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    Kiss of Frost
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    Kiss of Frost
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    Kiss of Frost
    Audiobook9 hours

    Kiss of Frost

    Written by Jennifer Estep

    Narrated by Tara Sands

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

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    About this audiobook

    At Mythos Academy, teen warriors in the making train to take up their roles protecting humankind. With her snarky, self-deprecating voice and strange gift of psychometry-the ability to know an object's history just by touching it-Gwen Frost is an outsider both to the students of the Academy and the rest of the world. But now that she's taking private tutoring with the Academy's most notorious young Spartan, and has Nike's own sword to protect her, she's ready to make mark.…

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMar 19, 2013
    ISBN9781469283913
    Author

    Jennifer Estep

    Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.Jennifer is the author of the Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Elemental Assassin, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than forty books, along with numerous novellas and stories.In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at or follow her online on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads. You can also sign up for her newsletter: https://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-jennifer/newsletter/Happy reading, everyone! ?

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    Reviews for Kiss of Frost

    4/5

    46 ratings23 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 5/5
      Great book that has been wonderfully narrated. The characters that make up the world of Mythos Academy of engaging and lifelike. I like that none of them are perfect. That they have fears, and dreams, attractions, and doubts.

      Gwen's circle of friends is slowly growing. Unfortunately, so is the amount of people who would like nothing better than to end her life. As she grows in strength, both physical and mystical she also gains more responsibilities. I can't wait to discover what adventures she will tackle next.

      This series is becoming one of my favorites. I highly recommend it, but with the warning of its addictive properties.
    • 4/5
      I did not anticipate Gwen's new use of her gift, very cool, and though I had my doubts as to her first "homicidal Reaper" suspect, I enjoyed how both of us turned out to be right. This plot line wasn't as surprising and tight as book one, but it definitely positions is for an exciting book three. Can't wait!
    • 3/5
      Book 2 in Jennifer Estep’s young adult urban fantasy Mythos Academy series, Kiss of Frost, let me down. If you read my review on the first book in the series, Touch of Frost, you’ll know I found this to be a promising new series from Estep with intriguing characters and mythological elements woven throughout. The characters are still good, the premise is still interesting but, unfortunately, one of the negatives I pointed out in my first review has actually increased in this installment – repetition. Oh, the repetition!

      The first 60 pages of this book were almost entirely a re-cap of the first novel. It’s like the author didn’t expect anyone to have read the first book and decided to throw it all again into this one. The incident at Gwen’s previous school that haunted her is brought back again and again, Logan’s reputation as a “man-whore” continues to be his primary characteristic (which is too bad, because he is actually an interesting character), Gwen is still incessantly “the Gypsy girl,” we actually have two different characters near the end describe the Pantheon Prison on campus in the EXACT SAME WORDS, and the list goes on. Now, it is necessary to reiterate some things that happened previously in a series so readers can be reminded, but Estep has taken this to the extreme.

      When the repetition is taken away, we do have the elements of an interesting story here. The growth of Daphne and Carson’s relationship continues, we learn more about Gwen’s mother’s death, there is a new mythological creature introduced as the Fenrir wolf, and we meet some of Logan’s fellow Spartans such as Oliver, who has a secret he doesn’t want Gwen to know. In addition, Gwen’s psychometry gift is evolving into something extremely cool.

      We also have someone out to kill Gwen – she is almost the victim of a hit-and-run, an arrow almost takes her out in the library (my advice after two books is stay away from the library at this school) and there is even an avalanche used as a murder weapon. There turns out to be different motivations going on with these incidents, but the ultimate threat to Gwen is all too easy to determine. Unfortunately this leads to another weakness in this book. When the final showdown occurs, there is no real surprise as to the villain but, even worse, Estep totally throws out a key point to her world-building – the incredible fighting skills of the Spartan warriors. Spartans, especially Logan, have been described in both books as being able to use ANYTHING as a weapon (apparently they could take you out with a Twizzler), but when Logan and Gwen are facing down the villain in a construction zone Logan can’t seem to find a weapon to save his soul. In a construction zone!!! I wanted to throw my Nook against the wall with that one.

      One of the other things I was looking forward to in this book was growth in Gwen and Logan’s relationship. Estep has elected to slow this down to a snail’s pace. While Gwen is constantly mentioning her feelings about Logan to herself and Daphne, Logan has taken a step back. He is definitely still interested in Gwen, but her psychometry skills are really making him hesitate. We get a little more information as to why near the end of the book, but it seems there is a lot more in his background that hasn’t been revealed yet and is holding him back.

      The third book in the Mythos Academy series, Dark Frost, is due May 2012. I’m a bit torn on what I am going to do when it is published. I really want to know more about Logan and the war with the Reapers that is drawing closer, but the repetitive writing style of the author is a major deterrent. I will probably end up reading a couple of chapters in the store to see if Estep is focusing more on telling a new story or repeating the other two books before I elect to buy. I’m really hoping Estep ups her game since I really love the idea of this series, but I’ll just have to wait and see.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this one much more than the first one. It's more of a 3.5, but the author has a habit of overusing epithets in place of the name (ie: The Valkyrie instead of Daphne, the band geek instead of Carson, etc.). I don't know if it is a stylistic choice for the author in general or something specific to Gwen, but it's something that grates on me when overused (a personal thing, I know).

      Still, I really enjoy the myth-based storyline and look forward to reading more of this series and learning more about the world as Gwen does. In fact, I am waiting for Gwen to really delve into it.
    • 4/5
      rated 4.5Kiss of frost made me happy, heartbroken, and extremely hungry. I think Jennifer Estep should share the recipes to Grandma Frost’s sweet treats. The book starts off a few weeks after the events of Touch of Frost. I really liked Touch of Frost, but this book I loved. The action, romance, and mystery were amped up to the max in this book. Kiss of Frost was slightly predictable, but it did not take away from the story.With everything Gwen learned about herself in Touch of Frost, this book kept going with her growth process. The way she handled the reapers of chaos attacks were amendable. I would have run away from it screaming. Gwen actually runs towards it and after her attacker. The new aspects Gwen learns about her psychometry are pretty incredible. I like that her gift is continually growing and she is still learning about it.I am very close to my mother so when Gwen finds out what really happened to her, I got choked up. It was even more horrible to see how she finds out. To not know for so long and also find out that people you care for hid it from you was devastating to see. I am not sure how I feel about Grandma Frost right now. They speak a lot about freewill in the story and I can understand Grandma Frost wanting Gwen to make her own decisions. However I don’t like all the things she kept from Gwen. Grandma Frost is suppose to be Gwen’s safety and warmth. I just hope she starts being more open with Gwen.I wonder if the secret Gwen saw about Logan was the one he was worried about. Or is there something darker he is hiding. It was nice to see a softer side to Logan. In Touch of Frost he kind of comes off as this ass, but to see him start showing feelings was nice. The sexual tension in the story between Gwen and Logan was intense. There were so many times I just wanted to yell, “Kiss her already.” I think Gwen’s psychometry is pretty awesome, but I can see the down side to it now. To know every time you touched or try to be intimate with someone you will see or feel everything they do. The unknown of will their feelings be the same as yours or something else you wouldn’t want to see. I enjoyed meeting some of the new characters in this book. Gwen takes on training to be prepared against reapers of chaos and we get to meet Oliver and Kenzie. You don’t see Kenzie much except for a few sneer and snarky remarks to Gwen. Oliver though has a very fascinating part in Kiss of Frost. I understand his intentions for what he did to Gwen, but the way he went about it was a little psycho to me. It did however add a great element to the book. Am I the only one that loved the Fenrir wolf? I thought one second he was going to rip Gwen’s head off and the next he had me saying aww. The way the wolf acted towards his owner in the end was adorable. I still want to know what happened to the wolf and I hope we see him again.The last 100 or so pages were my favorite. It was filled with so much adventure, thrills, and even a little romance. One thing I didn’t see coming was how the fight scenes would play out. I knew who she would be fighting, but I didn’t realize who the person truly was till it was admitted. I can’t wait for Dark Frost. There is a lot to be revealed and I am eager to see what happens next with Gwen.
    • 3/5
      this book pretty much leaves off right were the other one left, which surprised me because usually theses books have more space between them which leads me to believe that there is going to be a lot of books of the series. that is fine by me because i love them. basically its all about warriors bad guys and lust, and it is very well written.
    • 3/5
      Kiss of Frost picks right up where the first book ends, and you are instantly hurtled into a steamy love triangle. Logan can’t make up his mind about what (or who) he wants and Gwen’s feelings for the Spartan have only grown stronger. Poor girl. She’s an emotional, conflicted mess. Luckily for her, there is a big winter carnival approaching that offers the promise of fresh meat in the love department, or at least that’s what her BFF promises… and Daphne always delivers on her promises. Gwen is instantly drawn to the dreamy Preston. He is gorgeous and exactly what she needs to get her mind off Logan. Everything is going well in that area too, until someone tries to kill her. Four times! The winter carnival suddenly loses its appeal, and the fancy-schmancy ski resort becomes a death trap. The same enticing romance factor in the first book, Touch of Frost, is found on every page in Kiss of Frost. There is no disappointment in that department. There was even a nice amount of action. Again, I sniffed out the villain early on, but it was ok. It didn’t take away from the story. I still enjoyed my reading. I was fairly satisfied with the ending of this book. There was a nice hook that left me desperate for the third book (thank you NetGalley!). The only thing that did bother me about the book is that I found myself experiencing déjà vu a lot as I read. I understand that authors have to give a certain amount of back story in each book, just in case someone starts the series without reading the first book. However, getting the sense of reading the exact same lines and phrases over and over made me feel like I was in that movie Groundhog Day. It became tiresome. (Unfortunately, it still occurs in book 3!) That would be my one major gripe about the series. I found myself scanning pages of text because I knew exactly what they were going to say because I read it all in the first book. I really am enjoying this series, so I recommend it. The mythology element isn’t as high in this one as the first. Or, at least it’s not as “fresh” this time around. We do meet a few more characters that become vital to the story line and see others undergo shocking changes. (Still wondering what that’s about.)
    • 4/5
      Back for her second year at Mythos Academy, Gwen not only has new school schedule, part-time job at the Library of Antiquities, she also is having to learn to defend herself before school every morning with her crush Logan as her instructor. During all this she has learned there is someone on campus that is trying to kill her....and after that there is the Winter Carnival, a school tradition, in which she has some adventures at.This book was a good read. Still has the capitalized words that I don't see a reason they need to be capitalized. The story is well written, although the author does tend to remind you of things a few times (in case you missed it the other 3 or so times you read it in the book). It pretty much picks back up not far in the future. The first book ended at the start of summer break, and then book two picks up at the end of summer break. Gwen has come along since the first book. She isn't the loner gypsy girl with no friends. She has her best friend Daphne and Carson (Daphne's boyfriend). She is still crushing on Logan.
    • 4/5
      The Good StuffI totally want the recipes for the Chocolate Strawberry cookies that Gwen's Grandma makes for her -- I was totally drooling while she was describing them - damn you Estep you always make me hungry when I read your books Dialogue is absolutely hilarious Fast paced and exciting Storyline is truly unique with so much potential for a long series Enjoy the relationship and the banter between Gwen and Daphne Get a giggle with the references to her Bigtime and Elemental Assasin series Positive, strong, kick ass female characters Gwen is definitely growing up and developing as a character Quite frankly just a fun read, that I highly recommend -- oh yeah and trust me eat something before you start reading -- she talks about yummy food a lot -- now off to find a recipe for those damn strawberry chocolate cookies The Not So Good StuffThis doesn't bother me like it used to, but there is still some repetition of key plot points. Did appreciate it at times as it has been a while since I read Touch of Frost and it helped me remember things I had forgotten (Only sucky thing about reviewing books for publishers, is that you often have to put aside books you purchased yourself to review the ones you have been sent by publishers -- not complaining mind you) Nickamedes is your stereotypical Librarian and that irritates me -- How about he gets a cool, hip Canadian Library Tech that is married to -- hmm lets say -- Finnegan Lane -- to work with him in the library - just sayin - lets combat that horrible image that all Librarians are repressed jerks A wee bit predictable Favorite Quotes/Passages"Occasionally, Nickamedes made me dust and clean the bookshelves, along with the glass artifact cases hidden back among the stacks. Every single time I'd find more used condoms that I did crumpled up pieces of paper and lost pens. Yucko. I wouldn't want to do it in a library where anyone could walk by at any second, but at Mythos, it was considered some kind of thrill. Whatever.""Wyverns, basilisks, dragons, yetis, even gigantic birds named Black rocs. She called them all "creatures," like she was being politically correct or something, but really, they were monsters. Anything that had fangs longer than my fingers and that could breathe fire was definitely a monster.""I shook my head. "Remind me not to piss you off, because you're a total vindictive bitch when you're angry. There are supervillains in my comic books who could learn a thing or two from you."The Valkyrie stuck out her tongue, then gave me a maniacal grin. "You'd better believe it, Gypsy."Who Should/Shouldn't ReadObviously if you enjoyed A Touch of Frost, you will enjoy this Fans of Kiersten White will also get a kick out of this delightful story I suggest you read A Touch of Frost first, but you don't have to, as Jennifer gives you enough so that you will understand what is going on 4.25 Dewey'sI purchased this and did not have to review -- just want you all to love her as much as I do
    • 4/5
      Kiss of Frost is the second book in Jennifer Estep's Mythos Academy series and it pretty much takes place only a couple weeks later from where Touch of Frost ended. I really liked Touch of Frost, but I enjoyed Kiss of Frost a lot more. I think what I like the most about this series is the relationship between Logan and Gwen. The way it plays out and how at first I want to hate Logan so much, but just can't. I love it! I also really like Gwen's powers. I know there is a down side to it, but who wouldn't want to be able to see the history of everything you touch?Kiss of Frost has just as much ass-kicking as the first book in the series. Someone is out to kill Gwen and she has no idea who. After going through so much already with one reaper, now she has to deal with a new reaper. Of course, Gwen being who she is, decides that she wants to take things into her own hands. She starts to investigate and tries to figure out who her enemy is. By doing this she discovers a lot, not only about herself, but about Logan and some of her friends around her. It was nice this time around to finally learn a bit about Logan and his past.My only issue was that the story was a bit predictable. It didn't take me very long to figure out who was after Gwen and wanted her dead. Not sure if it was supposed to be that easy to figure out, but I would have loved a nice shock. I will say though, what I did not see coming was the whole reason WHY this person wanted her dead and who this person really was, and just how evil they truly were. With her gift, Gwen finds out a lot about this person and all that they've done. I was very happy with the ending and cannot wait for the next book, Dark Frost.4 out of 5 Stars!
    • 5/5
      I simply ADORED this book! I seriously finished it in one day because it was just that good. Estep has created some of my favorite characters in YA literature with Gwen and Logan. Daphne is okay, and I like her just fine, but I really love Gwen and Logan! In Kiss of Frost, we learn more about Gwen's gypsy gift and her background. We also learn more about Logan, but he still doesn't let us know about his past. That's okay with me because the pacing of relationships in this book is natural and slow, instead of rushed and instantaneous. Gwen is still pining after Logan. Logan is dating Savannah, an Amazon. Because of this, for a lot of the book, Gwen isn't that happy. But she doesn't just lay down and try to die like many of the YA characters *coughBellaSwancough*, she still goes to Winter Carnival and has a great time. She meets a hot guy from the New York Academy and things seem to be looking up.However, Gwen can't ignore the fact that someone almost ran her over and that Jasmine's family is still out to avenge her death. Gwen gets caught in an avalanche, and things seem to keep getting worse. There's a Reaper out to get her. The only problem is that no one knows who that Reaper is. The character development in this book is fantastic. Estep does a terrific job of showing Gwen grow while still leaving a lot of room for further development. Logan also grows quite a bit, and we find out a lot about how he really feels about Gwen. It's adorable to say the least. I love Logan. Also, Daphne and Gwen's friendship has grown, along with Daphne's powers. Daphne is a great friend for Gwen, and it's clear that she really cares about her. Gwen also cares a lot for Daphne, and I really liked their interactions in the novel. I was also happy to see a lot of Gwen's grandmother in this novel. I think she's a fantastic character, and I'm glad she was present more than she was in the previous book. I also enjoyed getting to know some of Logan's friends. Especially Oliver. He was a very noble character. When it mattered, he did what was right. I hope to see more of him in the future. This book was fast paced and a very quick read. There was plenty of action and enough mystery to keep me guessing throughout the entire thing. I had the whole Reaper thing figured out, but that didn't spoil it for me. I still didn't know exactly what would happen, who all would be involved, and when it would all go down. The result ended up being even better than I'd anticipated. The ending set up Dark Frost perfectly, but wasn't a cliff-hanger. I felt that most of the questions raised in this novel were answered by the end, and I believe it was wrapped up nicely. I seriously loved this book, and if you aren't familiar with this series, then you are missing out. I can't wait for Dark Frost so that I can see what Gwen, Logan, Daphne, and Oliver get into next!
    • 4/5
      Gwen Frost is a second-year-warrior-in training at Mythos Academy. Mythos Academy is a school for training to defeat the Reapers of Chaos and prevent the evil God, Loki from escaping his prison and starting the second chaos war. In Touch of Frost, Gwen found out that her family has a history of fighting for the God Nike. Gwen and her family are gypsies. She doesn’t think that this will enable her to fight because she doesn’t have physical gifts like the other students at Mythos. Gwen was not going to go to the Winter Carnival at the Powder, a ski resort. Her best friend, Daphne talked her into it because a Reaper is after Gwen. Gwen thinks Winter Carnival would be a good place to meet someone to help her forget about Logan, who is dating another person and practically ignores her. She first meets Preston in the lobby of the hotel when waiting for Daphne and her boyfriend Carson to check into the rooms. Preston seems like the perfect guy to help keep her mind off of Logan. He is from the New York Academy. After arriving at Powder, strange things happen to Gwen there also that make her wonder if the reaper could have followed her to the ski resort? Part of Gwen doesn’t care and wants to just forget about her broken heart. What is going on with Oliver and why is he acting strange toward her after she touched his notebook?Kiss of Frost was a good follow up to Touch of Frost. I thought the second book expanded on the characters that were introduced to you in the first book. I loved following Gwen and her experiences; trying to figure out who was trying to kill her. There is a lot in this book that you don’t expect and made it fun to read. I had trouble putting this book down also. I’ve said it before, but Estep knows how to draw readers into the stories that she tells. She is an amazing author.Cover:On the cover of Kiss of Frost, is Gwen. She has her eyes closed and snow is all over her face and she has some in her hand. She has her lips puckered like she is blowing or kissing the snow. You also see some architecture on the front. It reminds you of the Library of Antiquities. I liked this cover. I especially like again, how the “T” in frost, is the sword.I Liked:•Gwendolyn Frost. She is the main character here. Her weakness is finding out other people secrets. She just cannot leave well enough alone. Sometimes it works to her advantage and others, it does not. Using her psychometry magic, she attempts to figure out who wants her dead.•Daphne Cruz and Carson Callahan. Daphne is a Valkyrie and Carson is a Celt. They are boyfriend/girlfriend and Gwen’s closest friends. Daphne talks Gwen into going to Winter Carnival. Carson and Daphne spend time with Gwen when at the Carnival.•Logan Quinn. Even though he is busy making out with his Amazonian girlfriend, Savannah Warren, doesn’t pay much attention to Gwen, and is the reason for her broken heart, I still like his character. He is always there for Gwen when she needs him. She just wishes that she didn’t need him so much because it hurts to see him.•Oliver Hector and Kenzie Tanaka. Both are Spartans who are helping Gwen to train with her sword and become better at defending herself. There are issues with Oliver in Kiss of Frost. He acts suspicious toward Gwen at Winter Carnival after Gwen had touched his notebook and found out his secret.•Fenrir wolves. Gwen encounters one at Powder. Professor Metis said that there are some Fenrir wolves that are in the wild. I like wolves. Yes, they are mean, nasty, growl at you, and are trained by the Reapers to kill you, but that doesn’t mean they are all bad. Look at Gremlins. They were cute and look how that turned out.I Did Not Like:•Preston. Gwen chose him as someone to help her forget about Logan. From the beginning of the book, I didn’t really like him. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t. He seems like a nice enough guy.•Savannah Warren. She is Logan’s girlfriend and enjoys making out with him. If I were Gwen, I’d be sick of it too. The fact that Gwen has a thing for Logan would be irrelevant. Savannah also likes to pick on Gwen and others.
    • 4/5
      Jennifer Estep's writing has really grown in second installment of the Mythos Academy. The character's have not only progressed, but the story as a whole has. There is a change of scenery in this second novel with the main part of the book taking place at a resort. This picked up the pace and was a nice edition. More history, myth, and creatures are revealed in Kiss of Frost. Readers will have a better understanding of the Mythos Academy world and of Gwen and Logan. I'm a sucker for a bad boy and the back and forth relationship of Gwen and Logan was definitely my favorite part of the book. Gwen's powers also change or evolve and she gains more confidence in who she is and what's in store for her future. There are several new characters introduced, one being Oliver, a Spartan friend of Logan's who I believe will add something to the rest of the series. The ending of this book is spectacular! Such drama, hatred, and a need for vengeance! The set up for the third book is perfect. There is an air of urgency and mystery that really grabs you in the end. I don't want to say too much and give away the book, but I will say that I thought this one was much better than the first, and I really liked the first one. The only thing that kind of irks/bugs me about these books is the fact that sometimes the sentences will last forever and ever. Just because you can grammatically make a sentence last for three of four lines doesn't meant that you should. I know I'm being picky, but I had to find some negative aspect of the book. I cannot wait for May 29, 2012 when the third one, Dark Frost, comes out.
    • 3/5
      Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Gwen’s narrative voice is much stronger and the characterization definitely more in depth! The plot is once again a little obvious, but still a quick, enjoyable read. Opening Sentence: Logan Quinn was trying to kill me. The Review: This installment in the Mythos Academy series picks up right where Touch of Frost left off, and Estep makes it easy to remember everything that happened. Mythos Academy is one of many academies designed to train the descendants of warriors to fight the Reapers. Gwen however is not a warrior. She’s a Gypsy blessed with the gift of psychometry which lets her see images or feelings from anything she touches. After everything that happened to her in Touch of Frost, Professor Metis decided Gwen needed help catching up on her fighting skills and chose Logan to be her tutor. Mythos Academy is going on holiday in this book to the Winter Carnival. Gwen is less than excited to go, but our favorite Valkyrie Daphne talks her into it. Because someone’s after Gwen and all signs point to it being a Reaper. Gwen is still hurt by everything that happened between her and Logan. Unlike in the first book though, Gwen isn’t overly angsty about it. She’s still dealing with the death of her mom but her depression doesn’t dominate the story this time. As the narrator she is once again witty and sarcastic, but does have some rather repetitive thoughts that can slow the story down at times. While Gwen wavers from a frustrating lack of confidence to a ridiculous amount of over-confidence in short spans of time, she is an entertaining narrator. And for those of you who hated Logan-freaking-Quinn in Touch of Frost, I promise you’re less likely to want to push him off a bridge in this sequel. All of the characters, Gwen included, become much more likable. This can be attributed to both deeper characterization on Estep’s part and the fact that Gwen no longer hates Mythos Academy. Because Gwen’s the narrator, her perspective of the school and its students was very negative in Touch of Frost, but the school seems to have grown on her now. The characters evolve away from the stereotypes that plagued the first book and become far more engaging. They actually end up stealing some of the spotlight from Gwen’s adventure as Estep begins incorporating minor subplots. My biggest critique of this book is that Estep spends a considerable amount of time telling what the reader needs to know instead of showing us. At points it feels like Estep is talking to us through the mouths of her characters. The reader sees this particularly in Metis’s myth-history class. Metis is always talking about precisely what Gwen needs to know at the time. While it does help move the plot along, this convenience also makes what’s coming rather obvious to the reader. The other problem we seem to have with Mythos Academy is that despite it being a school for magical and supernatural kids, whenever something magical happens no one believes Gwen. It’s frustrating that everyone just writes it off as paranoia, particularly given the fact the teachers know there are Reapers at Mythos and that they’re going to come after Gwen. Once the story moves to the Winter Carnival everything gets predictable. Not boring by any means, since the Carnival is where the plot really takes off, but chances are the reader will pick up on the general plot of the story. There are still a few surprises thrown in there, which in addition to Gwen’s sarcastic narration kept the story interesting. This novel improved in every way from the first one, and I hope they keep getting better! The next installment is Crimson Frost, which is due out on January of 2013. Notable Scene: A figure stood behind me. He must have slipped in through the door while I was talking to Oliver. Shadows cloaked his face, but I could clearly see the crossbow in his hand–the one that he’d just loaded with a fresh bolt. He gestured with the weapon, and I put my hands up and slowly backed around the wheelbarrow until I stood next to Oliver, who was writhing on the floor in pain. “Stop,” the shadowy figure commanded. I gasped. I recognized that voice, knew exactly who it belonged to. The Mythos Academy Series: 1. Touch of Frost 2. Kiss of Frost 3. Crimson FrostFTC Advisory: Kensington Publishing provided me with a copy of Kiss of Frost. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      Kiss of Frost picks up right after the end of the first book in Mythos Academy series. Gwen Frost is learning how to fight and utilize her powers (and sword) much better. A winter getaway for the Academy at a ski resort, where kids (warriors) from other boarding schools will attend shifts the focus away from the protected grounds of Mythos Academy and to the slopes. The Reapers are becoming more and more active, and Gwen and her friends try to stay vigilant. The mystery part read quickly and I look forward to Dark Frost, the next in the series.
    • 4/5
      Jennifer Estep delivers a fun, action-packed sequel to Touch of Frost with Kiss of Frost. This second book picks up shortly after the first with Gwen learning how to fight from her crush (and hot Spartan), Logan Quinn.As with the first book, Estep effortlessly weaves mystery and mythology together creating a story that's hard to put down. After the events at the end of book one, Gwen knows she may be the target from those wanting to get revenge and it's not too long before she is attacked. She has to find out who wants to kill her and she has to do it fast.Gwen Frost is an extremely likable character. On the surface, she seems like the most ordinary girl in a school in a school full of rich, spoiled superheroes but her psychometry (ability to know an object's history by touching it) gives her character a lot more depth. In Kiss of Frost, we get to see more of Gwen's ability at work, which is nice. We also find out more information about the Chaos War and Gwen's role as Nike's champion.The secondary characters are well written, especially Vic, Gwen's bloodthirsty, talking sword. I love him! While I was happy with Gwen and Logan's relationship at the end of the book, I want more! Jennifer Estep writes the opposite of insta-love: characters that are perfect for each other, have awesome, tension filled interactions but take forever to get together! It's been fun seeing these two deny their feelings and I am very excited to see where the story takes them in Dark Frost, which will be published in June.While the mystery in Kiss of Frost was a bit more predictable than in Touch of Frost, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. This series has romance, action and excitement. Can't wait to see what Estep has in store for us next.Content: Profanity, kissing, underage drinking and violence.
    • 5/5
      I was very excited to dive back into the world of Gwen Frost. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, Touch or Frost, and looked forward to seeing what was happening to Gwen after the events that transpired in the first book.We pick up a couple of weeks after the battle in the library and things have settled down and gone back to normal. Well almost normal, there have been a couple of changes in Gwen’s life. For example, she now has combat training with Logan and his friends in the mornings before class. She did not grow up learning how to shoot a bow and arrow or wield a sword like her classmates did and since she now finds herself with a target on her back it is important she learns how to defend herself.One of the best elements of these books is our main character, Gwen. She is a strong lead and stands up for what she believes in. She has been through so much in her life and she bears her burdens well and is not whiny like some teenage girls her age can be. She does need to work on her trust issues at times and let others help her, but at a school where violence and betrayal is an everyday occurrence, I cannot really fault her for guarding her secrets carefully. I always enjoy being in her head and her general attitude towards life. She is a great character and Jennifer has made it very easy to adore her.I also love the secondary characters in this series. Especially Gwen’s pink loving best friend Daphne. That Valkyrie cracks me up with her short temper and complete devotion to her band geek boyfriend, Carson. She is very supportive of Gwen and is always willing to help where she can. We don’t get to see as much of her in this book since her and Carson are always trying to sneak away together, but I still think she is a great character.I can’t review this book without talking about the romance. While Logan is still trying to keep his distance from Gwen, she is still crushing on him, hard. When she is with him, his words say one thing, but his actions say another. Poor Gwen is left trying to decipher what he is really thinking and always comes away confused. I am still rooting for these two even though I know Logan is trying to guard his heart. We get a little peak into the reasons behind his aloofness, but I still think there is plenty more to discover about that Spartan. One of my favorite scenes between Gwen and Logan comes a little later in the book, but I am just going to give you a quick snippet so it is not spoilery.“I am glad you came looking for me,” I finally said…Logan gave me a crooked grin. “I’ll always come looking for you, Gypsy girl.”I am not going to put any more because you have to read it to see what happens next, but don’t moments like that just make you think “aww, they are so cute!”? Well, that is what goes through my head at least. They have such an innocent and sweet relationship. I really want them to work through the issues keeping them apart so they can be together, but I think only time will reveal how their relationship will develop.As for the plot, I get so involved in these books and read them so quickly I am almost done before I come up for a breath. There is always so much going on and Jennifer has a way of sucking you in so deeply that you cannot even begin to try and put the book down. Gwen is being pursued by the Reapers and danger seems to wait around every corner for her. She is not sure who she can trust and there were quite a few plot twists thrown in there that I did not see coming at all. I did figure out some of the mysteries surrounding Gwen before she did, but I still relished watching her riddle it all out for herself. We also get a plethora of new information revealed to us and I could not believe some of the revelations Gwen uncovered.I also enjoy the mix of mythology that is encompassed in this world. Greek, Egyptian, Roman, they all have a place here and the fusion of those any many more was fascinating. I have always been a lover of mythology and getting to see so many of them come together to make up one world is so intriguing and had me soaking up every the detail Jennifer gave to us.Overall, this is another thrilling edition to this series and I enjoyed every minute of it. Jennifer gives you a little bit of everything, a budding romance that you can cheer for, an adorable and resilient main character, a cast of lovable secondary characters and an overall mystery that will keep you glued to the pages. I cannot wait for the next installment to see what Gwen will do with all the information she now possess.
    • 5/5
      KISS OF FROST is the sequel to the fun and exciting TOUCH OF FROST by Jennifer Estep, which probably was one of my favorite young adult books of 2011. I’m a sucker for fun and exciting and girl power, and while KISS OF FROST wasn’t quite as good as its predecessor, it was still a great YA novel that I wholeheartedly recommend. This series is full of action, excitement, romance, and great characters that will make you laugh and cry and fear for. Estep has a winning combination of a fun twist on the old “boarding school for superpowered teens” plot and great characters, which is why I will tell you this. YOU MUST READ THIS SERIES. And spoilers might be mentioned within.In KISS OF FROST, we’re back to Mythos Academy a few weeks after the events of TOUCH OF FROST. The way the story begins is helpful to people who have not read the first book – in fact, you can actually jump into book two without having read book one due to the amount of rehashing involved – but somewhat off putting if you have read book one. The first 150 pages are chock full of plot recaps, reminders, and basically a retelling of every event from book one. Multiple times. Even as we hit the climax, we are still being told about the events of book one. It slows down the pacing a bit, but as I said, if you haven’t read book one, you can still read book two.That was really my main issue with KISS OF FROST. We meet a new potential love interest, new enemies, new denizens of Mythos Academy (particularly Logan’s Spartan friends Oliver and Kenzie, who become critical players in the story arc), and new world building that brings a lot of new details to this already well-created world. At the end, we even have a slight guide to the world which brings a lot of the details together, and I can only assume that book three (DARK FROST, out June 2012) will bring more details, especially considering that AWESOME chapter one preview.As Gwen’s powers develop, so does the enormity of the situation resting on her shoulders. The character development in KISS OF FROST is great – not like some stories where the main character never grows as a person. She’s learning to fight back and stand up for herself, which is what I love to see in young adult fiction – girls that take things into their own hands. Yes, she has a boy that drives her, but Gwen is a great heroine. And Logan is still a great, mysterious bad boy – and not the kind of bad boy that is actually BAD. He cares about Gwen and will do anything to help her. He’s almost like a sweet bad boy, which is the type of bad boy that I love. But don’t expect constant sparks of love and gooey and kissing here.If you haven’t picked up TOUCH OF FROST, what are you waiting for? Go to Amazon or Barnes and Noble or your local Indie and PICK IT UP NOW. This is a series that you cannot miss. VERDICT: KISS OF FROST might not be as good as TOUCH OF FROST, but it is still a great sequel to one of my favorite current young adult series. A definite must read.
    • 3/5
      I definitely liked this installment in the Mythos Academy series better than the first, but I am seeing a few similarities between the two. Firstly, the book takes a while to pick up the pace, which was my major problem with the first book. However, once it picks up, I was hooked. Another thing I noticed which bothered me the first time around was the repetitive language. Logan is described as a "man-whore" about thirty (made up number, but it was definitely in excess) times in the first half of the novel. Okay, I got it the first time. Lastly, I don't like how the characters are named often by what they are not by their names. Like Logan would be called "the Spartan" not Logan. Other than those things, I saw many improvements.I am so happy that I actually started to like Gwen! In the first book I didn't dislike her, I just really didn't care about her. She seemed to become more courageous and have a bit more common sense in this novel. Come to think of it, I really like all the characters better - especially Logan. I can't wait to see where the characters go in the next book.Although the plot was a bit predictable, there was enough diversion to keep me guessing until the end. I was shocked by some of the things Gwen was put through! Also, I really liked how the book had more leeway, for lack of a better word, since now the reader -and Gwen - knew about this new world of mythical creatures and weren't still trying to figure it out. I also enjoyed at the end there is a "Beyond the Story" section where the world is explained a bit more, that was fun to read.So overall, if you've read the first, definitely read the second! Sure, some things got me mad, but in total I really enjoyed the book. I'm really looking forward to Dark Frost coming in June 2012!
    • 5/5
      I remember reading the first book, Touch of Frost, back in August and liking it more than I expected. But this book? It blew the first one away. (And I really like the cover of this one :P)Gwen Frost is a very real character to me. Her reactions were realistic, and her emotions always made sense to me. She's a very determined character, and that's something I like about her. She doesn't let other people fight her battles for her, but she also acknowledges that sometimes she needs help and she lets people give it to her. As for Logan Quinn? Not only do I totally love him, I also loved getting to find out a little more about his past. I hated that he never really explained what he was doing with Savannah, though - sure, he talked to Gwen about it a little bit, but he never really gave any reasons as to why he was going out with her when we all know he likes Gwen >.o Logan and Gwen spent the first book dancing around each other, and the same can be said for Kiss of Frost - but this time, it's even better. No matter how much I want them to just rip off each other's clothes and get it over with already.I have to admit, though. I think Vic might be my favorite character, regardless of the fact that he's a talking sword. There was not nearly enough of him in Kiss of Frost. I really hope he's in the third book more.And of course, what would a Mythos Academy novel be without a Reaper trying to kill Gwen? I was kind of shocked about who it was, but once Gwen realized it and started to notice all the signs she missed, I went "Ohhhhh, yeah," right along with her. Now THAT'S what I call some good foreshadowing.And I don't care if most people think it's cliche, but I love the fact that these books take place at a boarding school. I'm usually a fan of board school books, but Mythos Academy is fairly original, if you ask me. I can picture it all in my head, and I love the way it looks. The only problem I had was that sometimes I had to force myself to read some paragraphs that I really just wanted to skip over. There was a lot of recapping from the first book that I didn't really want to read because, yes, I did read the first book, and yes, I do remember what happened. The first chapter of the third novel was also included in the e-ARC, and it seemed to do the same thing. Then again, what I believe is unnecessary recapping might be important for someone else. I just forced myself to read through those parts because I didn't want to miss anything :POverall: Kiss of Frost surpassed the first novel by a margin. The suspense was great, the characters were even better and more developed, and I loved the new characters that get involved. While my attention wandered a little bit during parts of the book, for the most part, I loved this and can't wait for the next one. Estep does a great job with descriptions - both of the action scenes and the setting in general. 4.5 stars.
    • 5/5
      This is the second book in the Mythos Academy series by Estep. The third book in the series, Dark Frost, is due out May of 2012 and the fourth book in the series, Crimson Frost, is due out in Jan 2013. I really enjoyed a lot of elements in this book: I loved the mythology based magic system, I love the world and the characters. This book was just such a fun read.Gwen is recovering from all of the ordeals that happened in the first book and trying to come to term with being declared the Champion of the Goddess Nike. She is studying weapons training from the guy who broke her heart, Logan, and slogging through her job at the Library of Antiquities while trying to get through all of her other classwork. Problem is, someone is trying to kill Gwen. As Gwen's class takes off for their Winter Carnival festivities the plot deepens and Gwen's life is at even greater risk. Gwen has to figure out who is trying to kill her before they make good on their attempts.I love a lot of things about this book. First of all I love how the whole Mythos academy and the magic is based on mythology; this makes the story a lot of fun and you keep wondering what interesting myth you will bump into next. I also love Estep's writing style; it is easy to read and just generally well done. I love her adult series as well, so this isn't a surprise.Gwen is a wonderful female lead; she is tough but still easy to relate to...she has strengths and weaknesses and isn't a perfect heroine. The fact that she has such passive magic, psychometry, makes the story interesting because she has to use her magic in creative ways to make it useful. Watching her develop additional abilities that stem from her psychometry is a lot of fun and keeps things interesting.Logan isn't my favorite male lead, especially in the beginning of the book, as the story continues though he kind of grew on me as a character. Gwen's circle of friends are highly amusing and add a lot of humor to the story; especially her Barbie-like hot-tempered Amazonian roomie. Many of the side characters are very well-developed and have interesting histories and stories of their own.There are a lot of awesome action scenes. Although there is also some teen angsting going on; the story remains much more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. It was fun to have to majority of the story taking place at a ski lodge; this took the characters into a new and interesting setting and was great to read especially in the winter time frame.I loved how the plot is branching out in this book, getting broader and exposing the characters to increasing amounts of danger and peril. We are finding that Gwen's position as the Champion of Nike is part of something much bigger, in fact something so big that it could mean the end of the world. I love how there is a main plot in this book (figuring who is out to kill Gwen) but that all of this is part of a much broader story. In fact some of the things in this book explain many things that happened in the first book; so far the series has been very well planned and thought out.Overall I just loved this book. I loved the characters, the story, the world, the action, and the way the story is broadening out. Fans of urban fantasy should definitely give this book a read. It is kind of like Harry Potter, but based on mythology and aimed more at the teen set. I think urban fantasy fans young adult and older should give this a read. I can't wait to read Dark Frost when it releases in May of 2012.
    • 5/5
      EVERYONE! CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE! YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. IF YOU DON'T, I WILL SEND VIC AFTER YOU!OMG! I. LOVED.THIS.BOOK. I mean really loved. Loved it so much that I want to bathe in the literature if I could. (You know I would too! LOL) This book is the bomb diggity. Right from the very first page, I felt the anxiety and excitement of reading every goodness of the page. The plot was dynamic. Filled with action, fighting, major flirting, and forbidden love, I fell in love with this book. I loved that Ms. Estep really guided the reader into the story not leaving them confuse or shut out. I was able to step right back into Mythos Academy as if I have never left.The favorite part of the story is Vic, the talking sword. Yes, he is my fave man in the book. He part is small, but I adore his advice, sarcastic comments, and just the way he bugs the living daylights out of Gwen. You don't know how many times I snickered every time I read,"Shut up Vic." I love it!!!The love interest in this book really blew up in the readers face. Ms Estep brought a love that passionate and real to life. I adore the tension between the characters. The masochist feeling I get out reading about Gwen and Logan really made my heart swell. I like that they fought and bickered but most importantly, I love their loyalty to each other.As I said before, read this book. You will fall in love with Mytho's Academy, action, and non-stop flirting. This book will have you turning pages faster and faster. The love in it will have you yearning for more and more. Trust me with I say Ms. Estep write one heck of a book. Read it!
    • 4/5
      ***Warning spoilers if you have not read book 1 TOUCH OF FROST***KISS OF FROST is filled with action. Plenty of slippery situations arise and plenty of romantic tension situations between Logan and Gwen springs up. Book one TOUCH OF FROST provided a lot of background and character introduction. KISS OF FROST took up where it left off and gave us more adventure while showing us the advancement of Gwen's power.Gwen is completely different from anyone at Mythos Academy. Not only is she not a direct descendant of a god (although her family powers were gifted by the Goddess Nike) like all the other kids but she was also raised completely outside the walls and knew nothing of her new world before she started attending the academy. I think that is why it is easier for her to think outside the box and see things others might not as well as makes her think she needs to be a hero to prove herself. She really wants to show everyone that she can be a champion on her own but she eventually comes to realize it is ok to ask for help. Logan finally gets kicked in the head (metaphorically) in KISS OF FROST and comes to his senses which I'm glad about and cant wait to see what happens next for him and Gwen. I loved TOUCH OF FROST and I ended up loving KISS OF FROST and can not wait for book 3. Ive said it before and I continue to say it now, you can not go wrong with a book written by Jennifer Estep.