Book Review: Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Image (c) K-Teen

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: November 29th, 2011
Book Format: Library Book
Rating: Three Stars

I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

 

I don't know what it is about this series that just makes me want to come back to this. Maybe it's just the part about a girl who was forced her way out of her normal school into an academy for people who have power. To train teenagers to teach them how to use their powers to their full potential. Maybe it's just the group of teenagers who have powers that I find interesting and the danger that is the Reapers that are there at every corner.

I don't know what it is about this story, but I just really love it. Maybe I'm just that simple-minded. I don't know.

We return back to Gwen to her second year at Mythos Academy and she doesn't seem very happy about the fact. Happy that she's alive? Yes. Happy that she's returning back to the place where she almost lost her life? Not as much. But at least she gets to train with the best and learn how to improve, right? Well, at least with what little improvement she does get. At least she's getting a better handle of her psychometry. A little bit...

But, for some reason, invisible arrows start aiming at her. After all, no one has yet to forget that she's the one who slayed Jasmine (although, not really, but really- is she ever going to admit that?) and, since she was part of the Reapers and a follower of Loki, they don't take death of their kind lightly. Gwen's life is on the line, more so than ever, and there's not much she can do about it other than to learn how to constantly practice. But, with the field trip coming up, there's not much time to practice- especially since there's fun coming up ahead and that just may be the worse place she could be.
I would like to start with adding this: who else knew the new guy who came up to her first knew he was potential for something bad. Seriously. So that part wasn't much of a no-brainer.

The other part that annoyed me was Gwen's friend, Daphne, and how she (not encouraged) forced her to hang out with others even though Gwen clearly didn't want to go anywhere. Maybe it's the bookworm in me, and that she's a comic book nerd, but it seemed like she found solace in books- not with hanging with other people. Just like me. We feel better alone in peace. Clearly, Daphne doesn't quite have that in her head. I can understand, but I would have drawn the line somewhere. The shocker was that, when Gwen COULDN'T leave to a party, she suddenly felt bad for being able to go. Did the night before leave your mind or something where Gwen was clear in with her statement of not wanting to leave anywhere? But, I think that's just my introvertness talking. It just bothered me a lot.

I'm not quite sure what to think about Logan. He tries to avoid her and attempts not to be in a relationship with her but, in the end, it fails cause he couldn't stop thinking about Gwen? I can't complain too much, though, cause when it comes to romance in teen fiction this is still bearable than most out there. At least he admits that he broke up with his ex before him and Gwen made out (even though it was at the most HORRIBLE time, but okay cool). I still don't know if I ride their ship, so to speak, but I'll wait and see how things work out in the next book.

I don't know much about psychometry or anything, since I haven't done much research, but I can't help but think of the fact that all she has to do is recall someone's memory of some activity and suddenly Gwen mastered it. I. I don't like that. I feel like it takes out all of the hard work the other students have done and Gwen just goes like, 'Oh, this is what you were feeling at the time? I can mimic how you did this action easily now'. I didn't like that. She should have worked towards her talent and how to defend herself. I was very disappointed to see how that turned out and I hope she'll learn how to, at least, learn how to do things the hard way before relying solely on that power.

Nnnnngh.

Also, what happened to the other students? Aren't there other students who are also still being targeted by other Reapers? Is it because that they are more skilled that they avoid them? Or is the main focus just on Gwen? And surely I'm not the only one bothered by that. Maybe I am. Who knows.

All of this probably made it sound like that I'm lying when I said I liked this book. But I did. Despite all the flaws above, it was still a good read and I still think others should read this. I'm a hopeless romantic so, of course, I still loved the romance and the fluff. I liked the backstory with Gwen's mother, her grandmother, and their relationship with the teachers in the Academy. Overall, it tied well together, but it's the little stuff that got to me the most. I'm on the fence, so I'll let the score be average as well.

Originally posted and shared January 14th, 2014