, along with Krey and Ovrun, and wayward but honest and loyal palace guard.

Soon the three start off on an adventure together, Nora trying to locate a friend of hers from childhood, one she believes was kidnapped. Krey is trying to locate his love, Zeisha, who he believes suffered a similar fate. There's definitely an attraction between Ovrun and Nora, which creates a "forbidden love" theme because of the differences in their societal place, and just enough of her interest in Krey to form a "will she or won't she?" sub-plot.

Plus, the story has dragons, but only two, and they are used in a much different way than is typical, meaning the main characters don't need to enslave or kill them, nor are the dragons terrorizing the countryside. You'll have to read or listen to the book to see how they're involved. :)

Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I knew from the get-go this would be part of a trilogy, and as of this writing, the second book is available for pre-order. The plot moved along at a good pace, both with the main quest and the sub-plots. Even though a book may be fantasy, it still has to be believable or at least give the reader/listener a reason to suspend their disbelief. This book does an amazing job of pulling the reader into the story.

Anderson did her own narration on this book, which she's apparently done on others. I've listened to some audiobooks where the author did their own narration, and while some of them are cringe-worthy, that's not the case here. Anderson does a great job of handling dialogue for both male and female characters, making them unique to the person, while also delivering the prose effectively. If I had one critique, it would be that the narration was just a tad slow, not so much that it ruined the pacing, but it did make for a longer audiobook.

I can't wait to check out the rest of the books in this series, plus I want to go back and check out another trilogy the author has done.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting premise, with an original magic system, and a lot of world building. A little too much world building at times and some of the conversation scenes were too long. Needed some parts to be trimmed down for slightly faster pacing. I felt like the first major plot point or action change didn't happen until 50% of the way through. I also felt like the author was trying to do "too much" in this book and not everything attempted was really essential and could have been left out for pacing.

The story takes place on an alien planet but the world building attempts to explain it was settled by genetically modified humans. (Could have just been on a new, fictional planet and been simpler.)

There was an apocalyptic event a couple hundred years before the events of this book so civilization got reset and is rebuilding. Would have liked a little MORE back story on this point. Between each chapter there's excerpts of diary entries from the main character's ancestor's journal (she was in the first generation born to survivors of the apocalypse). While these journal entries add "flavor" to the world building, they don't move the plot along or reveal new information that helps the main characters of the current story in any way. The journal entries could have been entirely omitted and no critical information would be lost.

I think the author did a great job at writing for a teen / YA audience. The parts about romance perfectly capture all the awkwardness and vanity of teen crushes (getting distracted mid-conversation by looking at their biceps, for example. LOL) The romance was not the main focus of the book but at times it does motivate the character choices.

I also appreciated that the characters had to deal with real human struggles such as finding food, needing clean water, needing to find new clothes when in hiding, needing to deal with bodily functions, being exhausted after walking long distances, etc etc. So many authors leave these details out because they can be mundane but in this book they were actually critical problems at times. Also I appreciated that sometimes things went wrong for the characters, there was not a reliance on deis ex machina whenever they were in a tight spot. They sometimes got hurt or had unpleasant consequences or judged people incorrectly.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and it was read by the author herself. I was a little nervous about the narration being cheesy or poor quality but she actually did a pretty decent job at it, and I give her major kudos for putting in so much work to offer the audiobook format to her audience. It definitely wasn't at the level of voice acting as the GraphicAudio productions I've listened to, but it was much better than the worst audiobook narrators I've listened to. 3.5 stars for audiobook quality.

Book 1 ends in a way that sets us up for Book 2 but I'm not sure yet if I want to listen to 2 more long audiobooks if they'll be at the same pacing as this one.