Snow Like Ashes

Snow Like Ashes
by Sara Raasch

From the publisher:
"A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own."

I loved this book!  It sucked me in immediately and kept my attention throughout. Whew! I feel like I was on a roller coaster ride of excitement. I'm very impressed by the imagination the author used to come up with the plot - it was very cool! I loved the characters, I loved the Seasons and the Rhythms, I loved the action, and I loved the fight against evil. Several reviewers mentioned that they guessed what was going to happen from the very beginning and that they didn't like that. I have no problem with foreshadowing, and even though the author leads us in a certain direction, there is no way anyone could figure out how it was all going to play out. This is an author to watch, I have already pre-ordered the second book in the series for our library even though it doesn't come out until October. 

Highly recommend for an exciting fantasy read.

Areas of concern:
I only noticed one *d* word.
There is a lot of violence and fighting, and a couple of really seriously scary/evil characters.
A couple of kissing scenes.

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+