Very hard to get into and a bit messy in the details in the world building that makes understanding the world hard. It gets better after some chapters.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

This was a super cute story! I look forward to reading more by Harper in the future!

This ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful Fantasy story following a young girl, with great world building and varied characters.

This was really enjoyable and it seemed to fly past leaving me wanting more.

A Touch of Frost was an incredibly fun read that I can’t stop thinking about. This is one of those books I could read over and over again

A compelling story, confusing at times.

I adored the delicate world-building of Harper's novel. It introduces the reader to Cybelle's world in a way I haven't experienced since Hunger Games. In fact, I found myself drawing several subtle parallels. Instead of hunting, there's a ban on magic use. Enforced by capital military... But I digress.

This was one of those reads that swallowed me whole and left me turning the pages long after the first promise of 'one more chapter'. However, it was a slower read than I would have liked. Not in terms of pacing, but prose. There were several passages that I found myself stopping to reread in order to wrap my head around who was doing or saying what exactly. At first, I hoped it would get easier the more familiar I became with the characters, but the rich run-ons and pronouns persisted. For that reason, and the fact that Cybelle made me just as mad at her as I was proud of her- I decided to withhold a star. Regardless, I am looking forward to future installments by Renee Harper!

I struggled getting into this book but as soon as we got to see Cy at that training camp, now that’s where things got interested. I did not expect that ending!
Will definitely check out the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. This was good! No spoilers ;) just read it

Stories with a curse, a prophecy and warring nations set in a magical world? Sign me up!

Unfortunately the delivery was a bit jarring at times. The beginning was jumpy and I often found myself confused with the lack of information or detail. I became more invested around Ch 4 (or was it Ch. 5?) but was thrown off course a bit with the sprinkling of different POV chapters mid-book. Either these should have been started from the beginning (so we see these characters develop as well) or move them to the next book as the main character to provide a different perspective of the same events/timeline. I did become rather invested in the main character and the group of people in basic training together. I want too see how these will intersect in the storyline and hope the don’t just disappear. A few gems were missed in character development such as the mom and brother. They suddenly just dropped off and we never heard from them again even though they seemed important initially. I hope we will circle around to them in the next book.

In an effort to create mystery/cliffhangers, the author attempts to drop hints and bits of the prophecy and curses throughout the book. I want/need more detail and motivation behind them. I’m still a bit unclear on the different curses and prophecy.

The maps were great and clearly a lot of thought had gone into visualizing/developing this world, I think a little more character development, and smoothing out the chapters, could make this book/series really shine. I do want to know more so I can see myself picking up the next book to find out what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

It took me longer than usual to finish this book, not because I found it boring, but because there was so much to absorb. Where to begin after the ending left me in shambles?
The plot is quite simple, but well carried out. There is this young woman who fears magic for personal and cultural reasons, who enlists in hopes of becoming stronger to protect the people she loves. The book focuses on her training, how she grows into herself and the relationships she has with some of her fellow recruits. Writing an entire novel centered around training is difficult, but this author mastered it. The reader gets sucked into the story and roots for its characters as they are slowly introduced. I would only note that at the beginning we are played foul and left to bleed out. Read at your own peril. Let's move on to the characters:
The main character is Cybelle, whom we first meet at a very young age in the prologue and then again as an adult. She is consistent. That's the first time I say that about a character - scratch that, it's the second. But only the second in 100+ books. She is shy, loving but constantly scared. As readers, we get to witness her growing somewhat more into herself as she faces her training. She struggles with her trauma as much as with what she has been taught since childhood and its, well, consistent. So is her growth. She stumbles, gets up, stumbles again, has to talk herself into believing in herself and has many questions about her abilities and what they mean in her cultural context. I loved how she was written.
Thael was my love. That's it. He was caring, kind, protective of the people he loved and very keen on proving himself to Cybelle.
Rai is well, the typical very hurt, callous and cold MMC who happens to have a heart of gold buried somewhere deep inside. He, just like Ash, Rhys, insert more names, has reasons to not want to care again for anyone, but ends up caring anyway. I feel like we need more books about kind, respectful, average looking guys. Nevertheless, the author managed to make him slightly different from the names you mentioned above, though I feel there's still some depth missing. Regardless, I believe we will get to know him better in the next installment and I'm looking forward to it.
Fara is an intriguing character, though we still need to get to know her better. She is Cybelle's friend, strong, loyal and great to read. I wish we had gotten some more time with her.
This book has many underlying thematics. One that is quite interesting is how your Worldview is shaped by the culture you grow up with, therefore also shaping how you view yourself. Questioning those beliefs can be hard and often takes a lot of time. I believe this was well represented. Another interesting thing to note is how experiences in life, specially with the people closest to you, can influence how worthy you see yourself. Cybelle did not believe she could be loved. She was so convinced about this that, when faced with a confession, she believed it was only because the man felt sorry for her. Cybelle has to learn that she is worthy of love and affection, just like many others do these days. Did I mention how consistent she is??
We didn't get to see much of the world, but the next installment promises to fix that and so far, this world seems quite exciting.
Overall, I recommend "A Touch of Frost" for all fantasy lovers. Believe me, it's worth it.

This book is a solid 4.5, and I feel like the next one will he even better!

So, when beginning this book, I had a really hard time getting into it. I'm not sure if it was the writing itself, or writing style, or just bc there's a lot of information up front (it is multiple POV but that wasn't the issue). Either way, it only lasted a couple of chapters max, and I pushed through, And I am SO glad I did.

This book has some if everything I love.
Magic vs NonMagic
Heartbreak
Slow burn
Character Development
Mystery (I need that 2nd book asap now that I know I was right on the one count lol).
Just sooooo much.

I honestly hate how it ended, though I do understand. This book contains a lot of world/history/relationship building while still having a great plot that moves forward smoothly. Now, I'm stuck anxiously waiting for the 2nd one to come out!

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb on this really intrigued me- it reminded me of so many of my favorite fantasy stories- strong heroine, overcoming obstacles and saving those they care for, or you know- the world.

So, though the story and world building was good, I was disappointed that this had such a slow start. I felt like I was halfway through before any major conflict arose, and then the real fun didn’t even start until the last few pages.

I will likely read the next as it was good enough to care to know more, but I’m hoping it doesn’t have the same pacing.

This novel is perfect for fans of Disney's "Mulan" and the "Throne of Glass" series by Sarah J. Maas. The premise is entirely unique, or at least, very different from every other fantasy book out there. I love that this is a coming of age story where the protagonist isn't like 12, but she's 20 years old and still trying to figure out her life. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and to tag along on the rest of Cybele's adventures!

The synopsis of this drew me in, it sounded thrilling, complex and spellbinding.
The maps at the beginning of the book were stunning, you can tell a lot of love and care has gone into formatting this book and it definitely pays off.
Unfortunately, something missed the mark in translation from the synopsis to the story.
There were a lot of curses, some of which I felt confused about- I feel like we got a little context but not nearly enough.
I also felt that one of the MCs having fended for herself since age 9, was a little immature for me. I struggled to sympathise for some of the book because I found the reactions to things to be a little too young when considering the age of the MCs.
The idea was super interesting and holds a lot of promise but the story felt fragmented and the pacing suffered because of this.

I recieved this arc via Net Galley and I was so excited to check this story out. Unfortunatley for me this book was a little lack luster. Fantasy is by far my most read genre and in comparison to other books I have read this one just did not stick out to me. What I wanted out this book was more character development, I really didn't enjoy or connect with the characters. I think this book would be better suited for less avid fantasy readers as it wasn't very confusing and it is accessible..

A Touch of Frost is a spellbinding book that will leave you breathless. The story is well-crafted, and the pacing is just right, keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout. The protagonist, Cybele, is a relatable character, and her journey of self-discovery is both inspiring and heartwarming. The world-building is phenomenal, and the author's attention to detail is impressive. The slow-burn romance subplot is beautifully done, adding a touch of sweetness to the story. Overall, this is a must-read for anyone who loves epic fantasy novels and strong female leads.

I’ve all I liked this book. There was a lot of build up with little payout and a quick end. I want to read the next installment, but I’m hoping it follows a different plot structure before I finish the series. Over all fun read, I like the love interest better than the main character.

An absolute gem of a book that will transport you to a world of magic, adventure, and self-discovery. The author's writing is superb, and the characters are well-developed and relatable. The protagonist, Cybele, is a shining example of a strong female lead who learns to harness her inner strength and overcome the challenges that life throws her way. The world-building is excellent, and the slow-burn romance adds an extra layer of depth to the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves coming-of-age fantasy novels and strong female characters.

A Touch of Frost is a fabulous first in what I am sure is going to be an epic saga. I was pulled into Cybeles’ tale from the first page and didn’t want it to end. Watching her grow through grit and determination had me feeling for her. I can’t wait to see where her story takes us.

she said-"i think i'll make you my husband"
and that's all it took for me to fall in love with this book
this book was really good i personaly enjoyed it verymuch as when Cybele a shy little girl starts discovering the secret's of magic the books keeps getting more intresting.