Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Summary: 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, 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.
Being generous, about a 3.5 star read for me. I liked it but I admit that it didn't grab me and refuse to let me go. I put this book down with no problem and picked it back up only because I was in the midst of reading it, not because I had to go on to know what was next coming (and I'd pegged some big reveals beforehand so... yea).
I just didn't feel much for or against this at all. It's not a badly written book (I enjoyed the season kingdoms theme), the pacing was a bit slow but not bogged down and the characters are well enough rendered but I think it's safe for me to say that this isn't a story or characters that will stay with me or one that I can't live without reading the next installment (though I probably will get around to it). This was in no way a boring book & I admit to having fallen in love with the cover. I'd definitely recommend it to YA fans & those who enjoy fantasy novels.
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