KISS OF FROST by Jennifer Estep

Book 2, Mythos Academy Series
Publisher: Kensington Teen
Date published: November 29th, 2011
ISBN 9780758266941
Urban Fantasy Young Adult
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Gwen Frost is a student at the Mythos Academy. She is a gypsy with a talent of psychometry and is in her second year being trained as a warrior. Gwen is learning to fight to protect herself and her loved ones but also finds out there is more to her powers that being able to touch an object and know it’s history. Thinking she needs to avoid Logan, the one guy she longs for and fears, Gwen finds life isn’t as quiet as she likes. Seems she is now a target and it will take all the skills she can learn to stay alive.

Jennifer Estep does an awesome job in continuing Gwen’s story and KISS OF FROST picks up just a few weeks after book one ends. The story flows swiftly and the author opens her world building more to the readers. We get to see more of the reapers, Loki and the upcoming battle that Gwen is forefront in. The story just flows so nicely. You get teenage drama, of course, but the author does a great job in keeping the story from being bogged down by it. The characters are all multi-dimensional and I just could not help but want Gwen to be with Logan. I do recommend reading book one first in order to understand what Gwen is up against in book two. This is an author who does great world building and has characters that grow with each book. There were a few plot twists I was shocked to discover and left me going “Oh my god!” repeatedly.

Jennifer Estep delivers another wild ride in KISS OF FROST and one I just could not put down. I really enjoyed Gwen and enjoyed finding more about her powers, especially as she finds out that there is more to them than she even knows. This is an author who knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, flipping the pages till the bitter end. With each page, I was drawn more and more into the story that surrounds Gwen and the Mythos Academy, eager to see what happens next. If you haven’t grabbed this new series by Jennifer Estep, what are you waiting for? Run-Don’t Walk-and grab it now. I can’t wait for book three to come out now.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

TOUCH OF FROST by Jennifer Estep

Book 1 in Mythos Academy series
Publisher: Kensington Books
Date published: July 26th, 2011
ISBN 9780758266927
Urban Fantasy Young Adult
Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Self-Purchase


Gwen Frost is different. She goes to a really different kind of high school, one where myths and legends come alive as magic goes through the place. But Gwen has a gift of Psychometry, where she can get the history of an object just by touching it and finds herself in hot water. First, there was a murder-mean girl Jasmine Ashton was killed in the museum of antiquities and now the Bowl of Tears is missing. If Gwen doesn’t find answers fast of Jasmine’s murder and the theft of the bowl will be the least of her problems.

I love Jennifer Estep’s adult series, Elemental Assassin, and was thrilled to see she has a young adult series as well. TOUCH OF FROST is her debut in the young adult/urban fantasy genre and is full of wonderful surprises. From intriguing characters to a story line that picks up steam as it goes sucking you in to a mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, TOUCH OF FROST delivers a unique blend of mystery, and character led story and mythology all rolled up in the Mythos Academy Series. Jennifer Estep is a fabulously talented author who knows how to keep her readers intrigued till the very end. With the right blend of twists, mythology and more, this author delivers a stellar introduction into the Mythos Academy and all the characters.

Meet Gwen Frost. Always a bit different, she is a gypsy like her mother before her and with the power of Psychometry, she touches an object and knows its history-good, bad and in between. She is sent to the Mythos Academy, a place where legends, myths and magic roam freely. This author does a beautiful job in linking and creating back stories for the Greek and Norse gods/goddesses. I love mythology and this author did a good job in making them come alive for me. Gwen is a little hard to understand at times though, which is the one bad thing about this book. Granted it’s the first in the series and the author is setting it all up for the reader. I just wish Gwen got a clue so to speak every now and again as she came off as spacey at times, which had me scratching my head. The many characters introduced here kept me intrigued and moved the story along nicely.

TOUCH OF FROST is a satisfying debut into the world of young adult urban fantasy and one series I plan to continue to read. Ms. Estep has another winner in her debut book and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Gwen and all the rest of the Mythos Academy characters. It is highly addicting and one that is worth a second read through. I can’t wait to see what else happens in this magical high school in the future. It’s definitely one worth checking out.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

SPIDER’S BITE by Jennifer Estep

An Elemental Assassin Book
Publisher: Pocket Books
Date published: January 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4391-4797-9
Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Self-Purchase


Gin Blanco is the most feared assassin in the south. Known as the Spider, she is also an elemental, a person who can wield the elements, in this case Stone and Ice are her magic. When a ruthless Air Elemental double crosses her, Gin is ready to deliver her brand of revenge-one body at a time. By her side is friend and pseudo-brother Finn and Detective Donovan Caine, the most upright, moral man alive in Ashland and also one Gin wants with every fiber of her body. It’s kill or be killed and Gin is determined to figure out what the heck is going on because if she doesn’t it is lights out for her and her allies.

SPIDER’S BITE is the introduction to assassin Gin Blanco and the town of Ashford. Jennifer Estep delivers an action packed story that will blow you away from the get-go. I couldn’t put this book down and was drawn to the adventures of Gin, Finn and her allies/enemies until the wee hours of the morning. Tight writing, excellent characters and world building that had me breathless are all wrapped up within the pages of SPIDER’S BITE.

Meet Gin Blanco, orphaned after her family was murdered and left for dead, Gin managed to survive and was taken in by Fletcher, she grew up to become the most feared assassin in the south. Gin takes a job that looks, on paper, very simple but as in such cases, turns extremely difficult, if not downright deadly, when she is double crossed by her client. Danger, near death misses and mystery surround whoever is after Gin and why is the million dollar question. Revenge is in her eyes and she is determined to end this game before any more of her loved ones die. I loved Gin. She was sassy, patient and vulnerable as well as independent. Besides she can make a mean sandwich as well. She is a character I fell in love with from the moment she stepped onto the pages of SPIDER’S BITE. She didn’t do her job because she liked it, was for any cause or ideal but because she was good at it. It was a job-period and one that made her some good money. She was tough, cold and determined but she had a softer side with those she was close to-her family and few close friends. Add in some amazing secondary characters-good and bad- that kept the story flowing smoothly.

SPIDER’S BITE is one awesome kick-off to a new and exciting series that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat, eager to see what would happen next. If you haven’t picked up SPIDER’S BITE, I highly recommend you run to grab it. Jennifer Estep hit a home run with this new book and I am eager to see what is next for Gin in future books.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

WEB OF LIES by Jennifer Estep

An Elemental Assassin Book #2
Publisher: Pocket Books
Date published: June 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4391-4799-3
Urban Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by: Self-purchase


Gin Blanco is retired from being the assassin Spider and is happy to run the Pork Pit BBQ restaurant and take an occasional college course when her former life hits her smack in the face. First some two-bit morons try to rob her business, then shots were fired at the place this time not at her but at a customer named Violet Fox, who just happened to know of Fletcher’s Assassin name. Gin is drawn into the Fox’s case and in the process finds out more than she ever imagined about her past and her future.

WEB OF LIES picks up after SPIDER'S BITE left off. Gin is retired from being an assassin or trying to be anyways, found out her handler and surrogate father, Fletcher, knew all about her and her past and now she is drawn to a family who knew Fletcher’s assassin name. Who said retirement was boring? Ms. Estep delivers another wonderful adventure for assassin Gin Blanco and this time her past comes into contact with her present. Action packed from the beginning, Ms. Estep delivers one thrill after another as the reader furiously flips the pages to see what happens next for Gin and her friends. Tight writing, multi-dimensional characters, action and a few twists you definitely don’t see coming will leave you racing to see what happens next.

Meet retired assassin, Gin Blanco, or somewhat retired in this case, after she is drawn into a case that has her fighting not just the bad guys but also her past as well. Past and present collide as she finds herself trying to figure out what Fletcher wanted her to know about the night her family was murdered and in the process, Gin finds out things about herself that shock her to the core as well. Secrets, desires and more abound as she races to stop the bad guys and lives to see another day.

I love, love, love Gin. She is feisty, independent and patient-a perfect trait in the assassin business. What I really enjoyed in this second book, was seeing her past become clearer and some clues to the riddle Fletcher left her be solved as new ones crop up. We also have some familiar faces from book one back-Finn, Gin’s Surrogate brother and now her handler, Donovan Caine, the hot detective who melts Gin’s heart and a few others who made me smile with delight. The sparks fly between Gin and Donovan that had me sighing in pleasure at times while other times I wanted to smack Donovan on his butt for being so pig-headed. The secondary characters moved the story moving smoothly and I enjoyed knowing more about all of them in this latest installment.

WEB OF LIES is one wonderful story that will keep you entertained till the very end. I found myself laughing, sighing and at times, rooting for Gin to survive to see another day. If you haven’t picked of this or SPIDER'S BITE, I highly recommend you run to grab them. I know I am now very eager to read the next Gin adventure hopefully coming soon. Ms. Estep is a talented author who continues to grow with each of her books. I now have Ms. Estep on my permanent buying list and can’t wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

BOOK TWO IN THE BIGTIME SERIES: HOT MAMA by Jennifer Estep

Publisher Berkley
Date published November 2007
ISBN 978-0-425-21734-4
Paranormal Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Lil




Fiona Fine is one of Bigtime’s pre-eminent couture designers. She is also superhero Fiera whose feats of strength and abilities with fire have given her a place as part of the Fearless Five.

The last year brought tragedy when her fiancé Tornado was killed by crafty ubervillains. Bearing the pain of his passing has been difficult but she is finally ready to try to move on with her life.

On the wedding day of two of her teammates, she meets the dishy Johnny Bulluci, brother of rival designer Bella. The man is delectable enough to eat up with a spoon. And with the needs of her metabolism, she might have to return for more and more.

While things are definitely looking up in her private life, an ubervillain duo by the names of Siren and Intelligal have come to the big city for some lucrative mayhem and mind control. Things are further complicated by a biker Angel bent on vengeance. Unfortunately, his intentions are beyond what is acceptable even against the bad guys…or bad gals as is the case.

This is the second book in the Bigtime series and the story takes up a year after the events of Karma Girl. It can easily do as a stand alone read. In fact, the impact is greater since new readers get the joy of discovering the wonderful tongue-in-cheek portrayals of superheroes, ubervillains, and their attempts to mask their true identities.

Fiera comes across as somewhat spoiled and sporting a pithy attitude, with a volatile personality and little patience for others. She is also loyal, tenacious, and caring. Many of us will envy her a portion of her fiery metabolism and will look longingly at the list of food she blithely consumes.

It will come as no surprise from very early on in the book that the man who is interested in winning her attentions is also biker superhero Johnny Angel. His heavenly body and warm, sexy personality is poorly disguised even with the conflicting insistence for a deadly retribution. The event which culminates to this level of anguish and anger makes it easy to understand. One only wishes that one could have been certain he would do the right thing in the case that battle against the perpetrators went in his favor.

It is particularly touching to watch Fiona and the intelligent, funny and affectionate Johnny’s relationship grow. A good part of the story showed how she slowly stopped mourning for one man and opened her heart to the possibility of someone else to love and be loved.

HOT MAMA is a fun and funny read. Anyone who is fond of humor with their romance is likely to have a grand time. And for all of you who loved comics and superheroes at any point in your life, well here’s to revisiting that particular addiction.