Musing Mondays (11)

     

     Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading, that asks you to muse about one of the following each week:
• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

My Musings for the Week...

Since I want to keep it short today, this week I'm sharing another book I'm waiting for: Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep. After reading the final book in the Mythos Academy series I have to say that I'm really looking forward to this one.


Question: what books are you desperately waiting for?

Review: Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title:Killer Frost
Author: Jennifer Estep
Source/Format: Purchased, Paperback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: K-Teen, February 25, 2014

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     Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep was an action-packed ending to the Mythos Academy series.  Lately, I've had a hard time finding a new series that I can really get invested in, so I'm really going to miss this one. Estep never fails to deliver an entertaining story with plenty of action and touches of romance expertly intertwined with the mythology the series revolves around.

     All of my favorite characters were back and better than ever, as the final fight is literally just around the corner. Things are as tense as they should be. As everyone is bracing themselves because the Reapers of Chaos are getting bolder with their attacks. Right from page one we're back with Gwen and her friends, but the peace surrounding them doesn't last long as the Reapers are up to no good again. The action starts as a new issue arises, and the fight over the artifacts continues. But Gwen was never alone, she always had her friends—Daphne, Carson, Oliver, Alexi, and her boyfriend Logan—to back her up, along with her adorable Fenrir Wolf puppy, Nyx.  Oh, and not to forget Grandma Frost, Gwen's baking expert, sword wielding grandmother.  The characters went through some changes—hardships and everything else—but it all added up to a great story.

    The final battle—the battle to end all battles—it happened in Killer Frost, but not how I expected it to play out. The plot—all of the anticipation built up by the previous books—just sort of intersected resulting in the final conflict as Gwen and her friends face down Loki himself. It was, and I really can’t put it any other way, one heck of an epic battle that's befitting to a series like Mythos Academy! The ending was perfect and wrapped up the plot points from previous books nicely. So I have to say, Killer Frost is another exciting final book to another great series that finished in 2014. I’m going to miss this one, but since I own all of the books in print I can almost foresee a reread of the entire series sooner rather than later. But hey, I've still got Estep’s upcoming release—Cold Burn of Magic—to look forward to.

The Friday 56 (8)

     The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

"A shadow fell over the two of us, and a Black roc dropped down from the sky."    --Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               What's on your page 56 this week?

The Friday 56 (5)

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

"Behind us, more lights turned on inside the library, and more shouts and yells cut through the night air."--Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep




What's on your page 56 this week?

Spotlight, Q&A & Giveaway: Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Today Jennifer Estep is stopping by Our Thoughts Precisely for a Q&A, and if you keep reading there's a Giveaway at the bottom of the post.  Killer Frost is the last book in the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep, but before we get to the good stuff, first a little bit about the book.

Coming from Kensington Books February 25, 2014

Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Summary From Goodreads

I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine.

Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird girl everyone at school loves to gossip about. Read More Here

Don't forget to visit Jennifer Estep!

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Breana:  First off, a big thank you to Jennifer Estep for stopping by today to do a Q&A.! So I know Killer Frost is the last book in your Mythos Academy Series.  *cue sad face* Would you ever revisit the world with another series, possibly a spinoff spotlighting other characters from the same universe? 

JE: Thanks for hosting me on your blog. I appreciate it. Yes, Killer Frost will be the sixth and last book in my Mythos Academy series, out on Feb. 25. I've thought about going back to the Mythos Academy world or doing a spinoff series. If I have an idea that really interests me and something that I think would work well with Gwen or perhaps even another character, I might write another Mythos Academy book or a spinoff series someday. But for right now, Gwen’s story is finished. So we’ll see what happens. 

Breana: I noticed that there aren’t a lot of YA books centered solely around the holiday season.  Would you ever write a YA novel for a specific holiday season?  Which holiday would it be, and why?  

JE: I think it would be fun to write a holiday-themed book. As for what holiday I would pick, it would just depend on the characters, magic, world, and what sort of idea I came up with. I haven’t specifically written a holiday book, although I have mentioned various holidays in my Mythos Academy series. Kiss of Frost, book #2, is set during December, and there are mentions of Christmas and the holiday season. In Killer Frost, book #6, I mention Valentine’s Day.

Breana: To date, what is the longest book you’ve ever written?

JE: I don’t know exactly which book is the longest, but all of the books in my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series are about 100,000 words long. The books in my Mythos Academy series are about 85,000 to 90,000 words long.

Breana: Do you prefer paperback or digital books?  

JE: I like them both. I recently got an e-reader, so I definitely see the appeal of being able to download a book and start reading it a minute later. Plus, downloading e-books, especially when they are on sale, is totally addictive. LOL. But I still read paper books too. I like the physical feel of holding a book in my hand, being able to flip back and forth through the pages, and things like that. So I’ll continue to read both e-books and paper books.

Breana: In a year, how many books do you typically write?

JE: I would say that I typically write about three to four books a year, along with some short stories/novellas. From 2010 to the end of 2013, I wrote/released 10 books in my Elemental Assassin series; 5 books in my Mythos Academy series; and several short stories and e-novellas.  

Breana: What’s next for you on the Young Adult end, after Killer Frost is released?

JE: Killer Frost is the last book in my Mythos Academy series, so I hope that readers enjoy the finale to Gwen’s story. Right now, I’m mulling over ideas for some new series, for both young adult and adult books. We’ll see what I come up with.

Breana: How well do you do with Deadlines?  Have you ever missed one, or are you always on time?

JE: Deadlines motivate me to meet my goals, and I always try to meet them, if not get a book/project done before it’s due.

Quick Questions:
What's your favorite part about the holiday season? 

JE: I always enjoy decorating my Christmas tree.

Favorite dessert?

JE: Oh, that’s a tough one! But strawberry cheesecake ice cream is one of my favorites.

Favorite place to write?

JE: In my office.

Favorite book from 2013?

JE: Some of my favorite reads from 2013 were Also Known As by Robin Benway; Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry; and Poison by Bridget Zinn.

Favorite TV show/ Movie from 2013?

JE: I’m really enjoying Reign and The Blacklist as far as new TV shows go.
Happy reading, everyone!

Breana: Thanks again to Jennifer Estep for stopping by! Don't forget to check out the Mythos Academy Series especially the final book Killer Frost when it comes out. In the meantime keep reading to find out how you could win a finished copy.

 

Ok so here's the thing, Jennifer Estep is giving away a finished copy of Killer Frost.  Awesome? Um yes. But it's US ONLY.  Here's how it works.  To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. See our giveaway policy for more details. The contest will remain open till February 20th, winner will be announced soon after. *Don't worry if your comments don't show up right away, it is moderated, and remember, no email addresses in the comments.  Now, go forth, enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title:Midnight Frost (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Purchased, Paperback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: K-Teen, July 30, 2013




My Thoughts:
    
     Jennifer Estep is at it again with another wonderful addition to the Mythos Academy series!  After waiting for some time to get my copy, I was anxious to read it.  While some parts may have been slightly same-old-same-old with a familiar feel to them.  Midnight Frost is easily one of the best books I’ve read all year.  Combined with skillful writing, lovable characters, adorable yet dangerous mythological beasts, Midnight Frost was awesome. 

     Midnight Frost picks up where Crimson Frost left off, with Gwen dealing with the fallout of the events that transpired.  I liked that fact that she was still struggling with what happened, and not suddenly all ok with it just out of the blue.  Her reaction to it was realistic, which made me like her as a main character even more.  On the topic of Gwen, well her friends were great as always.  They were loyal and always had her back when times got rough.  And oh, Logan, why were you so absent?  But when he did finally show up, and when they finally did talk, well, I can’t really say—if you want to know, read the book.

     The plot, wow, it was filled with Reapers who kept showing up everywhere.  I really enjoyed the action scenes, and the descriptions really helped me visualize what was going on and where it was happening.  Secrets that have been surrounding Gwen and her family from book one are finally solved, and I liked the way Estep handled the big reveal.  The writing style was strong as always, which made Midnight Frost an easy book to get into.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait for the next one to come out.  {Actual rating 4.5}

Review: Spartan Frost by Jennifer Estep

Title: Spartan Frost (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Purchased/ itunes digital edition
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington Publishing Corporation, June 25, 2013






My Thoughts:

     I’m glad that Jennifer Estep decided to do a Novella from Logan Quinn’s point of view, because I always wondered what was going on in his head.  Spartan Frost really showed how Logan was struggling with what happened at the end of Crimson Frost.  Out of everything he seemed to be struggling with his guilt over what happened to Gwen, the most.  The only thing about Spartan Frost is that it was more about Logan and not necessarily how he felt about Gwen.  Sure, we get small pieces of his emotions, as well as some insight into the things he liked about her, but otherwise it was focused primarily on him and his father.  Spartan Frost was a nice bridge to fill the gap between Crimson Frost and the upcoming release, Midnight Frost.  I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, but what I do know is that there will be plenty Reapers of Chaos showing up all over the place.