Review + competition: A Fistful of Frost by Rebecca Chastain (Urban Fantasy, 10E/10E)

8th May 2018, Mind Your Muse Books, 422 pages, Ebook, Review copy

Book summary

Madison Fox is determined to reform Jamie, her half-evil pooka, but the bond linking her to Jamie works both ways. Already, it has manipulated her into bending the rules. If she continues down this path, she could doom her soul. Since her judgment can’t be trusted, a high-ranking inspector now dictates Madison’s every interaction with Jamie, and each directive drives them further apart.

Unfortunately, Madison has bigger issues than the potential degradation of her soul. Winter has struck with a vengeance. Frost moths plague the entire state, reinforcing the artificially frigid temperature. Worse, cold-blooded, soul-stealing enemies are flocking into her region from the north—creatures Madison has little defense against.

With the inspector scrutinizing her every misstep, Madison is in for the battle of her life. If she hopes to survive, she must make an impossible choice: save herself and her region or save Jamie.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Nayu's thoughts

Please note I'm heavily biased because I already love the series and am a huge fan-girl. I re-read book 1 and 2 just so I was on the ball for this one - links to their reviews can be found in the following pictures. This review follows on from the Spotlight post I did a few weeks ago.

A Fistful of Evil review The covers have been revamped so I still have the originals in the reviews

A Fistful of Fire review

Rebecca didn't disappoint me at all! I fell in love with the concept of the Pooka, Jamie, in book 2. I loved the entity he becomes, which made reading book 3 require a box of tissues because it is just awful for Madison for  large portion of the book. She definitely had no idea what being bonded to a Pooka meant, how far her emotions would be stretched, how empty her life could feel from something that she'd only had a short time. Some of my favourite parts were when Jamie was nice & he interacted with Madison's cat, being a cat owner I totally appreciated the reactions. 

I both loved and hated how awful life got for Madison - I wanted everything to magically be okay, for all her problems to be waved away. I think this is the most gloomy book to date, as there is death involved on top of the Jamie issue which was hard to read because I was so attached to the characters involved. Books that make me cry are absolutely brilliant in my eyes! 

Madison is easy to relate to despite her obvious differences from me, she gets unexpected trials and they get worse before they get better. Madison is resilient, more than she realises, and she also has help from her friends (okay some of the time). She manages to survive all the mishaps, even if she feels torn apart by all the stress. Weirdly the moth thingies while daunting didn't scare me, probably because I was convinced it would all be alright in the end. 

 I'm fairly sure there's even more life drama heading her way, but I can promise you I was happy with the ending that was given, and am already looking forward to rereading this series again. It's that good. Despite the drama there is a lot of humour in the book, which is why I keep reading as I don't like gloom and doom books these days. Life is so complex I need my happy endings! Go read it! You can buy a copy in the above links or maybe even win a copy in the competition below! 

Find out more on Rebecca's website. 

Competition Time! 

Not sure if the bonus gift is still available

If you would like to get your hands on this awesome trilogy (if you haven't already got your copies) then fill in the handy rafflecopter form below to be in with a chance to win a $25 dollars Amazon gift card! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight with Pre-order Competition for A Fistful of Frost by Rebecca Chastain (Urban Fantasy)

Order the 3rd book & get a free one!

This book is as cool as it looks! Pun honestly wasn't intened.

I'll be reviewing this 3rd book in an awesome series that you simply must read (I'm a fangirl in case you  hadn't guessed by this sentence) in May. Here's the summary to get you interested! 

Madison’s job—and soul—are on thin ice.

Madison Fox is determined to reform Jamie, her half-evil pooka, but the bond linking her to Jamie works both ways. Already, it has manipulated her into bending the rules. If she continues down this path, she could doom her soul. Since her judgment can’t be trusted, a high-ranking inspector now dictates Madison’s every interaction with Jamie, and each directive drives them further apart.

Unfortunately, Madison has bigger issues than the potential degradation of her soul. Winter has struck with a vengeance. Frost moths plague the entire state, reinforcing the artificially frigid temperature. Worse, cold-blooded, soul-stealing enemies are flocking into her region from the north—creatures Madison has little defense against.

With the inspector scrutinizing her every misstep, Madison is in for the battle of her life. If she hopes to survive, she must make an impossible choice: save herself and her region or save Jamie.

An imaginative urban fantasy filled with heart, humor, and plenty of butt-kicking action—A Fistful of Frost is a book you won’t want to miss!

Buy now to continue the suspenseful adventure today!

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BD3QWXM

Pre-order Giveaway 1 (Now until May 8):

Order your copy of A Fistful of Frost between now on the release date on May 8, and you can receive a copy of the Madison Fox novelette, A Fistful of Flirtation.

Madison finally gets her date with Dr. Love—and if they had picked any other restaurant, she might have had a chance to enjoy it, too . . .

Receive your free gift with purchase here: https://www.rebeccachastain.com/current-giveaways/

The Division #2 Through the Ashes by Connie L. Smith (Young adult, Urban fantasy)

ISBN: 978-1-945910-09-8

$3.99

BUY LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W9MR2DP

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/through-the-ashes

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1207713753

Book summary

The war has begun. The battle’s unfolding. And victory feels so distant…

The Essenced had prepared and trained, but never imagined the true horror of watching demons tearing through the Division to invade the realm. Every claw is horrific—every snarl disgusting—and the responsibility of keeping that vile terror from expanding beyond the battlefield’s borders rests in the teenagers’ hands. They thought they were ready for that challenge… 

But then their confidence is shaken when a deadly new weapon emerges from the enemy’s arsenal, and well-kept secrets from the Essenced’s angelic superiors begin to surface. 

In the midst of the carnage, can the teens find the strength within themselves, and among themselves, to grasp victory in blood-tainted hands?

Nayu's thoughts

This isn't a review as it's not my cup of tea at the moment, but I've enjoyed Connie's previous work, did a cover reveal for this book and  book #1 too. 

So this post is all the details you need and an excerpt. Enjoy! 

 Excerpt #1

there aren't more than 1, it's just the excerpt I decided to use)

Rightfully interpreting the sudden urgency of her hold, he soothingly traced his hands up her back and through her hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”

After pinching her eyes closed against her fears, AJ reopened them and pulled back to give him a hard, unblinking stare. “You’d better survive this war, Julius. If not, I’m gonna get Clint to yell at you. I’ll write an angry speech and everything.”

He smirked at her words, even chuckled. “Yeah, I didn’t think you’d let something as tiny as death get in the way of arguing with me.”

“I’m serious,” she insisted with a glare that contradicted the smile hinting on her lips.

“I know you’re serious, and saying how heartbroken you’d be if I died would be much too normal to fit into your ‘you better survive’ lecture.” He shrugged lightheartedly. “Truthfully, I’d have been a little disappointed had you chosen that angle.”

She kept the harsh expression, but had to keep wrestling back her grin.

“And you might as well go ahead and smile.” He tapped the right edge of her mouth with his index finger. “I can see it practically begging to spill out.”

Finally caving, she let her smile blossom, but rolled her eyes in mock irritation. “I’m still serious. You better survive.”

“I’ll survive if you will,” he softly told her while his right hand trailed over her brow, down her cheek, and to her neck.

With a hum of agreement, she collapsed against his chest and hugged him with all the strength she could spare.

Tugging her closer, he gave her a whole new wave of strength to dip into.

    

About the Author:

Connie L. Smith spends a decent amount of time with her mind wandering in fictional places. She reads too much, likes to bake, and might forever be sad that she doesn’t have fairy wings. And that she can’t swing dance. Much of her preferred music is severely outdated, and as an adult she’s kind of obsessed with Power Rangers. She has her BA from Northern Kentucky University in Speech Communication and History (she doesn’t totally get the connection either), and her MA in English and Creative Writing.

Websites:

Main Site: http://conniesmithbooks.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clsmithbooks

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Connie-L.-Smith/e/B00E8969DG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1474405833&sr=8-1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257320.Connie_L_Smith

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLSmithbooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/clsmithbooks/

Sewing/Quilting Blog: http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/sewblog/author/conniesmith/