What do you think?
Rate this book
Crystal Frost #1
Fire in Frost
"There's a fire growing inside of me. It's not the harmful kind that can kill a girl like Olivia. It's the kind that can save her."
CRYSTAL FROST tells herself she isn't crazy, but sane people don't see ghosts. As her psychic abilities manifest, Crystal discovers she can see into the future, witness the past, and speak with the dead. Add blackmail to the list of things she never thought would happen to her, and you basically have her sophomore year covered. After spotting her first ghost, secrets from her family, friends, and classmates begin to surface. Uncovering secrets can be dangerous, but giving up means someone will get hurt. Again.
CRYSTAL FROST tells herself she isn't crazy, but sane people don't see ghosts. As her psychic abilities manifest, Crystal discovers she can see into the future, witness the past, and speak with the dead. Add blackmail to the list of things she never thought would happen to her, and you basically have her sophomore year covered. After spotting her first ghost, secrets from her family, friends, and classmates begin to surface. Uncovering secrets can be dangerous, but giving up means someone will get hurt. Again.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 13, 2015
1521 people are currently reading
6028 people want to read
About the author
Alicia Rades
67 books719 followersAlicia Rades is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over 40 young adult and new adult paranormal novels. Her stories follow characters in equal-dynamic romantic relationships and feature themes of discovering one's power and overcoming limitations. When she's not dreaming up magical stories, she's either binge-watching paranormal TV shows, meditating, or making crafts and cooking with her family. Her favorite tropes are small-town mysteries, witches, and magical academies set in our world. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.
Never miss a new release. Sign up for Alicia's newsletter at http://www.aliciaradesauthor.com/news...
Never miss a new release. Sign up for Alicia's newsletter at http://www.aliciaradesauthor.com/news...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews
February 23, 2016
“Ghosts have a way of misleading you; they can make your thoughts as heavy as branches after a storm.”
----Rebecca Maizel
Alicia Rades, an American author, pens her new YA series, Crystal Frost and the first book in this series is called Fire in Frost that unfolds the story of a young teenage girl who is while comprehending with her new found powers, is also trying to deal with the ghost of her dead classmate.
Synopsis:
Crystal Frost has spent her whole life believing she's ordinary, and her mother has long held the secret of her heritage. When Crystal begins seeing the ghost of a dead classmate, her life spirals out of control. She’s faced with the threat that everyone will find out she’s a freak, as if the struggle to figure out her new-found abilities wasn’t enough pressure. Crystal has to find some way to save the people who have come to her for help all while trying to keep her abilities a secret. Will she be able to fulfill these overwhelming demands while solving the mystery that is the ghost of Olivia Owen?
Crystal Rhea Frost, a young high school girl is born with psychic abilities, who can talk with ghosts and can predict future in her dreams. Definitely sounds like a lucky girl! But the only problem is that, she has no idea that she has these abilities, especially when her dead classmate, Olivia's ghost seeks her help. Indeed Crystal is spooked as well as skeptical in accepting her new-found talents publicly because that might categorize her in the "freaks" category. All in all, this is a story where Crystals tries to adjust with her new powers as well as at same time trying to unravel Olivia's mystery. But will she be able to deal with it?
The author's writing style is articulate and the narrative is done with lots of simplicity. The pacing of the book is really fast as the story flows in a smooth manner without confusing the readers. There are elements of supernatural powers and beings that adds an enchanting charm to the story line. The story line is layered with humor, mystery and magic that will keep the readers engaged into the core of the story.
The characters are well-developed, especially the main character and her best friends. Crystal, Emma and Derek, these are quirky, funny and thoroughly realistic. Crystal is adorable and her quest to figure out the mystery is explained with intricate details. Hence it feels like along with Crystal, the readers too are discovering about magic and ghosts in a world like us. The fantasy elements are explained with lots of depth which makes the readers connect as well as believe them.
The climax ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, thus giving the readers hope that the story will continue further in its sequel. In a nutshell, I believe the regular YA fantasy readers will likely to watch out for this interesting series.
Verdict: A fun and mystifying YA series!!
Courtesy: I received a copy of the book from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
----Rebecca Maizel
Alicia Rades, an American author, pens her new YA series, Crystal Frost and the first book in this series is called Fire in Frost that unfolds the story of a young teenage girl who is while comprehending with her new found powers, is also trying to deal with the ghost of her dead classmate.
Synopsis:
Crystal Frost has spent her whole life believing she's ordinary, and her mother has long held the secret of her heritage. When Crystal begins seeing the ghost of a dead classmate, her life spirals out of control. She’s faced with the threat that everyone will find out she’s a freak, as if the struggle to figure out her new-found abilities wasn’t enough pressure. Crystal has to find some way to save the people who have come to her for help all while trying to keep her abilities a secret. Will she be able to fulfill these overwhelming demands while solving the mystery that is the ghost of Olivia Owen?
Crystal Rhea Frost, a young high school girl is born with psychic abilities, who can talk with ghosts and can predict future in her dreams. Definitely sounds like a lucky girl! But the only problem is that, she has no idea that she has these abilities, especially when her dead classmate, Olivia's ghost seeks her help. Indeed Crystal is spooked as well as skeptical in accepting her new-found talents publicly because that might categorize her in the "freaks" category. All in all, this is a story where Crystals tries to adjust with her new powers as well as at same time trying to unravel Olivia's mystery. But will she be able to deal with it?
The author's writing style is articulate and the narrative is done with lots of simplicity. The pacing of the book is really fast as the story flows in a smooth manner without confusing the readers. There are elements of supernatural powers and beings that adds an enchanting charm to the story line. The story line is layered with humor, mystery and magic that will keep the readers engaged into the core of the story.
The characters are well-developed, especially the main character and her best friends. Crystal, Emma and Derek, these are quirky, funny and thoroughly realistic. Crystal is adorable and her quest to figure out the mystery is explained with intricate details. Hence it feels like along with Crystal, the readers too are discovering about magic and ghosts in a world like us. The fantasy elements are explained with lots of depth which makes the readers connect as well as believe them.
The climax ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, thus giving the readers hope that the story will continue further in its sequel. In a nutshell, I believe the regular YA fantasy readers will likely to watch out for this interesting series.
Verdict: A fun and mystifying YA series!!
Courtesy: I received a copy of the book from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
January 24, 2016
Firstly can we just take a look at the cover of the book? It's absolutely stunning! I would definitely want to buy the book based solely on the cover of it. Its beautiful and captivating.
I really did enjoy the book and found it to resemble a chick flick show set in the 2000's such as the show Charmed. The book is written about a girl named Crystal Rhea Frost, who's in her school's volleyball team. She basically has psychic abilities and tendencies of seeing the future in her dream. Oh and did I mention that she can see ghosts too? Sounds cool already am I right? But she wasn't terrible like Raven Baxter from That's So Raven.
Crystal see's a ghost of a schoolmate seeking help from her. Little did Crystal know, she's actually psychic. She freaks out a little but later understands her abilities. So basically this book writes on how Crystal discovers her ability and uses her new found ability to help Olivia; the ghost. This book elaborates on the importance of friendship, acceptance and self-discovery; all of which I'm a sucker for. And that is why I enjoyed this book.
The writing style was clean. The ideas the author had were written with clarity. It was easy to follow what the author had envisioned. I loved the main character Crystal and her best friends Emma and Derek. I found it to have a sense of realism. Like how it would be when you were to discover your abilities for the first time. And how it must feel sharing your secret or hiding your secret from your best buddies. I found the part where Emma and Crystal meditating together to be quite hilarious.
I do feel that there may be a continuation to this book and I'd definitely read the second part if it gets picked up. There is some mystery lurking at the end of this book which I feel the author has room for making a second book. I feel that the second book will allow further development in the main character Crystal and her adventures as a psychic.
The only reason why I did not rate this book a 5 star is due to the fact that it lacked a depth of mystery and suspense. I wanted more in that department! The aspect of supernatural beings in the book made it a better book in my opinion with the tied in combination of magic.
I recommend this book to everyone who's looking for a light read. This book can definitely be read in one sitting without a doubt. If you're a fan of Charmed or That's So Raven, I strongly believe that you'd enjoy this book. Pick up this book and let me know how you feel about it. Would love to read your reviews too :)
I really did enjoy the book and found it to resemble a chick flick show set in the 2000's such as the show Charmed. The book is written about a girl named Crystal Rhea Frost, who's in her school's volleyball team. She basically has psychic abilities and tendencies of seeing the future in her dream. Oh and did I mention that she can see ghosts too? Sounds cool already am I right? But she wasn't terrible like Raven Baxter from That's So Raven.
Crystal see's a ghost of a schoolmate seeking help from her. Little did Crystal know, she's actually psychic. She freaks out a little but later understands her abilities. So basically this book writes on how Crystal discovers her ability and uses her new found ability to help Olivia; the ghost. This book elaborates on the importance of friendship, acceptance and self-discovery; all of which I'm a sucker for. And that is why I enjoyed this book.
The writing style was clean. The ideas the author had were written with clarity. It was easy to follow what the author had envisioned. I loved the main character Crystal and her best friends Emma and Derek. I found it to have a sense of realism. Like how it would be when you were to discover your abilities for the first time. And how it must feel sharing your secret or hiding your secret from your best buddies. I found the part where Emma and Crystal meditating together to be quite hilarious.
I do feel that there may be a continuation to this book and I'd definitely read the second part if it gets picked up. There is some mystery lurking at the end of this book which I feel the author has room for making a second book. I feel that the second book will allow further development in the main character Crystal and her adventures as a psychic.
The only reason why I did not rate this book a 5 star is due to the fact that it lacked a depth of mystery and suspense. I wanted more in that department! The aspect of supernatural beings in the book made it a better book in my opinion with the tied in combination of magic.
I recommend this book to everyone who's looking for a light read. This book can definitely be read in one sitting without a doubt. If you're a fan of Charmed or That's So Raven, I strongly believe that you'd enjoy this book. Pick up this book and let me know how you feel about it. Would love to read your reviews too :)
June 8, 2016
She’s always been a normal girl, dealing with life and high school the best she can, but the day she thought she saw the ghost of a girl who died a year before, Crystal wasn’t too sure this constituted “normal” on any scale. So, who can she talk to about this? How about the expert in all things occult, her mother. And that’s when Mom dropped the bomb. Crystal has a gift, inherited through the generations and it has finally manifested itself because Crystal is “maturing.” Olivia’s ghost is begging her to help someone in danger, but who? Top it all off with, her gift isn’t something everyone needs to hear about and the mystery begins.
Trusting her two best friends, she gets one positive response and one, not-so-positive and of course she is overheard in the school bathroom by a girl who has rarely given her the time of day. What she discovers is that one of her classmates is in trouble and the ghost of Olivia can’t help her, but Crystal can. If she can come up with a plan that doesn’t get her jailed or worse.
Fire in Frost by Alicia Rades is part Nancy Drew, part Bewitched and completely entertaining reading for young teens on up! Hang on to your crystal ball as Crystal uses her newly found gift to bring peace to a restless soul and justice to a friend in need.
Ms. Rades tells a delightful tale that tackles fantasy with a light-hearted twist and spotlighting a troubling social issue at the same time. Crystal is a wonderful character and in her willingness to act is a lesson for everyone, maybe not all of her methods, but hey, she’s a teen! Meanwhile, the supporting cast has a touch of quirkiness and charm that that makes almost everyone friends in no time!
Do you need a summer read for a young teen? I would definitely check this one out!
Series: Crystal Frost - Book 1
Publisher: PaperPlane Publishing (March 13, 2015)
Publication Date: March 13, 2015
Genre: 12+ Fantasy
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 099146933X
Print Length: 241 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Trusting her two best friends, she gets one positive response and one, not-so-positive and of course she is overheard in the school bathroom by a girl who has rarely given her the time of day. What she discovers is that one of her classmates is in trouble and the ghost of Olivia can’t help her, but Crystal can. If she can come up with a plan that doesn’t get her jailed or worse.
Fire in Frost by Alicia Rades is part Nancy Drew, part Bewitched and completely entertaining reading for young teens on up! Hang on to your crystal ball as Crystal uses her newly found gift to bring peace to a restless soul and justice to a friend in need.
Ms. Rades tells a delightful tale that tackles fantasy with a light-hearted twist and spotlighting a troubling social issue at the same time. Crystal is a wonderful character and in her willingness to act is a lesson for everyone, maybe not all of her methods, but hey, she’s a teen! Meanwhile, the supporting cast has a touch of quirkiness and charm that that makes almost everyone friends in no time!
Do you need a summer read for a young teen? I would definitely check this one out!
Series: Crystal Frost - Book 1
Publisher: PaperPlane Publishing (March 13, 2015)
Publication Date: March 13, 2015
Genre: 12+ Fantasy
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 099146933X
Print Length: 241 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 4, 2017
You know those books where everything is just a tad too good and just leave you wondering whether you just have a bad life or the protagonist has a freakishly good one?
Well, meet Fire in Frost.
To start with, I think a key issue with this book was how comfortable everyone was about these psychic abilities. Crystal's calm about it in a couple of seconds (would anyone be comfortable about finding out they can see ghosts?) and when she decides to tell people- a huge 'plot twist' occurs-
They're completely relaxed about it as well.
We also meet that very typical fictional mother, who is perfectly caring and supportive but pretty much a teenager in the sense that there are no fights, no complaints, no strict curfews... I wasn't expecting this to be a realistic book, but at least the characters could a bit less excessively perfect.
In addition, even the climaxes/antagonists/battle scenes of the book just didn't cut it for me. They weren't severe enough and the abuse that a certain character went under was so unpleasantly fake I couldn't help cringing.
So, overall, your typical panorama-based young adult fiction (surprisingly, minus romantic interactions with the protagonist) that I think is very much a low-class acquired taste. But, if this sounds like you're kind of thing or you need something to help you fall asleep in the middle of lessons, go right ahead and read this. It's free to download, after all.
Well, meet Fire in Frost.
To start with, I think a key issue with this book was how comfortable everyone was about these psychic abilities. Crystal's calm about it in a couple of seconds (would anyone be comfortable about finding out they can see ghosts?) and when she decides to tell people- a huge 'plot twist' occurs-
They're completely relaxed about it as well.
We also meet that very typical fictional mother, who is perfectly caring and supportive but pretty much a teenager in the sense that there are no fights, no complaints, no strict curfews... I wasn't expecting this to be a realistic book, but at least the characters could a bit less excessively perfect.
In addition, even the climaxes/antagonists/battle scenes of the book just didn't cut it for me. They weren't severe enough and the abuse that a certain character went under was so unpleasantly fake I couldn't help cringing.
So, overall, your typical panorama-based young adult fiction (surprisingly, minus romantic interactions with the protagonist) that I think is very much a low-class acquired taste. But, if this sounds like you're kind of thing or you need something to help you fall asleep in the middle of lessons, go right ahead and read this. It's free to download, after all.
January 10, 2021
⭐ 4 Stars ⭐ (Audiobook)
The narrator of this audiobook did a great job and added something more to the book, so high praise for her.
As far as the book goes, it was quite fast paced but that was good as it didn't drag out during any parts. To me it felt like a set up for the rest of the series. It introduced the aspects that would be used throughout and also the characters. However, this didn't impact negatively because like I said nothing seemed dragged out, everything was there for a reason.
I loved the hints of the second book (I'm guessing?) scattered through, and I'm hoping that the second one is more mystery based.
The narrator of this audiobook did a great job and added something more to the book, so high praise for her.
As far as the book goes, it was quite fast paced but that was good as it didn't drag out during any parts. To me it felt like a set up for the rest of the series. It introduced the aspects that would be used throughout and also the characters. However, this didn't impact negatively because like I said nothing seemed dragged out, everything was there for a reason.
I loved the hints of the second book (I'm guessing?) scattered through, and I'm hoping that the second one is more mystery based.
October 30, 2019
3.5 crystal-clear ★★★✬✩
⤐ Overall.
I read some reviews before requesting this book, which had quite the dampening effect on my expectations. That probably worked in my favour. The audiobook turned out to be a pleasant surprise, starting with a narrator's voice that absolutely fits the main character. Set around Halloween, this ghostly ya tale makes for the perfect October read that should not only satisfy younger readers but also those among you who cannot resist a ghost story.
I had a little trouble guessing the motives of individual characters. It made for a wary feeling throughout the first third of the book. The mix of topics this story covers, however, is very relevant to young people. We have divorce and parents with new partners, we have friendship and just a hint of romance and we have >>trigger warning<< physical violence/abusive relationships.
Speaking of which... I support this choice 100%....but I really wished authors would put more research into such aspects of their books and offer proper advice on this - depending on the setting of their book. I'm confident numerous people in abusive relationships would be aided greatly if they found proper information on how to get help, woven into a fictional story. The 21st century has many things to offer, let's make this one of them.
⤐ What’s happening.
Crystal has to experience this first hand. Right around the time normal girls are busy dealing with their period she has to accept the fact that she can see ghosts - and do a whole bunch of other supernatural stuff. The universe doesn't grant time to adjust but sends her head first into her first mission.
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 3*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 4*
characters = 3*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This audioArc was provided by the author Alicia Rades in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
This book is for… readers between the ages of 14 and 18 who approve of serious issues being tackled in the context of paranormal fantasy. TW: Physical violence should be expected.
⤐ Overall.
I read some reviews before requesting this book, which had quite the dampening effect on my expectations. That probably worked in my favour. The audiobook turned out to be a pleasant surprise, starting with a narrator's voice that absolutely fits the main character. Set around Halloween, this ghostly ya tale makes for the perfect October read that should not only satisfy younger readers but also those among you who cannot resist a ghost story.
I had a little trouble guessing the motives of individual characters. It made for a wary feeling throughout the first third of the book. The mix of topics this story covers, however, is very relevant to young people. We have divorce and parents with new partners, we have friendship and just a hint of romance and we have >>trigger warning<< physical violence/abusive relationships.
Speaking of which... I support this choice 100%....but I really wished authors would put more research into such aspects of their books and offer proper advice on this - depending on the setting of their book. I'm confident numerous people in abusive relationships would be aided greatly if they found proper information on how to get help, woven into a fictional story. The 21st century has many things to offer, let's make this one of them.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘Ghosts have a way of misleading you; they can make your thoughts as heavy as branches after a storm.’
Crystal has to experience this first hand. Right around the time normal girls are busy dealing with their period she has to accept the fact that she can see ghosts - and do a whole bunch of other supernatural stuff. The universe doesn't grant time to adjust but sends her head first into her first mission.
Con:
⇢ period + phsycic abilities don't mix well
⇢ blackmailed by school mate
⇢ ghosts can be scary
Pro:
⇢ A+ support from friends
⇢ using powers doing good feels awesome
⇢ ghosts can also kick the enemy's ass
_____________________
Writing quality + easy of reading = 3*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 4*
plot development = 4*
characters = 3*
enjoyability = 4*
insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
This audioArc was provided by the author Alicia Rades in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!
August 1, 2022
It’s about a high school girl in a volleyball team who discovers she has psychic abilities. And when she tells people, everyone’s pretty much okay with it. Then she decides to investigate a ghost’s past.
This is just not a book for me. This is just very much aimed at young girls and nobody else. The characters are done pretty well though.
This is just not a book for me. This is just very much aimed at young girls and nobody else. The characters are done pretty well though.
Want to read
October 16, 2017FREE on Amazon today (10/16/2017)!
June 21, 2015
Actual rating: 3.5
Note: I received a free digital copy of this book thanks to Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Quick Summary
When Crystal Frost finds out she's psychic, her whole world spins out of control, especially when the ghost of a dead classmate, Olivia, appears to her, asking her to help someone. All the while Crystal must make sure no one finds out about her special abilities. Will Crystal be able to solve the mystery of Olivia, and stay on top of it all?
Plot
I haven't been reading much ghost stories for some reason, and this book seemed like it would be a good pick for that aspect. However, while it was a pleasant enough story with an intriguing plot, I probably would've enjoyed it more had there been more mystery, and had the ghost aspect been taken more seriously. I wasn't able to take it seriously until further into the book. That being said, I did enjoy reading the book; the storyline was pretty interesting and held my attention.
Characters
I really liked the characters as well. Crystal, the main character, who is hesitant of her newfound abilities throughout the story. She was a good protagonist, and it was fun to see her discover how much she could do. Of course, I didn't approve of some of her decisions, but that didn't get in the way of how much I liked her. I also liked Olivia, the ghost, as she's a very good person who cares a lot for her friends and I sympathize with the way she died. She also played a pretty important part in the story. Overall, the characters were decent and I liked them.
Writing Style
The writing style is very pleasant! It's what got me more into the story, and I think the book was very well-written. I would've liked it a bit more had there been more of a mysterious kind of tone to it, but still, I liked the writing style.
Overall...
Not exactly what I expected, but an enjoyable story all the same! It wasn't that mysterious or suspenseful as I hoped, but I liked the characters for the most part, and the ghost part of it was nice too, once it was taken more seriously. Would I recommend this? I suppose so, if you're looking for a relatively light read (at least as far as ghosts and paranormal books go). I liked this book, but maybe you'll like it even more.
Note: I received a free digital copy of this book thanks to Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Quick Summary
When Crystal Frost finds out she's psychic, her whole world spins out of control, especially when the ghost of a dead classmate, Olivia, appears to her, asking her to help someone. All the while Crystal must make sure no one finds out about her special abilities. Will Crystal be able to solve the mystery of Olivia, and stay on top of it all?
Plot
I haven't been reading much ghost stories for some reason, and this book seemed like it would be a good pick for that aspect. However, while it was a pleasant enough story with an intriguing plot, I probably would've enjoyed it more had there been more mystery, and had the ghost aspect been taken more seriously. I wasn't able to take it seriously until further into the book. That being said, I did enjoy reading the book; the storyline was pretty interesting and held my attention.
Characters
I really liked the characters as well. Crystal, the main character, who is hesitant of her newfound abilities throughout the story. She was a good protagonist, and it was fun to see her discover how much she could do. Of course, I didn't approve of some of her decisions, but that didn't get in the way of how much I liked her. I also liked Olivia, the ghost, as she's a very good person who cares a lot for her friends and I sympathize with the way she died. She also played a pretty important part in the story. Overall, the characters were decent and I liked them.
Writing Style
The writing style is very pleasant! It's what got me more into the story, and I think the book was very well-written. I would've liked it a bit more had there been more of a mysterious kind of tone to it, but still, I liked the writing style.
Overall...
Not exactly what I expected, but an enjoyable story all the same! It wasn't that mysterious or suspenseful as I hoped, but I liked the characters for the most part, and the ghost part of it was nice too, once it was taken more seriously. Would I recommend this? I suppose so, if you're looking for a relatively light read (at least as far as ghosts and paranormal books go). I liked this book, but maybe you'll like it even more.
July 15, 2015
Review originally published on Bookgatherer.
I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest opinion.
I really wanted to like this book and I did - to some degree. It's just that this book had nothing new for me. It had a girl turned psychic theme, a damsel in distress said girl had to help and of course a bully the damsel had to be rescued from.
The book was nicely und understandable written and the characters were likeable. Crystal and her friends were fun to watch. At one point I wasn't sure I would actually like Emma, one of her friends, because in the beginning she was really annoying, but she had her reasons. The three of them, Crystal, Emma and Derek, were really tight, also I can see a possible romantical involvement between Emma and Derek, but it still was really hard to pick this book up, because like I said it had nothing new for me.
Another thing that bothered me about this book was that it's supposed to be about psychics, but throughout the whole book I had the feeling they were witches instead and just called themselves psychics for the fun of it. They held seances and looked into the future with a crystal ball. Do you think witches or psychics when you hear that?
Also I had the feeling that at the end of the book Crystal's "secret" wasn't really a secret because everyone knows about it.
It was still a nice and enjoyable read, just nothing new in my opinion. I'm sorry. Maybe I've read to much paranormal YA the last few month and my brain is now telling me that it's enough for the moment.
The one thing I absolutely adore about this book though, is the cover. It's gorgeous and I would buy this book solely for the purpose of putting it on my shelf (if I had one ;) )
If you like your YA books with a paranormal background where one girl is looking for answers with her psychic abilities to help another girl, you found it ;).
Rating: 3 stars.
I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest opinion.
I really wanted to like this book and I did - to some degree. It's just that this book had nothing new for me. It had a girl turned psychic theme, a damsel in distress said girl had to help and of course a bully the damsel had to be rescued from.
The book was nicely und understandable written and the characters were likeable. Crystal and her friends were fun to watch. At one point I wasn't sure I would actually like Emma, one of her friends, because in the beginning she was really annoying, but she had her reasons. The three of them, Crystal, Emma and Derek, were really tight, also I can see a possible romantical involvement between Emma and Derek, but it still was really hard to pick this book up, because like I said it had nothing new for me.
Another thing that bothered me about this book was that it's supposed to be about psychics, but throughout the whole book I had the feeling they were witches instead and just called themselves psychics for the fun of it. They held seances and looked into the future with a crystal ball. Do you think witches or psychics when you hear that?
Also I had the feeling that at the end of the book Crystal's "secret" wasn't really a secret because everyone knows about it.
It was still a nice and enjoyable read, just nothing new in my opinion. I'm sorry. Maybe I've read to much paranormal YA the last few month and my brain is now telling me that it's enough for the moment.
The one thing I absolutely adore about this book though, is the cover. It's gorgeous and I would buy this book solely for the purpose of putting it on my shelf (if I had one ;) )
If you like your YA books with a paranormal background where one girl is looking for answers with her psychic abilities to help another girl, you found it ;).
Rating: 3 stars.
June 11, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for a review. I did not receive any compensation nor did I guarantee a favorable review.
I must admit that during the first few chapters I was asking myself if I would ever finish reading this book. I can honestly say that continuing to read it was well worth it!! Crystal is at the cusp of womanhood and while at school one day she thinks she sees Olivia but that's hard to believe because her classmate was dead. One night she stumbles upon a secret that will alter her life and her perception of the world around her will suddenly change.
With the help of her mother and her two best friends, Emma and Derek, she will embark on a paranormal journey that will bring many revelations. This is the first book I've read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more of her books as she made a believer of her talent out of me.
I must admit that during the first few chapters I was asking myself if I would ever finish reading this book. I can honestly say that continuing to read it was well worth it!! Crystal is at the cusp of womanhood and while at school one day she thinks she sees Olivia but that's hard to believe because her classmate was dead. One night she stumbles upon a secret that will alter her life and her perception of the world around her will suddenly change.
With the help of her mother and her two best friends, Emma and Derek, she will embark on a paranormal journey that will bring many revelations. This is the first book I've read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more of her books as she made a believer of her talent out of me.
January 6, 2018
seems to be aimed at very young teens. Lots of telling instead of showing and inexplicable character decisions but good enough that I read it all the way through.
October 13, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Fire In Frost by Alicia Rades is the first book in a new series titled the Crystal Frost series. It is a wonderful paranormal story about a young teenage girl who discovers she has psychic powers and uses them to help solve a mystery.
I loved Crystal who is the leading character in the story and found her to be very likeable and could empathise with her on many levels. I liked seeing how she uncovered her special supernatural abilities and how she used these skills to help people in need. I also liked the encouragement and support Crystal received from her family and friends to embrace her special gifts and in putting them to good use.
Crystal’s friends were great characters, also very believable, and I enjoyed reading about their interactions with Crystal regarding everyday living as a young female teenager. Crystal’s mother and her mother’s friends were interesting characters as well, and later in the story you find out some intriguing information about them which adds depth to the overall story.
There was also a clever use of a sub plot which was referenced a few times during the story about a young missing girl, and by the end of the book, it looks like this will be a main focus in the next book.
There are a few underlying topics addressed in this story, such as a young girl coming of age, friendship, children dealing with parents going through a divorce, and domestic violence, but the author has handled them all brilliantly and tactfully. While reading the book I got the feeling that the leading character was aged around 13 to 15, and so these topical issues are dealt with in such a way that younger readers would understand what is going on without being confronted by lots of graphic detail. It was also interesting to see a younger teenager’s perception of these things as well. Sometimes I feel that the younger ones actually do understand a lot more than we adults give them credit for.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was beautifully written, easy to read, fast paced and the story was so engrossing I couldn’t put it down! The book contains very believable characters who are all very likeable and full of depth, and the plot of the story draws you in with its mention of ghosts, mediums, séances, psychic visions and crystal balls. The story is full of mystery and suspense and has plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you interested from beginning to end.
I would highly recommend this book to younger teenagers as well as adults who like reading stories involving ghosts, mediums, and using psychic abilities to solve a mystery.
Fire in Frost is a recipient of the B.R.A.G. Medallion Award (an award for a high quality self published indie book)and deservedly so.
Fire In Frost by Alicia Rades is the first book in a new series titled the Crystal Frost series. It is a wonderful paranormal story about a young teenage girl who discovers she has psychic powers and uses them to help solve a mystery.
I loved Crystal who is the leading character in the story and found her to be very likeable and could empathise with her on many levels. I liked seeing how she uncovered her special supernatural abilities and how she used these skills to help people in need. I also liked the encouragement and support Crystal received from her family and friends to embrace her special gifts and in putting them to good use.
Crystal’s friends were great characters, also very believable, and I enjoyed reading about their interactions with Crystal regarding everyday living as a young female teenager. Crystal’s mother and her mother’s friends were interesting characters as well, and later in the story you find out some intriguing information about them which adds depth to the overall story.
There was also a clever use of a sub plot which was referenced a few times during the story about a young missing girl, and by the end of the book, it looks like this will be a main focus in the next book.
There are a few underlying topics addressed in this story, such as a young girl coming of age, friendship, children dealing with parents going through a divorce, and domestic violence, but the author has handled them all brilliantly and tactfully. While reading the book I got the feeling that the leading character was aged around 13 to 15, and so these topical issues are dealt with in such a way that younger readers would understand what is going on without being confronted by lots of graphic detail. It was also interesting to see a younger teenager’s perception of these things as well. Sometimes I feel that the younger ones actually do understand a lot more than we adults give them credit for.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was beautifully written, easy to read, fast paced and the story was so engrossing I couldn’t put it down! The book contains very believable characters who are all very likeable and full of depth, and the plot of the story draws you in with its mention of ghosts, mediums, séances, psychic visions and crystal balls. The story is full of mystery and suspense and has plenty of plot twists and turns to keep you interested from beginning to end.
I would highly recommend this book to younger teenagers as well as adults who like reading stories involving ghosts, mediums, and using psychic abilities to solve a mystery.
Fire in Frost is a recipient of the B.R.A.G. Medallion Award (an award for a high quality self published indie book)and deservedly so.
July 14, 2015
What a great YA book!
I was lucky enough to win this book but that did not influence my review of the book.
This book is about 15yr old Crystal Frost and her psychic abilities ... something she didn't knew she had!
Not only does Crystal discover she's psychic but it starts a chain of discoveries and adventures
This book flowed real nice and the characters and story line are believable for a paranormal book ;)
there is cursing within the book, some topics that might make some uncomfortable but overall I know some young ladies/teens who might very much enjoy this story!
I know I enjoyed it as an adult ... I couldn't put it down!
I was lucky enough to win this book but that did not influence my review of the book.
This book is about 15yr old Crystal Frost and her psychic abilities ... something she didn't knew she had!
Not only does Crystal discover she's psychic but it starts a chain of discoveries and adventures
This book flowed real nice and the characters and story line are believable for a paranormal book ;)
there is cursing within the book, some topics that might make some uncomfortable but overall I know some young ladies/teens who might very much enjoy this story!
I know I enjoyed it as an adult ... I couldn't put it down!
January 15, 2017
not great. some material with strong message potential in here - adolescent worries, periods (though maybe too much discussion of sanitary pads), abusive boyfriends (although the 'villain' is a such a trope and overblown bad guy that it becomes unbelievable) and being comfortable as yourself, it was all just poorly executed to me. read like it was written by a fifteen year-old. bleh.
February 27, 2018
3.5 Stars!
This book was good! It was quick, easy, light fluffy read. (Read it in two sessions.)
I actually loved Crystal. She felt like a real person to me. Well the only thing that wasn’t quite realistic and bothered me was how fast Crystal got over the fact she just found out she was psychic. She was like oh my gosh, oh I’m actually okay with this. That was my only true problem with this book.
This book was also light on romance! Which was actually a nice change. There were some hints of crushes and maybe a future love triangle. But otherwise for this book, it was innocent crushes that wasn’t even the main focus of the book. Which was super nice. The main focus was about friendship. And I honestly loved that. Crystal and Emma’s friendship was super good. I loved that there were no girls hating girls trope. They worked together and it was very sweet. I thought the writing was super cute. There was a lot of dialogue which made the book go by pretty quick.
The plot was fluffy but actually quite wholesome.
I recommend this for people who are looking for an between book for just quick and fun read. Plus it’s free right now on kindle!
This book was good! It was quick, easy, light fluffy read. (Read it in two sessions.)
I actually loved Crystal. She felt like a real person to me. Well the only thing that wasn’t quite realistic and bothered me was how fast Crystal got over the fact she just found out she was psychic. She was like oh my gosh, oh I’m actually okay with this. That was my only true problem with this book.
This book was also light on romance! Which was actually a nice change. There were some hints of crushes and maybe a future love triangle. But otherwise for this book, it was innocent crushes that wasn’t even the main focus of the book. Which was super nice. The main focus was about friendship. And I honestly loved that. Crystal and Emma’s friendship was super good. I loved that there were no girls hating girls trope. They worked together and it was very sweet. I thought the writing was super cute. There was a lot of dialogue which made the book go by pretty quick.
The plot was fluffy but actually quite wholesome.
I recommend this for people who are looking for an between book for just quick and fun read. Plus it’s free right now on kindle!
December 22, 2018
This was a quick read (mostly because I couldn't stop - I just had to keep going) and I really liked Crystal as well as the surprises in the storyline that were so unexpected. Definitely going to keep reading this series!
January 29, 2020
This was a great start to this series. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I like that the Crystal isn't instantly able to use her new skills. She has to practice and learn them. She is also willing to help someone who isn't one of her friends. She is a sweet and friendly heroine that I enjoy reading about. She may be a bit naive but I think maybe that is the point. She is just learning about her abilities and will probably have issues in future books because of her naivety. This book does touch on the subject of abuse. Overall a good read and I think this series has the potential to be really good.
August 22, 2017
This novel follows a teenaged girl as she discovers her psychic abilities for the first time, and how she uses them to help others.
I actually really liked Crystal. She felt like a real person. A lot of novels like this end up with a main character that feels false, but I could really imagine Crystal and felt like what she was doing and saying were true to her character. I also liked Emma, Crystal's best friend. Like not as nuanced as Crystal, she was definitely more characterised than the third member of their trio, Derek, who is basically just characterised as a sceptic.
The case that Crystal takes on involves one of "the good kids" and the possibility that he is abusing his girlfriend. The case was rather predictable and the link between Kelli, the girlfriend, and the recently deceased girl, whose ghost Crystal is seeing, was easily guessed. I also found the first third of this book rather slow and boring, as Crystal's mom struggled over whether to tell her boyfriend that she was psychic. I know that it was supposed to be a warning to Crystal that not everyone will accept her as a psychic and she may be ridiculed, but as nobody has actually done that, it falls flat and makes the first third even more useless and unnecessary. Even Derek the sceptic hasn't said that she's ridiculous.
Though, the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful, and the rest of the series looks just as good. I'm looking forward to book 2.
I actually really liked Crystal. She felt like a real person. A lot of novels like this end up with a main character that feels false, but I could really imagine Crystal and felt like what she was doing and saying were true to her character. I also liked Emma, Crystal's best friend. Like not as nuanced as Crystal, she was definitely more characterised than the third member of their trio, Derek, who is basically just characterised as a sceptic.
The case that Crystal takes on involves one of "the good kids" and the possibility that he is abusing his girlfriend. The case was rather predictable and the link between Kelli, the girlfriend, and the recently deceased girl, whose ghost Crystal is seeing, was easily guessed. I also found the first third of this book rather slow and boring, as Crystal's mom struggled over whether to tell her boyfriend that she was psychic. I know that it was supposed to be a warning to Crystal that not everyone will accept her as a psychic and she may be ridiculed, but as nobody has actually done that, it falls flat and makes the first third even more useless and unnecessary. Even Derek the sceptic hasn't said that she's ridiculous.
Though, the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful, and the rest of the series looks just as good. I'm looking forward to book 2.
March 29, 2016
Olivia Owen died a year ago, so why can Crystal see her? When fifteen-year-old Crystal Frost walks in on her mother, Andrea, conducting a séance with her friends, Crystal finds out her mother is a psychic. Not only that, but she discovers that she's a psychic herself! So when the ghostly Olivia asks her to help out a friend, how can she refuse? As Crystal struggles to use her new-found powers, she keeps more and more from her best friend, Emma, threatening to ruin their relationship. But who can Crystal trust with her secret? And should she?
This story of a teenage girl struggling with a very big secret started off slow but kept me entertained and wondering what would happen next. There is a nice mix of the paranormal, suspense, and mystery, with a hint of romance to come. The book's name is a nice play on the main character's name, while the main character's name is a nice play on her affinity with the crystal ball. Even though this story is complete, the ending sets us up for Crystal's next "psychic adventure".
A quick, entertaining read. I look forward to the next one.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
This story of a teenage girl struggling with a very big secret started off slow but kept me entertained and wondering what would happen next. There is a nice mix of the paranormal, suspense, and mystery, with a hint of romance to come. The book's name is a nice play on the main character's name, while the main character's name is a nice play on her affinity with the crystal ball. Even though this story is complete, the ending sets us up for Crystal's next "psychic adventure".
A quick, entertaining read. I look forward to the next one.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com...
January 11, 2015
**I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in trade for an honest review, all opinions are my own.**
By the end of Fire in Frost I was really invested in the characters and their stories. It took a while for me to get ‘hooked’ on this book, but by the mid-way point I found myself really enjoying the characters and their motives.
I really liked Crystal’s character-I was happy that she questioned her abilities throughout the book because I felt that would be the case in reality. Emma was a strong supporting character, a good friend and supporter. I really hope to hear more about Derek’s story (book 2 perhaps) as I think he’s got a lot he can add to this series.
At times I felt Nate’s character was bit unbelievable in regards to his actions-but hey, there are some pretty unbelievable people in real life too!
The book is well written, with a solid pace that made it enjoyable to read and kept my attention. I believe this book was a great foundation for a series that has the potential to be REALLY EXCITING and full of endless twists and turns. I would recommend it to fans young-adult fiction, especially those of supernatural/paranormal fiction.
By the end of Fire in Frost I was really invested in the characters and their stories. It took a while for me to get ‘hooked’ on this book, but by the mid-way point I found myself really enjoying the characters and their motives.
I really liked Crystal’s character-I was happy that she questioned her abilities throughout the book because I felt that would be the case in reality. Emma was a strong supporting character, a good friend and supporter. I really hope to hear more about Derek’s story (book 2 perhaps) as I think he’s got a lot he can add to this series.
At times I felt Nate’s character was bit unbelievable in regards to his actions-but hey, there are some pretty unbelievable people in real life too!
The book is well written, with a solid pace that made it enjoyable to read and kept my attention. I believe this book was a great foundation for a series that has the potential to be REALLY EXCITING and full of endless twists and turns. I would recommend it to fans young-adult fiction, especially those of supernatural/paranormal fiction.
July 28, 2018
The beginning was a little bit dull, but oh my it developed nicely. I would say it deserves a 4.5 stars, and really I need to read the next one!
February 24, 2017
I really liked this book. I love the whole psychological story line. Crystal goes from a every day normal girl to Psychic and comes to terms with it grudgingly. Knowing that her family and friends except her is all she needs to do the right thing
June 19, 2016
Cute and light.
I would recommend this for younger YA readers except for the swearing. It deals with a tough issue very well.
I would recommend this for younger YA readers except for the swearing. It deals with a tough issue very well.
January 12, 2017
Dnf at 21%. The MC's inner monologue was just too childish/annoying for me
January 20, 2018
This book did not get off to a good start with me. Clichés, stereotypes, and even the occasional redundant wording abounded, like this in the very first few pages: “an invisible force—something unknown willing me to look” (page 3/169). It wasn’t all quite as bad as that, it did get a little bit better with going easier on clichés, but it was still decidedly lackluster for me overall.
What this story does have going for it is that it speaks a lot about the importance of putting faith in your friends, trusting your instincts, and really just putting faith in those you care about to accept you for who you are. It also addresses some difficult topics of growing up, such as relationship abuse, divorce, death, . It also promotes doing the right thing, helping out wherever you can if you are able, and that if you have a gift/talent for something, you should use it for good, to help others. Also was the various ways Crystal’s abilities were accepted or not by different characters, and how that worked out.
But, that was not enough for me to really enjoy it. There was little refreshing/new in this story, as it relied heavily on stereotypes and fabricated fears – we can’t reveal what we are because we’ll be shunned, it’ll be a witch hunt! – I can still go for fiction that is not aware of the supernatural as a possibility (doesn’t have a sort of meta-awareness), but it has to be really well sold, and this just was not. When Crystal’s mother works in a shop specializing in divination, tarot, crystal balls, even with a special back room full of herbs, how can Crystal be so confused as to if she believes any of this is possible? Then when it’s revealed that one of the factors behind their move to this town where Crystal and her mom and dad had no roots was , well, that was just some of the icing on the reader’s disbelief cake.
And related to that was the whole It’s like the whole being psychic is the most widespread yet unspoken of secret around. And Crystal. Oh boy is that cliché/stereotype: “Oh I thought you didn’t have any psychic ability!” – and those who do, usually only have a small gift in one area, but Crystal . About the most believable thing about Crystal’s abilities was that it was only after she realized she had them that she started to connect things from her childhood with what she could do now, like she was always really good at hide-and-seek, and she had dreamt about her father’s car crash before it happened.
In one of my status updates I mentioned wondering how many conflicts the author was going to introduce – thankfully, most of them actually all ended up connecting, and in a logical way. The girl with the chocolate eyes, however, that is an early set up to rope us into wanting to read the next book to find out what her story is/what happens to her. For the record, it doesn’t work for me; one book of this was enough for me.
Some other consistent things that bothered me were that at times, it was clearly obvious that this was written to idealize an understanding relationship between a mother and daughter where mom is pretty much always right and daughter accepts it no argument, such as when Crystal’s mom tells her to come home by noon to do chores and clean, and when Crystal gets home and looks into her room, she thinks/narrates, “I understood completely why my mother wanted me home early. I really did need to do some chores and clean my room.” (page 34/169). Now, admittedly, if she didn’t see anything wrong with her room she would fall right into the category of stereotypical teenager who doesn’t clean up her room, but the way that this was presented, just “Mom is right” did not quite seem to fit with her character, either. She feels like her mother is more of a friend than a mother, yet also seems to regret that her mother isn’t more motherly towards her: “she said sternly with the authoritative tone a mother is supposed to have yet one I hadn’t heard in so long.” (page 103/169) – it makes me wonder why this is the case. We can assume it comes from her father dying when she was little, but that still doesn’t really offer any concrete explanations. It felt like their mother/friend-daughter relationship was just written that way just so that Crystal could feel like her mother was more a friend than a mom to her – just to check another box, the one for Mother is Daughter’s Friend. And really, that her mom went all girly-girly excited about Teddy’s proposal – on the one hand, believable, because she wants it, but not because she turns to Crystal to ask for advice on how to break her/their big secret to him. The way the scene plays out, it is like she had never done it before in her life, but she had, with Crystal’s father, and sort of with Sophie and Diane.
Then there was Nate. His story makes sense, abuse feeds abuse, and that was pretty horrible. Crystal and Justine also paint it in very typical teenager fashion, he “became dark” (page 70/169) becomes thinking of him as “evil” (page 102/169). Things are pretty black and white to them, and arguably justifiably so. Other than that, his arc with Kelli was actually pretty believable, from how the abuse started, to how he keeps her with him, to why she doesn’t leave him, and especially brings up his not-so-good-guy issues to Coach’s attention and is not believed (page 134-135/169).
There were also some weird word choices, like referring to her mom and her two friends as girls (page 23/169), then later referring to a girl a couple years older than her as a “young woman about my age” (page 148/169). Each time Crystal/the reader was supposed to be surprised by who someone was, the author chose to state hair color, end the sentence, then reveal the name…when most of the time, just the fact that someone was there was enough to clue you into who it was going to be – it was really predictable in that way.
All in all, it wasn’t bad enough for me to stop reading, but it wasn’t good enough – it couldn’t overcome the stereotypes and clichés nor make them believable – for me to have any desire to read what happens next. It was predictable, and I would not be surprised if it stayed as such.
Typos:
Emma sat next to me the same time… -- page 10/169, should be “to me at the”
…to over salt everything. – page 15/169. Okay, probably okay, but read weird; I expected it to be “over-salt”
…as I carried myself into the other room… -- page 51/169: just sounds weird, since she’s being drawn into the other room by a light.
Emma and I sat across each other on the table… -- page 95/169: should be “sat across from”
...as she entered, followed in toe by Sophie and Diane. – page 124/169: remove “toe”
…I wasn’t entirely sure the layout of the house. – page 147/169: should be “sure of the layout”
…we all went searched for Justine together. – page 159/159: should be “went and searched”
What this story does have going for it is that it speaks a lot about the importance of putting faith in your friends, trusting your instincts, and really just putting faith in those you care about to accept you for who you are. It also addresses some difficult topics of growing up, such as relationship abuse, divorce, death, . It also promotes doing the right thing, helping out wherever you can if you are able, and that if you have a gift/talent for something, you should use it for good, to help others. Also was the various ways Crystal’s abilities were accepted or not by different characters, and how that worked out.
But, that was not enough for me to really enjoy it. There was little refreshing/new in this story, as it relied heavily on stereotypes and fabricated fears – we can’t reveal what we are because we’ll be shunned, it’ll be a witch hunt! – I can still go for fiction that is not aware of the supernatural as a possibility (doesn’t have a sort of meta-awareness), but it has to be really well sold, and this just was not. When Crystal’s mother works in a shop specializing in divination, tarot, crystal balls, even with a special back room full of herbs, how can Crystal be so confused as to if she believes any of this is possible? Then when it’s revealed that one of the factors behind their move to this town where Crystal and her mom and dad had no roots was , well, that was just some of the icing on the reader’s disbelief cake.
And related to that was the whole It’s like the whole being psychic is the most widespread yet unspoken of secret around. And Crystal. Oh boy is that cliché/stereotype: “Oh I thought you didn’t have any psychic ability!” – and those who do, usually only have a small gift in one area, but Crystal . About the most believable thing about Crystal’s abilities was that it was only after she realized she had them that she started to connect things from her childhood with what she could do now, like she was always really good at hide-and-seek, and she had dreamt about her father’s car crash before it happened.
In one of my status updates I mentioned wondering how many conflicts the author was going to introduce – thankfully, most of them actually all ended up connecting, and in a logical way. The girl with the chocolate eyes, however, that is an early set up to rope us into wanting to read the next book to find out what her story is/what happens to her. For the record, it doesn’t work for me; one book of this was enough for me.
Some other consistent things that bothered me were that at times, it was clearly obvious that this was written to idealize an understanding relationship between a mother and daughter where mom is pretty much always right and daughter accepts it no argument, such as when Crystal’s mom tells her to come home by noon to do chores and clean, and when Crystal gets home and looks into her room, she thinks/narrates, “I understood completely why my mother wanted me home early. I really did need to do some chores and clean my room.” (page 34/169). Now, admittedly, if she didn’t see anything wrong with her room she would fall right into the category of stereotypical teenager who doesn’t clean up her room, but the way that this was presented, just “Mom is right” did not quite seem to fit with her character, either. She feels like her mother is more of a friend than a mother, yet also seems to regret that her mother isn’t more motherly towards her: “she said sternly with the authoritative tone a mother is supposed to have yet one I hadn’t heard in so long.” (page 103/169) – it makes me wonder why this is the case. We can assume it comes from her father dying when she was little, but that still doesn’t really offer any concrete explanations. It felt like their mother/friend-daughter relationship was just written that way just so that Crystal could feel like her mother was more a friend than a mom to her – just to check another box, the one for Mother is Daughter’s Friend. And really, that her mom went all girly-girly excited about Teddy’s proposal – on the one hand, believable, because she wants it, but not because she turns to Crystal to ask for advice on how to break her/their big secret to him. The way the scene plays out, it is like she had never done it before in her life, but she had, with Crystal’s father, and sort of with Sophie and Diane.
Then there was Nate. His story makes sense, abuse feeds abuse, and that was pretty horrible. Crystal and Justine also paint it in very typical teenager fashion, he “became dark” (page 70/169) becomes thinking of him as “evil” (page 102/169). Things are pretty black and white to them, and arguably justifiably so. Other than that, his arc with Kelli was actually pretty believable, from how the abuse started, to how he keeps her with him, to why she doesn’t leave him, and especially brings up his not-so-good-guy issues to Coach’s attention and is not believed (page 134-135/169).
There were also some weird word choices, like referring to her mom and her two friends as girls (page 23/169), then later referring to a girl a couple years older than her as a “young woman about my age” (page 148/169). Each time Crystal/the reader was supposed to be surprised by who someone was, the author chose to state hair color, end the sentence, then reveal the name…when most of the time, just the fact that someone was there was enough to clue you into who it was going to be – it was really predictable in that way.
All in all, it wasn’t bad enough for me to stop reading, but it wasn’t good enough – it couldn’t overcome the stereotypes and clichés nor make them believable – for me to have any desire to read what happens next. It was predictable, and I would not be surprised if it stayed as such.
Typos:
Emma sat next to me the same time… -- page 10/169, should be “to me at the”
…to over salt everything. – page 15/169. Okay, probably okay, but read weird; I expected it to be “over-salt”
…as I carried myself into the other room… -- page 51/169: just sounds weird, since she’s being drawn into the other room by a light.
Emma and I sat across each other on the table… -- page 95/169: should be “sat across from”
...as she entered, followed in toe by Sophie and Diane. – page 124/169: remove “toe”
…I wasn’t entirely sure the layout of the house. – page 147/169: should be “sure of the layout”
…we all went searched for Justine together. – page 159/159: should be “went and searched”
January 24, 2018
I just got done reading the Crystal Frost series, including a sequel short story, by the fantastic author @aliciarades . This was one of those recommended to me by Amazon, and it looked interesting. What an understatement! Rades may be one of the best new (to me) YA authors out there. Her character development and plot lines were great, and her new take on some familiar paranormal stories (psychics) really had me hooked. I finished this entire series in about 1 1/2 days; I could not stop reading, curious to see what's next.
....
This is one of the few Kindle reads that I would like to really have in physical book form. Alicia Rades is definitely one of the authors I'm expecting great things from in the future.
....
This is one of the few Kindle reads that I would like to really have in physical book form. Alicia Rades is definitely one of the authors I'm expecting great things from in the future.
December 13, 2022
I picked this audiobook up when it was free a while back. It was sitting on my shelf for a while, and I was reading reviews to see which book to pick up next. Even though this was a 1 star review, it sold me on the book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It has supportive friends/family, and the conflict of the book is about helping a girl in an abusive relationship. The big selling point for me is it's a YA without romance.
Early in the book, there were some audio issues where it would randomly get quieter / louder, but I didn't notice it later in the book.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It has supportive friends/family, and the conflict of the book is about helping a girl in an abusive relationship. The big selling point for me is it's a YA without romance.
Early in the book, there were some audio issues where it would randomly get quieter / louder, but I didn't notice it later in the book.
July 23, 2019
This book surprised me. I feel the title doesn't match the book at all. The characters were well thought out although Emma annoyed me. The story was well written. A school girls gets her psyhic powers the day she starts her period. She then finds out it runs in her family. Her mum never told her as she thought she didn't have the powers and didn't want her to feel lacking. While finding out about her powers she is asked to help someone out and works out that a ghost wants this person helped too and that she has the evidence to help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 530 reviews