Bryn Aven has never truly fit in. A member of the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes, her half-blood status has always been an impediment, but not one that she's allowed to stand in her way. She's become a successful tracker, being among those who track down changelings--the children of Kanin nobility who are slipped into human society to be adopted by rich families until they reach adulthood--and bringing them home when the time comes. The identities and locations of Kanin changelings are a closely guarded secret, which makes it troubling when evidence surfaces that someone may be targeting them and attempting to kidnap them before the trackers bring them home. It's even more troubling when Bryn learns that one of the men involved is an outlaw she used to adore and respect until he betrayed the crown, her family, and her heart...

I enjoyed my time getting lost in this rich fantasy world. Amanda Hocking has created a unique story with several twists that will keep readers engaged and guessing about the truth behind the mysterious behavior. The first book in a series, obviously this one doesn't resolve everything, but it is a great set up for what I'm hoping will be a good series. The second book is out now, and the third is on it's way; I'm looking forward to continuing Bryn's journey. ( )

I put this book on my to-read list ages ago and then promptly forgot about it. I'm not certain what I had expected, but this fast-paced novel with an original take on troll kingdoms in a frosty northern wilderness was not it. The action begins early, with an assassination attempt in the prologue, and keeps going in quick succession, which held my interest better than many other fantasy novels I've encountered. This book is part of a series, and based on the ending, I'm certainly adding the next book to my to-read pile. ( )

3.5 stars. I liked this book, even though it wasn't amazing. But I still liked it. The plot was engaging and there was plenty of action and adventure. From what I've been told, it's the first book of a spin-off series of the Trylle trilogy. I haven't read the Trylle trilogy, but I understood this book just fine. Unusually, it matched my expectations almost exactly, and it neither disappointed nor amazed me.

I was a bit surprised at the modernity. I was expecting a completely new fantasy world with trolls and magic powers, and while I did get that, there were also some pop culture references along with the fact that the modern human world exists right next to the trolls. The humans allowed more room for dangerous adventures and mystery, but it also felt like they cracked the feeling of the enchanting fantasy land. I couldn't ever become fully immersed in this new world of magic for long with the constant presence of modern human society. I got used to it, yes, but I often wished for the contemporary feelings to go away.

The troll societies were charming to me in a storybook sort of way. Especially since Bryn was explaining them as a story. It was interesting how each tribe was different with its own traits and powers; almost like Hogwarts houses to the extreme. Even though their differences often caused all sorts of problems, they were still interesting to read about. I liked that aspect of the book.

While entertaining, the plot wasn't very original...the protagonist hunts down a special traitor with some love problems on the side. But the author still made it interesting enough for me to not become bored, which was good. So basically, it was a mediocre plot made exciting with clever embellishments.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, and maybe to romance fans as well. While it didn't blow me away, it was an absorbing read and I think most fantasy lovers would enjoy it. And the growing forbidden romance often taking center stage would appeal to romance lovers. ( )

Frostfire was my first taste of Amanda Hocking's writing, but I'm quite in two about this one ... Usually, I won't pick up a YA Fantasy book, mostly because I've only recently gotten into full-blown fantasy reading - Brandon Sanderson, Maria V. Snyder, Sarah J. Maas, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George R.R. Martin to name a few - and sadly YA fantasy books fall a bit short in comparison. However, I was interested to see what the young adult fantasy writers have to offer. I know that, typically, with YA you get the love-triangle thing. There are other tropes too, of course, but the love-triangle thing is my all-time meh. So, I was hoping that wouldn't happen ... It did, though. I could forgive it this time around, but there were other problems I found with reading Frostfire:

1.) I didn't like Bryn - she's no Caelina or Yelena or even Vin.

2.) The pace was slower than I'd like it to be - understandable sometimes in fantasy, but I feel Frostfire could've used some more action.

3.) The ending lacked substance - possibly to keep readers in anticipation for the next installment.

Of course, to say that I didn't like it at all would be a lie. I have a soft spot for YA novels, as I'm sure a lot of my readers have realised, and Hocking's writing wasn't too shabby in a whole. I loved the concept of Frostfire, and it was fun to read about the various creatures that makes an appearance in the book. I'd definitely continue with the series, but I will have to be in the mood for it. That's what I meant from being in two about Frostfire. That said, I'm definitely going to give the next book a shot in the future.

I suggest if you're in the mood for a YA fantasy to keep this one in mind, but if you're not in the mood for teenage angst (freaking Bryn), hold off until you are.

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I'm not exactly sure how much I liked this book. It was good, but that's it. There was nothing else to it. I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be worried about. So the villain isn't exactly the villain? What is he, exactly? What is the point of our heroine not having supernatural powers while everyone else does? To make her less of an overpowered girl like so many other YA heroines? It was kind of pointless.
I'm so confused about the ending. It was like the end of a chapter, and you'd expect to turn the page and read more about what the heck is happening (I'm still wondering what the heck IS happening, to be honest?!), and it's just over? Worst. Ending. Ever. And not even in a plot-twisty way. It just ended and it was kind of anti-climactic.
I'm still planning on continuing this series, just so I can say I didn't give up, but I'm not super interesting in these books. I practically had to force myself to read this book, and that rarely happens with me.
~Kat ( )