Early Review: Dark Frost

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy 3)

-       Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington Teen - Published on 29th May 2012

E-Arc courtesy of netgalley and Kensington Teen

I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.
Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me? It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life.

Dark Frost starts with a bang and never lets up. I thought that it would have a similar slow start to the last couple of books, but within the first few pages I was proved completely wrong as the Reapers attack Gwen and her friends while completing a school assignment at the local museum. From this start the stakes are raised as not everyone survives and you know that this is a deadly serious game. The pace is fast and thrilling with the whole adventure over a few days only.

Gwen is as curious and nosey as ever, but with addition of brooding over Logan and her role as Nike’s champion makes her a little distracted. As a result she and Daphne drift a little apart – and I completely agree with Daphne that it isn’t always all about Gwen. However, it’s not done maliciously and Gwen is still a teenager even if she has a lot of additional responsibilities! The magic system and mythology Jennifer Estep has created is unique and I really want to know more about Ninjas and Samurais who get mentioned occasionally with the Amazons, Romans, Vikings, Celts and Valkeries but not explored in detail yet.

This is a fast paced, exciting novel with much to recommend it – Gwen’s powers continue to grow and disturb even her with what she can now do. Added to which a big game changer occurs which will spell more trouble for Gwen and her friends – and makes me really anxious for the next book in the series! Fast, fun and thrilling!

Recommended for fans of Vampire Academy and Jeri Smith-Ready. 9 out of 10