Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes)

Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes #2)

Overall, I really enjoyed how this novel turned out, and it was definitely a very good second installment. The character struggles were evident, and the increasing conflict showed with renewed vigor. However, there were definitely some moments that I believe dragged or could have moved along a little faster.

“I’m not just me anymore. I’m a whole kingdom, and I can’t make mistakes.”

One of my favorite parts of the previous book was Meira, and in this installment my love only grew, but I’m not going to lie, my love was tested for a while. In Snow Like Ashes Meira was built up as a rash character who would do whatever it takes to prove herself to Winter. Then, she was only a soldier, but now, with the discovery that she is the queen, she has a larger role. She seemed to lose some of her unpredictableness with this change. I understand she had to become more cautious now that she was running a kingdom, but I worried that her Meiraness would be lost and she would leave behind a different character. Near the end when she realized she was allowed to be herself, I began to see the soldier Meira again, and not just the queen. I was overjoyed that she was able to overcome this personal struggle and I finally get my badass, witty heroine back.

In the previous novel we only explored a little bit of Primora, and I was hoping for a little more traveling in this novel. My wish was granted! The only land left unturned is Paisly, which I have a feeling will be crucial in the conclusion (you’ll see, you’ll see.) Every new setting was so unique, and it felt like just by crossing borders you were crossing worlds. The detail and world building is just amazing— a step up even from the last book! I could feel the heat of Summer, hear the clockwork ticking in Yakim, and touch the fabric of the dresses worn in Ventralli. Even though there was a lot of description, it did not feel very overwhelming.

Every book has it’s faults, and this one is no exception. There were two points of view (Meira and Mather) instead of one. I understand why the author included Mather’s this time, but his sections of the story felt a little dry and boring. I wish that some of his anger and self pity would have fueled some more interesting adventure.

I also had a small problem with the length— nearly 500 pages! I don’t have a problem with large books at all but there were certainly times that I thought parts could have been condensed. There wasn’t any big spots that I thought were unnecessary, just lengthy. Even if some information had been cut or condensed, this book still would have been long, but I think the author could have used fewer words to explain some parts.

I felt that the plot was definitely a lot slower this time around. The last 50 pages packed in all of the action that the whole book should have had. At times the story seemed to drag, and I was looking for a battle and spilled blood, only there wasn’t any. Most of this book was spent setting up the conflict that will take place in the conclusion (Frost Like Night.)

Overall: 3 ¾

This was definitely a good middle book that showed character development and set up the conflict for the next novel. I’m glad that I got to see more of the wonderful world that Raasch has built up, and I look forward to explore further. I wish that this book would have had a little more action and excitement and a few fewer words, but hopefully the next book will make up for it. I definitely will be sticking around for the conclusion to find out how Raasch packages everything together. Hopefully it will be with a pretty bow and not a cardboard box.

Original Review Link: http://asdreamsaremade.com/2015/10/book-tuesday-arc-ice-like-fire-2/

OMG THIS BOOK. AND MY FEELINGS. OH MY WORD.

Now that that’s out of the way…

The story picks up three months after the events of Snow Like Ashes. Meira is trying to figure out her role as Queen while balancing who she is, along with rebuilding her kingdom. King Noam is a constant threat hanging over her with his need to find the lost chasm of magic. When circumstances force her on a tour of the neighboring kingdoms, looking for aid, Meira will be faced with decisions she never thought possible and betrayals she never saw coming.

I just. Wow, guys. No, seriously. I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, but this one just hit it out of the park. No middle book syndrome here!

Meira really comes into her own in this book. It takes her a little while to get there, but by the end she finally learns to trust her instincts and make the choices she knows are right, even if they’re not the easiest. Her journey is far from over and I’m SO anxious to see how some of the plot’s revelations are going to shape her in the final installment. Now, Theron. We all know I love me some Theron, but he was just UGH in this book. You wanted to slap him, but then THE END. THE END!!! You think “how could I have been so stupid!”

Surprisingly enough, I really liked Mather in this book. His struggle with coming to terms with his new identity make you really empathize with him. You realize he really does want what’s best for Winter. Having been bred to be King, he’s the only one who truly knows what Meira is going through and he wishes he could lift that burden from her shoulders; it’s admirable. We’re introduced to Ceridwen, Princess of Summer and sister to Simon, King of Summer. Can I just say how much I LOVED Ceridwen? She’s awesome and I loved her complicated relationship with Simon. On the surface you see her completely loath him and everything he stands for, but by the end you really see that she struggles with her love for him as her brother and what she has to do for her people.

The plot keeps you guessing. You have your suspicions, but I’m telling you, you’re never gonna see it coming. That ending had me chomping at the bits. SO MUCH HAPPENS. I just couldn’t handle it. I’m still a bit numb. I need the next book, because I’m so excited about where this one left off and what it tells us about what will happen in the next one. Don’t walk, RUN to get this.

[...]

Rating: 5 Stars

We last left Meira, soldier turned queen of Winter, as she with the help of Cordell’s army freed her people from Spring and defeated their oppressor. Or so they hope. Because having learned things about magic no one else had learned, that she didn’t need a conduit but instead IS the conduit, destroying the Spring conduit might have created the same of Angra, though his disappearance is cause for hope that he was defeated. Still while Winter might be free of chains from Spring she is not yet free. Winter owes a debt to Cordell, and continues to incur debt as they start to rebuild their lost land. Meira isn’t happy with the king of Cordell, Noam, and his constant press for more of her land than she wants to give. He didn’t help out of the goodness of his heart, or because his son Theron cares for it’s queen, but because he wants access to their mines to try and locate the lost chasm of magic. When the chasm found but secured sets Meira and Theron on a journey of opposing purposes and force Meira to make some tough decisions.

We get a dual POV in this one both from Meira and Mather. This is great because we get to see so much more of Mather and what he feels given that the last story one of his short comings in the romance department is he was too good at hiding his emotions but being in his head you see it all. This also allowed us to see a different part of the new Winter now that Meira is the queen and expected to handle the political aspects, wheeling and dealing as it were, and Mather is down in the grit of it. They’ve swapped roles in a way. Also nice seeing the contrast in how she adapts to being a simple soldier to the queen and him from king to simple lord. The dynamic was interesting to see. Meira struggling to hold in her impulsive act first talk later kick ass self at bay and be more queenly was interesting. She isn't used to thinking in terms of politics and her strategies had always been more of the physical kick butt kind.

We also got a ton of new characters and traveled to different kingdoms. We had the chance to see into Summer (not a fan), Yakim, and Ventralli as well as seeing Winter which we only saw in glimpses and at the end of the last book. Ceridwen was a favorite new addition for sure, she is sassy and determined which I admire. She reminded me a bit of the old Meira before she had such responsibilities edging in on her. William in this took a bit of a turn for me, while I wasn't always his biggest fan I always respected his choices or the reasons behind them anyways. He went a little weak to me in this and it was very sad to see, especially the relationship between him and his son.

Another character who lost some points for me in this one is Theron. Now at the end of book one I was undecided on which ship I wanted to ship. I liked Mather and their past history for sure but I had some issues with how some things were handled. Then meeting Theron he seemed too good to be true and I genuinely liked him and was almost shipping for him after he came to rescue her. In the end I wasn’t sold 100% on picking a ship though I swayed more towards Theron. This book and having Mathers POV among other things swayed me to declare Team Mather! Still Theron while I respect his hope and optimism he starts out the back irking me almost reverting on everything I loved about him before. He's pushy and determined to have things his way and doesn't treat Meira as an equal which now technically she out ranked him. Some things can be explained but the overall items that got to me seemed more in line with his true nature.

The story was intriguing and while there wasn't as much action, or at least it didn't feel like there was as much, there was so much happening plot wise that it moved along nicely for me. Trying to figure out the best options alone with Meira while making a list of characters I wouldn't mind seeing killed. Hey they list got kind of wrong. There's one quote which kind of sums up so much.

“Why is it that of the handful of monarchs I’ve met, I’ve only liked one of them?”
She smiles. “Because it’s impossible to hate a toddler.”

I finished this book excited and ready to go onto the next one but sadly I have to wait. I'm itching to get my hands on Frost Like Night ASAP because the end of this one is definitely a cliffhanger and so much new stuff has come to light and others we have yet to scratch the surface of. I wasn't sure where this book was going to go when the last one ended on freeing Winter but it has surpassed my expectations.

I was worried about this book after reading mixed reviews. Snow Like Ashes was so wonderful, I was hoping the reviews were wrong, but they weren't. While the book isn't bad, it just isn't up to the standard of the first book. It is slow moving where Snow Like Ashes was a whirlwind of action. Things finally picked up at Chapter 29 and it was great from there until the end. I am hopeful the next book will be filled with the same passion and adventure of the first book, and the last few chapters of Ice Like Fire.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.

I wanted to read Ice Like Fire because I enjoyed the first book. I remember liking Meira as a main character, how strong she was and how much she was doing to help save her kingdom. The romance was okay for me because of the love triangle type set-up.

I remembered a bit, and there was basic recap, but there were things mentioned that I had forgotten about. Now, I know that I have a bad memory, but there is usually a recap that catches us up on the big moments. But it felt like she just started writing and assumed that everyone would have good memory or had a chance to read back to back.

That aside, I finally was able to get into the romance a bit, and that helps. Meira and Theron seemed like they had a good thing going, even though their engagement was called off. He still wanted to protect her and be with her. He was being a strong protector but still managing to respect the power and strength she has all on her own.

We see Meira's people beginning to recover in some ways, but her heart goes out to them because Cordell is pushing hard for the mines, and discovering the magical chasm. That would make him even more powerful than she already is, and Meira is keeping the secret that she is the conduit, its not an object, its her. This is actually one of the things that was recapped and triggered some memory.

I don't remember if it is this way in the first, but the point of view is split between Meira and Mather. It is interesting to get his view since in this one of course, the triangle shifts again.

Ice Like Fire was slower paced, and I found myself skimming at times. There were some action and character development but the politics was just slower for me, and there was a lot of maneuvering as Meira tries to gain allies, and find out the keys to the chasm before it comes in the wrong hands. Towards the end of the book, it picked up and the plot really moved along.

I am not sure if I will be finishing the series, but I am curious how it will go.

Bottom Line: Slower, case of middle book maybe?

I've been looking forward to this book since Snow Like Ashes which was a favorite of mine, but I have to admit Ice Like Fire definitely felt like the case of the middle book syndrome. It's hard not to compare this to the first book in the series, Snow Like Ashes was all action and anticipation while Ice Like Fire was just blah, at least, the first seventy percent of the book.

As far as the characters go, Meira wasn't as likable in this one she seemed weaker not much of her being the kick ass girl we met in the first one. Also a lot of inner dialogue about her trying to save her people which was well pretty blah, I didn't care for it. Just when I thought there would be no love triangle guess what?!?! There is one and I am pissed. I'm all for a good love triangle(which very few authors can pull off) but I hate it when authors make us fall for a guy who is clearly the better guy only to make him out to be an ass in the next book. Even though there was reasoning behind why Theron was acting the way he was which we find out later on, I just didn't care for the love triangle that has now popped up again between Mather, Meira, and Theron. I personally don't feel Mather deserves Meira and thought all this was cleared up in the first book.

The majority of the book was spent traveling and finding the keys to open the chasm which now has been found. I thought finding the keys would be a sort of adventure, but it was all way too easy and seeing how that was the first half of the book or so I was bored. All the action that I was expecting didn't come until the last thirty percent of the book only to leave us with another cliffhanger.

Overall even though Ice Like Fire was not what I had hoped it to be I'm still going to be picking up the next book in the series because with the way things ended I have a feeling the next book will be pretty awesome at least I hope so.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a little hard to get into because I didn't remember what had previously happened, and the book did not do a great job of explaining. However, if you had just read the first book in the series, I'm sure it would be fine. I really enjoyed the writing and seeing what was to become of the characters and the story. It was different from the fist book, however, it was still good.

Ice Like Fire is the breathtaking sequel to Sara Raasch’s debut, Snow Like Ashes.
This book, much like the other one, was amazing to read. Raasch did an excellent job in Snow Like Ashes with the world building, and in Ice Like Fire, it gets even more amazing and detailed.
We pick up in Ice Like Fire three months after the events in Snow Like Ashes. Meira and friends are all back in the kingdom of Winter, trying to restore it to how it was sixteen years ago. Cordell is also in Winter, and they are in search of the magic chasm, which most believe is a myth of sorts. But when the chasm does get found, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. A possibility that Meira wants to keep hidden. But when the King of Cordell orders Meira and Prince Theron to uncover the secrets of the chasm, Meira is sent on a journey throughout Primoria to discover them.
What’s to like about this book: In Ice Like Fire, we get to see a whole lot more of the world in which they live. We get expansion. Meira travels to many different kingdoms, and encounters many new people. And with these new people, come new identities. Raasch gives us the characterization we need, and never fails to give newcomers their own personality. Each person is their own, all complete will flaws that make the characters seem real. And when it comes to world building, there are hardly any words. Raasch is one of the best authors I know who excels at world building. The places are described so elegantly and in detail, I felt as if I was there. As if I was seeing this place with my own eyes.
Meira isn’t the same girl we saw in Snow Like Ashes, and neither is her best friend, Mather. They both are changed from the events in Snow Like Ashes, making them more mature in some ways. I was glad to see the character development change into the next book. It only makes me more excited for book three.
Lastly on the list of likes, the plot twist in Ice Like Fire was unbelievable. For those of you who read Snow Like Ashes, and know the plot twist, Raasch has done it again. You will never see this one coming. I promise you. And it’s so good.
What’s to dislike about this book: There aren’t many dislikes I have. One of the things I didn’t like about the book was the chapters written in Mather’s point of view. It’s not one of the every other chapter kind of things. His chapters are sprinkled throughout the book.
Mather’s first few chapters were all right. There wasn’t much too really learn, other than the fact that he’s unsure of a lot of things now (because of the Snow Like Ashes plot twist). But as I kept reading, I found myself dreading Mather’s chapters. We read about him while Meira is on her journey across Primoria, because he is still in Winter. While he’s in Winter, he doesn’t really do anything. He drinks, talks to his new friends, and verbally argues with others. He doesn’t do anything significant to the story. Not until the ending, anyway.
There are only a few things here and there that happen during his chapters that are really important, and they do add to the story, but other than those few things, his chapters were not all that great. They got good during the end of the novel, which is good, but not so much in the beginning. They served little purpose.
This book was a tad drawn out, and there were many complications between characters. Of course that's expected, given the circumstances in Snow Like Ashes, but it's as if no one in this book recognizes each other anymore. There's hardly good communication between everyone. The book is mostly full of inner monologues than it is dialogue. And dialogue is important key in trying to achieve a large goal.
I give this book three out of five stars. I love the world building, I love the new characters, and I love the detailed explanations we get, but I don't like how it was drawn out and slightly boring. The end makes up for it, but the end is a long way off from the beginning.
I am excited for book three to finally see how it all ends, though. And I do feel like last book is able to redeem itself. I think it will be much better.
I give the book three out of five stars. I recommend it to people who are seeking action, drama, and mysteries.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
Book Two of the Snow Like Ashes series
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Rating: 1 star
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

What I Liked:

Ahem. Keep reading. The one thing I can think of that I liked was maybe all the times Meira realized that she was wrong or stupid. Oops?

What I Did Not Like:

Ahh. This review is going to be a struggle to write, I already know it. I've eaten ice cream, a pre-one-star-review treat - sustenance? I had a feeling, before I started this one, that it wouldn't go well for me. So I already had super low expectations for this book, despite liking Snow Like Ashes.

I'll try to be as brief as possible, because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything, I don't want this to be a long and boring review, and I don't want to talk about this book longer than I have to. I'll start with Meira - gosh, I hated her in this book. I don't have to like a single person (this is directed at all those people who hate it when a reader hates a female protagonist), and I did not like Meira. I think I liked her in Snow Like Ashes? But I could not stand her in this book.

Maybe it was the constant "I want to save the world" or "I am Queen" or "Winter is EVERYTHING". Those thoughts going through Meira's head were SO ANNOYING. Literally all she thought about were these things. Dang, girl, you need something cute in your life, like a puppy. Or an obsession with chocolate. Chill the f*** out. There are zero warm and fuzzy moments in this book, no times when I was like awww, Meira, or hahaha, Meira you're hilarious. Nope. This book was entirely gloom and doom, and a ridiculous set of gloom and doom.

Meira makes a lot of stupid, non-queenly decisions, and she realizes it as she goes. I LIVED for those scenes when she realized how dumb she had been, after every "thing" that she did badly. Poor girl lost brain cells between Snow Like Ashes and this book. We're supposed to see character growth in her, from book one to this book, from the beginning of this book to the end. But in my opinion, Meira did is still immature and irrational, a stubborn sixteen-year-old who is totally unfit to rule Winter.

I hate Meira. Moving on. This book is so over the top. The whole "save the world" thing is so old, so unoriginal, so cliche. The author doesn't even dress it up as anything special or unique. This book is so cliche and unoriginal! The tone is supposed to be ominous (or something?), but it came off as childish, obnoxious, and totally over the top. So exaggerated. This is just a feeling that I got, not something I can specifically quantify.

Another thing - this book does not do a good job of doing the little recap thing in the beginning. The author does not slowly disseminate information that occurred in Snow Like Ashes, like many authors do in sequels. I completely forgot just about everything that occurred in book one, so when this book mentioned things like Theron imprisoned in Abril, I was like huh? This is news to me! Although I suppose it happened in book one? I can't remember, and it's a problem because this book should have recapped important things!

Remember how I said this book is cliche and unoriginal? Okay so the plot of this book was very unoriginal - guess what we're doing in this book?! Looking for a thing that will unlock power (this is as general as it gets). Surprise! Isn't that what every high fantasy novel seems to like to do - look for artifacts or things of power? Yay! UGH.

Not to mention that this book is nearly five hundred pages and could easily be boiled down to about FIFTY. You literally need the last few chapters, you could skip the whole book. I'm so serious. Maybe one or two characters are introduced that are important, but the whole book is so pointless, and boring. It comes down to the last fifty pages or so, but the thing is, the rest of the book is so unnecessary. It felt like nothing was happening - which is why it was boring.

Let's talk romance, so I can exit with a flourish. Literally I hate everything about the romance of this book. Theron and Meira are traveling together, and for a while, it seems like things are going well between them. By the end, I wanted to throw this book, for all the reasons I mentioned above, and then the romance too. Raasch f***s up the romance, reintroduces the love triangle, and basically flips it. Think The Wrath and the Dawn. That's as much as I can say without things getting spoiler-y. The author did awful things to Theron in general (not including the romance), and I don't think he deserved it. I'm so disappointed in this plot arc, as well as the direction of the romance.

The ending is complete s***, and I won't say more than that about it. Prepare to be tortured, whether you love or hate the book.

Mostly I hate Meira though, and once you dislike the protagonist, it's pretty much all over. I HATE Mather too - he is such a child! Why does no one act more mature in this book?! You're all kings and queen and royalty - you'd think these children would act like it? Instead they're acting like tweens. Teens in high fantasy settings are MUCH different from teens in contemporary (modern) settings. I feel like their maturity should reflect this, from the start.

I know there was more I disliked, but I'm not going to think about it anymore! Tl; dr: hot mess.

Would I Recommend It:

This book (and now, series) is getting one big solid NO from me. Don't start this series if you haven't already. It might turn around in book three, and I will probably read book three. But I wouldn't torture yourself until book three is published. Or maybe skip this book altogether. You could do that and be JUST FINE, trust me.

Rating:

1 star. I know there are a ton of positive reviews and feedback on Goodreads for this book, and that's great! But I hope, even if you're one of those people that are totally indoctrinated, that you at least consider what I've said here. You won't quite understand until you've read this book, but just know that SOMEONE didn't like the book!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a little hard to get into because I didn't remember what had previously happened, and the book did not do a great job of explaining. However, if you had just read the first book in the series, I'm sure it would be fine. I really enjoyed the writing and seeing what was to become of the characters and the story. It was different from the fist book, however, it was still good.

Ice Like Fire is the breathtaking sequel to Sara Raasch’s debut, Snow Like Ashes.
This book, much like the other one, was amazing to read. Raasch did an excellent job in Snow Like Ashes with the world building, and in Ice Like Fire, it gets even more amazing and detailed.
We pick up in Ice Like Fire three months after the events in Snow Like Ashes. Meira and friends are all back in the kingdom of Winter, trying to restore it to how it was sixteen years ago. Cordell is also in Winter, and they are in search of the magic chasm, which most believe is a myth of sorts. But when the chasm does get found, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. A possibility that Meira wants to keep hidden. But when the King of Cordell orders Meira and Prince Theron to uncover the secrets of the chasm, Meira is sent on a journey throughout Primoria to discover them.
What’s to like about this book: In Ice Like Fire, we get to see a whole lot more of the world in which they live. We get expansion. Meira travels to many different kingdoms, and encounters many new people. And with these new people, come new identities. Raasch gives us the characterization we need, and never fails to give newcomers their own personality. Each person is their own, all complete will flaws that make the characters seem real. And when it comes to world building, there are hardly any words. Raasch is one of the best authors I know who excels at world building. The places are described so elegantly and in detail, I felt as if I was there. As if I was seeing this place with my own eyes.
Meira isn’t the same girl we saw in Snow Like Ashes, and neither is her best friend, Mather. They both are changed from the events in Snow Like Ashes, making them more mature in some ways. I was glad to see the character development change into the next book. It only makes me more excited for book three.
Lastly on the list of likes, the plot twist in Ice Like Fire was unbelievable. For those of you who read Snow Like Ashes, and know the plot twist, Raasch has done it again. You will never see this one coming. I promise you. And it’s so good.
What’s to dislike about this book: There aren’t many dislikes I have. One of the things I didn’t like about the book was the chapters written in Mather’s point of view. It’s not one of the every other chapter kind of things. His chapters are sprinkled throughout the book.
Mather’s first few chapters were all right. There wasn’t much too really learn, other than the fact that he’s unsure of a lot of things now (because of the Snow Like Ashes plot twist). But as I kept reading, I found myself dreading Mather’s chapters. We read about him while Meira is on her journey across Primoria, because he is still in Winter. While he’s in Winter, he doesn’t really do anything. He drinks, talks to his new friends, and verbally argues with others. He doesn’t do anything significant to the story. Not until the ending, anyway.
There are only a few things here and there that happen during his chapters that are really important, and they do add to the story, but other than those few things, his chapters were not all that great. They got good during the end of the novel, which is good, but not so much in the beginning. They served little purpose.
This book was a tad drawn out, and there were many complications between characters. Of course that's expected, given the circumstances in Snow Like Ashes, but it's as if no one in this book recognizes each other anymore. There's hardly good communication between everyone. The book is mostly full of inner monologues than it is dialogue. And dialogue is important key in trying to achieve a large goal.
I give this book three out of five stars. I love the world building, I love the new characters, and I love the detailed explanations we get, but I don't like how it was drawn out and slightly boring. The end makes up for it, but the end is a long way off from the beginning.
I am excited for book three to finally see how it all ends, though. And I do feel like last book is able to redeem itself. I think it will be much better.
I give the book three out of five stars. I recommend it to people who are seeking action, drama, and mysteries.

I was looking forward to reading this sequel but when I started it, I found it hard to really get into. I felt bad for Meira and everything that was going on with her but at the same time I found her character to be extremely annoying. It took reaching that halfway point before I truly got interested and the characters and plot. Some of the new characters were extremely interesting and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next book, I hope.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
Book Two of the Snow Like Ashes series
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 13, 2015
Rating: 1 star
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

What I Liked:

Ahem. Keep reading. The one thing I can think of that I liked was maybe all the times Meira realized that she was wrong or stupid. Oops?

What I Did Not Like:

Ahh. This review is going to be a struggle to write, I already know it. I've eaten ice cream, a pre-one-star-review treat - sustenance? I had a feeling, before I started this one, that it wouldn't go well for me. So I already had super low expectations for this book, despite liking Snow Like Ashes.

I'll try to be as brief as possible, because I don't want to accidentally spoil anything, I don't want this to be a long and boring review, and I don't want to talk about this book longer than I have to. I'll start with Meira - gosh, I hated her in this book. I don't have to like a single person (this is directed at all those people who hate it when a reader hates a female protagonist), and I did not like Meira. I think I liked her in Snow Like Ashes? But I could not stand her in this book.

Maybe it was the constant "I want to save the world" or "I am Queen" or "Winter is EVERYTHING". Those thoughts going through Meira's head were SO ANNOYING. Literally all she thought about were these things. Dang, girl, you need something cute in your life, like a puppy. Or an obsession with chocolate. Chill the f*** out. There are zero warm and fuzzy moments in this book, no times when I was like awww, Meira, or hahaha, Meira you're hilarious. Nope. This book was entirely gloom and doom, and a ridiculous set of gloom and doom.

Meira makes a lot of stupid, non-queenly decisions, and she realizes it as she goes. I LIVED for those scenes when she realized how dumb she had been, after every "thing" that she did badly. Poor girl lost brain cells between Snow Like Ashes and this book. We're supposed to see character growth in her, from book one to this book, from the beginning of this book to the end. But in my opinion, Meira did is still immature and irrational, a stubborn sixteen-year-old who is totally unfit to rule Winter.

I hate Meira. Moving on. This book is so over the top. The whole "save the world" thing is so old, so unoriginal, so cliche. The author doesn't even dress it up as anything special or unique. This book is so cliche and unoriginal! The tone is supposed to be ominous (or something?), but it came off as childish, obnoxious, and totally over the top. So exaggerated. This is just a feeling that I got, not something I can specifically quantify.

Another thing - this book does not do a good job of doing the little recap thing in the beginning. The author does not slowly disseminate information that occurred in Snow Like Ashes, like many authors do in sequels. I completely forgot just about everything that occurred in book one, so when this book mentioned things like Theron imprisoned in Abril, I was like huh? This is news to me! Although I suppose it happened in book one? I can't remember, and it's a problem because this book should have recapped important things!

Remember how I said this book is cliche and unoriginal? Okay so the plot of this book was very unoriginal - guess what we're doing in this book?! Looking for a thing that will unlock power (this is as general as it gets). Surprise! Isn't that what every high fantasy novel seems to like to do - look for artifacts or things of power? Yay! UGH.

Not to mention that this book is nearly five hundred pages and could easily be boiled down to about FIFTY. You literally need the last few chapters, you could skip the whole book. I'm so serious. Maybe one or two characters are introduced that are important, but the whole book is so pointless, and boring. It comes down to the last fifty pages or so, but the thing is, the rest of the book is so unnecessary. It felt like nothing was happening - which is why it was boring.

Let's talk romance, so I can exit with a flourish. Literally I hate everything about the romance of this book. Theron and Meira are traveling together, and for a while, it seems like things are going well between them. By the end, I wanted to throw this book, for all the reasons I mentioned above, and then the romance too. Raasch f***s up the romance, reintroduces the love triangle, and basically flips it. Think The Wrath and the Dawn. That's as much as I can say without things getting spoiler-y. The author did awful things to Theron in general (not including the romance), and I don't think he deserved it. I'm so disappointed in this plot arc, as well as the direction of the romance.

The ending is complete s***, and I won't say more than that about it. Prepare to be tortured, whether you love or hate the book.

Mostly I hate Meira though, and once you dislike the protagonist, it's pretty much all over. I HATE Mather too - he is such a child! Why does no one act more mature in this book?! You're all kings and queen and royalty - you'd think these children would act like it? Instead they're acting like tweens. Teens in high fantasy settings are MUCH different from teens in contemporary (modern) settings. I feel like their maturity should reflect this, from the start.

I know there was more I disliked, but I'm not going to think about it anymore! Tl; dr: hot mess.

Would I Recommend It:

This book (and now, series) is getting one big solid NO from me. Don't start this series if you haven't already. It might turn around in book three, and I will probably read book three. But I wouldn't torture yourself until book three is published. Or maybe skip this book altogether. You could do that and be JUST FINE, trust me.

Rating:

1 star. I know there are a ton of positive reviews and feedback on Goodreads for this book, and that's great! But I hope, even if you're one of those people that are totally indoctrinated, that you at least consider what I've said here. You won't quite understand until you've read this book, but just know that SOMEONE didn't like the book!

Best book ever! I fell in love with the characters. and they broke my heart when I was done with the series. its a love story. Its a book for people who are hard core fantasy lovers. But there is sexual content in this book