Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3)

by Jennifer Estep (Goodreads Author)

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 4,660 ratings · 515 reviews

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...more

ebook, 1st Edition, 336 pages

Published May 29th 2012 by Kensington

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Iced (Dani O'Malley #1) by Karen Marie Moning

Most Anticipated Books of 2012! {PNR, UF & PNYA}

43rd out of 517 books — 1,743 voters

Can't Wait Books of 2012

192nd out of 2,386 books — 15,572 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 23, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

How fitting that my happy place includes an Amazon box.

I'm still running this marathon, getting ready to hit up book 4 before release.

Reasons why this series continues to be awesome :

1. Vic, the talking sword. The snarky, British weapon is still at it and I love him because of it (he gave me a scene where he said if he had a hand, he'd slap it to his forehead in disbelief). He even got into it with an enemy weapon.

"Lucretia!" Vic hissed at the sight of the other sword.
Lucretia's burning red ey
...more

like 17 likes · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Darlalala rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mythology

OH MY!!! Gwen's wearing the necklace LOGAN had given her! And who's Loki's champion?? hmm..
EDIT: So this book deserves 4.5 stars but I round it up anyway. Gwen, still doesn't have the super ability to defend herself (view spoiler), but at least she's starting to understand her real power, what she can do with her touch magic.

Dark frost is tricky! I swear at some point I was so sure that this character is Loki's cham...more

like 21 likes · see review

May 30, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ok, Mythos Academy falls squarely into the dumb fun category for me, honestly I didn't think the first two books were that great, but neither were they unenjoyable. I keep reading these though for two reasons, because my sister loves this series so I have to keep getting her the books anyway, and because, well, like I said I liked the first two enough that I'm not going to bail on this one. And Dark Frost didn't disappoint, it's probably about the same as the first two, maybe a little more actio...more Ok, Mythos Academy falls squarely into the dumb fun category for me, honestly I didn't think the first two books were that great, but neither were they unenjoyable. I keep reading these though for two reasons, because my sister loves this series so I have to keep getting her the books anyway, and because, well, like I said I liked the first two enough that I'm not going to bail on this one. And Dark Frost didn't disappoint, it's probably about the same as the first two, maybe a little more action packed that its predecessors.

That said, my biggest complaint with this series is that the mythology isn't that great, I would rank it below Percy Jackson even. It's like Jennifer Estep just Wikipediaed (is that even a verb?) all her Greek and Norse mythology and then adapted the entries for her books, name checking other gods here and there as appropriate. How do I know this? Because the Wikipedia entries for the Norse gods seriously suck, I've checked, and there's not much more stuff in these books that what's on Wikipedia. I mean, there are lots of other great material on the Norse gods out there, would it hurt to read a couple of books before writing this?

Anyway, the reason I still liked the books though is because of Gwen and Daphne. I like Gwen, she's spunky and tough and conflicted and even though I don't care for her and Logan together, well by herself she's pretty cool. I like Daphne too, and I like Gwen's friendship with Daphne even more because it's not so common seeing two very different characters like these striking up a friendship, so that's cool too. Although I'm more than a little disappointed Daphne's not as a big part of this book as the previous two, because she and Gwen has a falling out early on. Oh well. Oh, and Vic the talking sword. One of the most er interesting weapons in fantasy.

And I guess the plot - it's a race against time and Loki's champion to find the final artifact to prevent Loki from escaping his prison - and character development here worked for me. Well almost, Gwen and Logan going on and off bored me as usual, but I'll readily admit I'm not the target audience for that and I really didn't pay much attention to it, so what does my opinion really matter. Besides that, there's a lot more Loki, Loki's champion as promised, and Gwen has to come to terms with her ability, make a couple of tough choices. Always a fan of tough choices and characters having to deal with the aftermath of them. Gwen's definitely learned a few things about herself, about the Mythos Academy world, since the first book. So yeah, liked the ending.

And yeah, Dark Frost's another, well, I want to say acceptable, but what I really mean is about as good as the previous books, entry in the series. I have to get the next book, Crimson Frost, anyway, so here's hoping Estep steps up the mythology a notch next year. Fingers crossed.(less)

like 5 likes · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Elena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not as satisfying as I expected. I'll have to think about it.

-- Okay, I think I've thought enough. Here's what I thought:

I've been dying to get my hands on this book. As in dying. As in nothing else mattered as long as I had it in my hands.
Well.. let's just say I'd manage to put it down now and have no regrets.

My first prayer goes to Gwen.
Okay, first off, we kind of knew already how dumb Gwen is. I know, I know, I said that I loved her and stuff. And I do. Really.
But in this book.. I mean I felt...more

like 6 likes · see review

Mar 17, 2012 Hayden Casey marked it as to-read-very-soon

Definitely my favorite cover of them all! Can't wait to dive into these.

like 3 likes · see review

Apr 01, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA,paranormal romance,or mythological folktale lovers

Shelves: sequels-to-books-i-have-read

Dark Frost is the newest novel in the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep.It starts off a few days after New Years, one day before classes start back from holiday break.
Gwen, Daphne, and Carson, along with most of the other second-year Mythos students are at Crius Coliseum to finish an assignment to view a special artifacts exhibit before class the next day.Gwen and Logan are just about to have that "where is this relationship going" conversation,when suddenly Reapers attack the coliseum in...more Dark Frost is the newest novel in the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep.It starts off a few days after New Years, one day before classes start back from holiday break.
Gwen, Daphne, and Carson, along with most of the other second-year Mythos students are at Crius Coliseum to finish an assignment to view a special artifacts exhibit before class the next day.Gwen and Logan are just about to have that "where is this relationship going" conversation,when suddenly Reapers attack the coliseum in search of the Helheim dagger.Gwen and her friends battle the Reapers and manage to barely survive the attack, but some of their classmates weren't so lucky.Gwen is determined to find the dagger before the Reapers can find it and use it to release Loki from his prison thrusting the world into another chaos war.With all the craziness in her life, her best friend acting completely weird,trying to figure out things with Logan and coming across the Fenrir wolf that helped saved her life, can Gwen find the Helheim Dagger before The Reaper Girl who killed her mom and keep her from freeing Loki?

I love that Dark Frost jumps right into the action from the very first chapter.This book is definitely my favorite in the series thus far.We get to know some of our characters a little more in this book, especially Gwen.She is just starting to find herself and see what she's really made of and I for one am enjoying the journey.Gwen is very relatable.She's flawed and sometimes self-conscious, but always wanting to be stronger and find that inner courage.Dark Frost is an enthralling and fast paced read with adventure,romance,and some mystery that had me hooked from beginning to end.I can't wait to read the next book in this series "Crimson Frost".

I highly recommend Dark Frost to anyone who loves young adult fiction, paranormal romance, or mythological folktales.Great addition to your YA library.

4.5 stars

**Disclosure**
This book was provided to me by Kensington Publishing for review purposes. (less)

like 1 like · see review

Jun 06, 2012 Menna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-friggin-love-this, favorites, cool-cover, new-idea, read-2012, sizzlin-romances, recommended, teenage-drama, totally-crazy-but-awesome, wtf-in-a-good-way, kick-ass, love-ending

Isdklfhsilfghsdlghsghlghw.....I can't type very well right now and I can't put a coherent thought together so therefore I can't write what I thought about the book. I am overwhelmed with all that fan-freaking-tastic shit that I just read. Now I'm gonna go and do my happy/crazy dance somewhere else before I break the computer screen or something....Logan, Logan. Yes, I have officially lost my mind...

like 7 likes · see review

Nov 03, 2012 Joana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow. I really didn't expect this book would be so damn good! I'm not joking. The author managed fix up all the negatives points (that really annoyed me on the first two books) and did a great story.

You have action since the first page, and this action keeps going on all the book! The author finally stops the repeating excessive. Thanks God!

The main character is so much better! I know, she is a teenager and as such insecure, selfish, a little boring... But she hears a few truths, especially fro...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Maddy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ich habe ja im Januar den zweiten Teil dieser Reihe gelesen und ich war so gespannt wie es weitergehen wird und deswegen habe ich mich gefreut, als das Buch bei mir angekommen ist und habe es auch gleich angefangen zu lesen.
Zum Inhalt an sich kann ich nicht viel sagen, denn dies ist nun mal schon der 3. Teil und die Geschichte geht immer mehr voran und es gibt bestimmt noch Menschen, die die ersten beiden Bände nicht gelesen haben und den würde ich so einiges vorwegnehmen und das muss nicht sein...more

like 1 like · see review

Mar 30, 2013 Khanh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh, Gwen, finally you're growing up, and I'm so proud of you. I'm still not a fan of her, and Logan is still a little asshole (seriously, when other people are telling off your girlfriend in front of both of you, grow some fucking balls and tell them to shut up, ok? Spartans are so not gentlemen), but they're both maturing bit by bit. I was rather happy when the beloved Logan finally lost it with Gwen and told her she's a spoilt little brat sniveling away because of her past tragedies when every...more

like · see review

Feb 19, 2013 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, ya

Posted on Romancing the Books blog
Reviewed by Valerie
Review copy provided by the Author

I absolutely love the world of Gwen Frost! Starting with the prequel, First Frost, to this book, Dark Frost (the third in the series), I have been absolutely captivated by the characters of this world, the setting it is written in, and the plot which has so many twists and turns. Luckily the author, Jennifer Estep, will have six or seven books in this series before it ends!

When I started Dark Frost, I liked ho...more

like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 Naoms rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook, paranormal-urban-fantasy, read-in-2012, ya-fiction, witches-magic-users-shamans

Originally posted on

Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

I loved the first two books in this series. I ignored the easy to spot plot points. I ignored the romantic dialogue that some times came off cheesy. I ignored the fact that the main romantic storyline was cliché. I ignored it, because it really did not bother me. I took the books for what they were, quick and enjoyable reads.

Unfortunately, the main actin of Dark Frost is so ridiculous and implausible that I just cannot let it slide. Thi...more Originally posted on

Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

I loved the first two books in this series. I ignored the easy to spot plot points. I ignored the romantic dialogue that some times came off cheesy. I ignored the fact that the main romantic storyline was cliché. I ignored it, because it really did not bother me. I took the books for what they were, quick and enjoyable reads.

Unfortunately, the main actin of Dark Frost is so ridiculous and implausible that I just cannot let it slide. This huge event happens and this academy filled with students and teachers, miss it. It just happens right under their noses with not a single witness or ally for Gwen. In fact, there are two events in this book that happen and it’s astounding that no one was around to give assistance. At the start of this book it is clear that not only is the academy at risk, but Gwen is also a target and Mythos Academy does not up their security? More guards aren’t brought in? More magic security and wards aren’t set up or even normal human security systems? I just cannot fathom the fact that this is a school full of kids and their parents are so blaze that they do not demand that their children get more security? The Mythos library holds the major artifacts that the bad guys want and that building isn’t as secure as the White House?

These problems are too immense to be ignored. This is sloppy writing on the part of Jennifer Estep. She planned a certain end, she wanted an event to happen and so she made her good guys make huge mistakes and lose all common sense. I am the opinion that instead of making the good team stupid, you make the bad guys even more cunning. Or you the bad guys have to outnumber and overpower the good guys. The events in this book were so easily avoidable and after centuries of fighting, it seems impossible that the good guys could be so careless.

Besides the war with the reapers, the other story that has played through out the series is the complicated relationship between Logan and Gwen. Halfway through this book I became so sick of their angst. Logan finally broke up with his girlfriend Savannah and still Gwen and Logan cannot figure it out. What was more annoying to me, is the aftermath of Logan’s choice to date and then break up with Savannah.
Logan used Savannah in the first two books. He had feelings for Gwen, but he dated Savannah anyway. I know that in real life, many women focus their hurt and anger on the new girlfriend, the mistress, etc. I just wished that in fantasyland, Savannah focused her anger on Logan. He’s the real jerk in that equation, but no Savannah calls Gwen a bitch and says nothing to Logan the person who actually broke her heart. This is a small thing and it happens in so many novels, but these stories are usually written for young adults. It would have been cool for Estep to use her characters as an example to young people.

Also, what is this trend that have characters waiting around for their love interest to be ready to commit? It’s ok for Logan to kiss more than one girl in this series, but not Gwen? I say, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Another thing that annoyed me in book 3, that kind of just made me roll my eyes in the first two installments, is that Estep seems to have no real idea of how the other half lives. She seems to think that rich people only eat caviar and escargot. Gwen is constantly complaining about the lack of normal food choices. This point has been brought up often in all three books. I guess it’s supposed to bring home the point that rich kids surround Gwen. Mythos Academy is a private school, on the top of a mountain, where the students don’t have to share rooms! Of course they’re rich! Anyone who has been alive for more than a day can guess that a school like that doesn’t run on hope, but lots of money. Gwen doesn’t need to complain about designer bags and fancy food every other page for us to get it.

The ending unfortunately, ruined “Dark Frost” for me. I enjoyed it for the most part, but it just didn’t give me the vibes I got from the first two installments. I found the character’s choices to be incredibly stupid and it astounds me that the adults in this series are not better prepared or even intelligent.

Recommended for people who’ve read the first two books.

(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 10, 2012 Vixen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jennifer Estep has done it again!

Dark Frost--like the other two books; Touch of Frost and Kiss of Frost--I was once again pulled into the mysteries and adventure that lurk at Mythos Academy and within Gwen Frost's world. I have to say that it was pretty predictable as to who was who and what not and putting the pieces together--if you're good at that you'll figure it out--but it was interesting enough that it kept you wanting to read to actually see how the things played out. It wasn't ALL predi...more

like · see review

Aug 16, 2012 Bibliojunkies rated it 5 of 5 stars

From Kensington:

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 Chao...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Amelie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Zur Aufmachung

Die Bücher hätten definitiv mehr verdient als das hier. Es ist einfach so ein 0815-billig-erstelltes Cover und absolut typisch für einen Roman, der in einer paranormalen Schule spielt! Den Sinn der englischen Titel zu verstehen habe ich mittlerweile auch aufgegeben.

Zum Buch

Nachdem mich Band zwei der Mythos Academy Reihe ein klein wenig enttäuscht hatte, da es so unheimlich viele Wiederholungen enthielt, hat es mich gefreut, dass das im dritten Band wieder ein wenig heruntergeschrau...more Zur Aufmachung

Die Bücher hätten definitiv mehr verdient als das hier. Es ist einfach so ein 0815-billig-erstelltes Cover und absolut typisch für einen Roman, der in einer paranormalen Schule spielt! Den Sinn der englischen Titel zu verstehen habe ich mittlerweile auch aufgegeben.

Zum Buch

Nachdem mich Band zwei der Mythos Academy Reihe ein klein wenig enttäuscht hatte, da es so unheimlich viele Wiederholungen enthielt, hat es mich gefreut, dass das im dritten Band wieder ein wenig heruntergeschraubt worden ist.
Trotzdem finde ich den ersten Band noch immer am besten. Warum? Ganz einfach: Ich hatte bei diesem Band ein sehr starkes Dejavu-Gefühl. Auch gab es keine einzige unerwartete Überraschung, weil einfach alles sehr vorhersehbar gewesen ist. Das Ende vielleicht ausgenommen, da gab es doch ein paar Details mit denen ich nicht gerechnet hätte. Das Buch folgt einfach dem Schema F, das Jennifer Estep für ihre Mythos Academy Romane verwendet. Nicht dass das schlecht wäre, aber es ist eben auch nichts neues. Wer Band eins mochte, der wird daher Band drei ganz sicher nicht schlecht finden. Es gibt auch viele Gründe das Buch gut zu finden!
Es war bisher der spannendste Teil der Reihe. Viele Actionszenen, viele Opfer müssen von Gwen und ihren Freunden gebracht werden, die Charaktere waren wie immer sehr sympathisch, der Humor war da, die Mythen und Legenden der verschiedenen Kulturen, der Schreibstil, eben alles, was ein gutes Buch ausmacht. Das einzige, was mir hier gefehlt hat, das war die Originalität. Vielleicht ist das nicht fair, denn Jennifer Estep kopiert hier ja niemand anderen, sondern quasi sich selbst, was mich da auch noch ein Auge zudrücken lässt. Trotzdem, das Dejavu-Gefühl war da und ich hoffe, dass es bei Crimson Frost dann wieder verschwunden ist. Aber ich bin sehr zuversichtlich, schließlich ist es das große Finale und ich spüre da einen Krieg auf Gwen zukommen...

Fazit

Schreibstil: 4,5 Herzen
Charaktere: 4,5 Herzen
Spannung: 5 Herzen
Emotionale Tiefe: 4 Herzen
Humor: 4 Herzen
Originalität: 3 Herzen

Definitiv besser als Band 2, sehr unterhaltsam, aber auch nicht wirklich neu... Für Fans der Reihe sicher ein Muss, wer aber auf etwas Abwechslung hofft, wird hier nicht fündig werden.

♥♥♥♥(less)

like · see review

Jul 28, 2012 Kathy Davie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban, young-adult

Third in the Mythos Academy urban fantasy series for young adults revolving around the whiny Gwen Frost.

My Take
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Gwen is a teenager, but must she be such an annoying, whining one? She has brains, Estep should write her using them rather than getting lazy about how to make Gwen feel bad. At least she can have Gwen think!

Hullo!??, the bad guys are everywhere. Hmmm, let me think: Grandma said the Reaper girl had mental powers. Gwen's been having headaches. And she thinks it...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 13, 2012 Fallon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, mythology, paranormal, series, young-adult

3.5
Goodness, where should I start on this book. I have actually been looking forward to reading this one, and I really like the fact that the author has been putting these books out in a fairly rapid pace, so her fans don't have to keep waiting for the next one. (Which is set to release on Christmas Eve of this year and #5 is set to release in August of next year). Dark Frost is the darkest of the Mythos books that have been released thus far, though the prequel did deal with some dark subject m...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Pamela Kramer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dark Frost" by Jennifer Estep is a marvel. It's the third book in a series, and it maintains the excitement and thrills of the first books. It's truly a difficult book to put down.

Gwen, the "Gypsy Girl," continues to fight against the evil god Loki and his followers, the Reapers. Her patron goddess, Nike, has given her a talking sword, and the wolf she rescued in the last novel reappears in this one.

Sounds hokey, right? But it's not. It all works wonderfully. Estep manages to create characters w...more

like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-5-stars

Plot: 5 Stars
The world the author has built at Mythos Academy is such an interesting and unique place. Each book shows us a little more of the world, and I really enjoyed the field trips we take with the characters in this installment. Gwen's search for the Helheim Dagger involved her digging into her mom's past and it was great to learn more about her. And it was fun trying to puzzle it out alongside Gwen. The Reapers always end up sneaking up on me, and this novel didn't disappoint.

Pace: 4.5...more Plot: 5 Stars
The world the author has built at Mythos Academy is such an interesting and unique place. Each book shows us a little more of the world, and I really enjoyed the field trips we take with the characters in this installment. Gwen's search for the Helheim Dagger involved her digging into her mom's past and it was great to learn more about her. And it was fun trying to puzzle it out alongside Gwen. The Reapers always end up sneaking up on me, and this novel didn't disappoint.

Pace: 4.5 Stars
I don't think I've read a book by this author that hasn't had a terrific pace, and this novel didn't disappoint. There is enough backstory and recapping that I feel comfortable jumping right in, which is great because I have way too big of a TBR pile to be re-reading everything. There was never a dull moment while following Gwen and company around Mythos Academy on their latest adventure.

Characters: 4.5 Stars
Gwen is such a fantastic character. She's had a lot thrown at her throughout this series, but she has stayed strong. I really liked how she learned more about her powers in this novel. A few characters from book two that I wasn't expecting came back and I really enjoyed what they brought to the story. We met a number of new characters in this novel, and many brought along some surprises that I definitely didn't see coming. All in all, this series has a fantastic cast.

Cover: 4 Stars
I like that they went back to the cover model from the first novel. It gives the covers a bit of continuity. But her hair blends into the background a little too much, leaving too much blank space and leaving me wondering if the cover model is bald. But other than that, the cover is spot on. I love the lit up building in the background. And the snowflake necklace is a nice detail. My favorite detail is the sword that is always in place of a "t" in the title. The yellow text complements the purple eyes and stand out against the dark background.

Overall: 4.5 Stars

Disclosure: I received a eARC of this novel for review from the author.(less)

like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mythology, romance, series

The Mythos Academy is one of those series that just gets better and better. The edition of Dark Frost to the line up was no different. A lot goes down in this newest installment. The mythology is more complex, relationships are tested, and readers will find out just who the characters really are. Ms. Frost starts the book out with a big, blood battle, bang and keeps readers on their toes. One of my favorite things about this book was all of the mystery. Little hints about who the Reapers are and...more

like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

While I still enjoyed it I found it disappointingly obvious in both who Reaper girl was and where the dagger was hidden. From very early in the story there was never any doubt in my mind. Also my major gripe with this story is that Logan is a crappy love interest. Gwen keeps talking about what a nice, good looking, charming and all round decent guy he is. As far as I can see the only one of those things he is - is good looking. He has a history of using girls,and then even though he supposedly l...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-emmy

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: The third installment follows the same patterns–lots of info-dumping and character clichés, but some good dialogue and much better character development this time around.

Opening Sentence: “If you guys don’t stop making out, I’m going to be sick.”

The Review:

The third installment in the Mythos Academy series picks up at the end of the school’s Winter Holidays. Gwen’s still looking up everything she can about the Helheim Dagger, which will free...more

like · see review

Jun 03, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

2.5-3 stars

I kind of hate when I like aspects of a series enough to want to continue reading, even though I don't particularly like the books. The Mythos Academy books are an example of this. I enjoy the mythology and the idea that there are warriors in the world who are descendants of those who fought or assisted in major battles (Spartans, Valkyries, Vikings, etc). I even enjoy the overall storyline - All the good people in the book are fighting against Loki and his reapers to stop another cha...more 2.5-3 stars

I kind of hate when I like aspects of a series enough to want to continue reading, even though I don't particularly like the books. The Mythos Academy books are an example of this. I enjoy the mythology and the idea that there are warriors in the world who are descendants of those who fought or assisted in major battles (Spartans, Valkyries, Vikings, etc). I even enjoy the overall storyline - All the good people in the book are fighting against Loki and his reapers to stop another chaos war from occurring. However, I just feel like there is so much superfluous stuff crammed into them that the story doesn't really progress much. I mean, from the time the first book started to the end of this book (book 3 in the series and approximately 1,000 pages later) only a few months have passed but it felt like it took an eternity to get there.

Sadly, most of the filler in the books is "I like this boy, but he doesn't seem to like me, but really he just has a secret that he doesn't want to tell me, but I'm gonna pine over him anyway and then when we kind of figure things out and try to work on a relationship, one of us will do something to annoy the other and we stop talking to each other because we're in high school and that's what we do. Oh, but wait, we're making up again, sort of. I don't know how he feels and rather than ask him or tell him how I feel, I'll just mope instead." I understand that these books are written for young adults and the relationship stuff is probably something they're going through and can relate to, but it wears on me after a while.

The other thing that annoys me a little is that everyone in the book is always telling Gwen how smart she is, but I have to disagree. Yes, she has moments where she displays her intelligence, it's just that I don't always feel like it's at a time that really counts. In every book she either stumbles right into danger (Hi, Preston, the hot boy in book 2 that she couldn't believe was interested in her because she thinks she's not that good looking) and completely doesn't realize it until it's entirely too late, or she is too slow to connect things that she reads/people say until it's too late, assuming she managed to make the connection at all (enter the information about illusions in book 1 and how they seem real in every way until you know they're an illusion). What's more infuriating about the information connecting that she fails to do is that she constantly talks about how her psychometry allows her to remember every single thing she's heard, read, or seen, and she can recall these memories to review them any time she wants. You'd think she'd do this, but instead when she gets an inkling about something someone says, instead of pausing for a minute to call up the memories she has of that thing, she basically says, "Huh...That sounds familiar, but I can't figure out why. Meh, it'll come to me eventually"

I really wish that the books would focus more on the mythological creatures and characters a bit more. As they are, I feel the books leave out so much interesting information about the various Gods, Goddesses, and different warriors, and fail to move the plot along much just to make more room for the sub par love story that feels forced most of the time. On the plus side, we were only reminded of certain things (full names, expensive clothes, and that fact that all Gwen wears is hoodies) a handful of times compared with the previous books.

Overall I'd give this series thus far a 2.5-3 ranking...Not bad enough to hate, but also not really good enough to recommend to most of my friends.(less)

like 3 likes · see review

May 30, 2012 Mithrendiel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had a harder time getting into Dark Frost. I'm not really sure why- the story starts off with a Reaper attack, which would have been exciting, but something about it didn't grab me. It took me a few chapters to really get going. Once it did, I thoroughly enjoyed the action.

"But why me? Why do I have to be the one to make sacrifices?"
"Because you are strong enough to make them, Gwendolyn," Nike said. You're strong enough to keep going no matter how dark and hopeless things get, even if you don...more I had a harder time getting into Dark Frost. I'm not really sure why- the story starts off with a Reaper attack, which would have been exciting, but something about it didn't grab me. It took me a few chapters to really get going. Once it did, I thoroughly enjoyed the action.

"But why me? Why do I have to be the one to make sacrifices?"
"Because you are strong enough to make them, Gwendolyn," Nike said. You're strong enough to keep going no matter how dark and hopeless things get, even if you don't think you are."

The story it in this novel is darker than it's predecessors. Loki's power is on the rise, and a lot of depressing things happen. People die, sacrifices are made, defeats must be weathered. But in the midst of all the sorrow, there are a few exceptionally heart warming and uplifting moments.

Seeing Nott (the wolf Gwen helped) return did my heart good. In fact, all of my favorite parts of this book involved Nott. I guess I'm a sucker of stories with noble heroes and their trusty hounds.

Logan gave me a crooked grin. "You won't hut me. I know you won't."
"How can you be so sure?" I whispered.
His grin widened. "Because you're that Gypsy girl, and I'm the bad-boy Spartan. And I think it's time we were finally together, don't you?"

Fans of the ever-sexy Logan will not be disappointed with Dark Frost. Gwen and Logan have their share of struggles, but they finally take steps to making things more concrete between them. I'm also thrilled to note that the Frost series is still 100% love triangle free (and the people rejoiced!).

This novel looses a star due to the bone head maneuvers Gwen pulls. In Dark Frost, she's more angry and snappish, inclined to alienate friends and superiors. She also makes terrible decisions. In previous books she's proven herself a clever and resourceful person. I like to think her love of comic books has prepared her for a variety of difficult situations, but that may just be the geek in me talking. In Dark Frost Gwen does at least one massively important thing with no forethought, no planning, no backup, and no caution. One might chalk this type of action up to normal, impulsive teenage behavior if we'd seen any signs of such foolishness from Gwen in previous books, but we haven't. She's proven herself over and over again, and in this book, when the stakes are at their highest, she really drops the ball. The fact that this this mistake, and it's consequences end up moving the story forward in very interesting ways does not diminish my frustration with Gwen. I just love that girl too much. My beloved super snarky, ultra geeky heroine shouldn't make stupid mistakes, darn it! Ah well, I am excited to see where the story goes now. The next book promises to be very interesting.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

May 28, 2012 Felicia Chien rated it 4 of 5 stars

E-ARC: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep
Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: Mythos Academy is under attack. The Reapers are trying to find the Helheim dagger, and will stop at nothing to get it. Being Nike's champion, Gwen must do everything in her power to keep the dagger carefully hidden, and out of reach of The Reapers before anything more drastic can happen.

My Thoughts: I love this series. If you haven't read A Touch Of Frost yet, this is one series to...more E-ARC: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep
Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Source: Sent from author

Short Synopsis: Mythos Academy is under attack. The Reapers are trying to find the Helheim dagger, and will stop at nothing to get it. Being Nike's champion, Gwen must do everything in her power to keep the dagger carefully hidden, and out of reach of The Reapers before anything more drastic can happen.

My Thoughts: I love this series. If you haven't read A Touch Of Frost yet, this is one series to definitely sink your teeth in.

While working on a last minute school paper with her friends Daphne and Carson, the museum gets attacked by a group of Reapers. And since there is no real means of escape, Gwen and her friends stay, and fight back.
After the attack, students lives were lost, sending the school into a dark somber. Gwen and her friends find out that the Reapers badly want an artifact called the Helheim dagger. An artifact that her own mother once hid long ago.
Gwen must find out why the Reapers want this artifact, and how to keep it from them as long as possible. And if things couldn't get worse, Gwen has no idea what's going on with Daphne, and where she stands with her relationship with Logan, and if she wants to continue to be Nike's champion. Gwen must get to the bottom of the Helheim situation before things get too out of hand.

Another great read by Jennifer Estep. I seriously couldn't take my eyes off this series. Gwen might not be the strongest, or the most perfect, but when it comes to her friends, nothing can stop her. Gwen always has drama in her life, but she always finds time to help those she cares about.
I loved reading the on going relationship between Gwen and Logan, but am hoping that they will ultimately become a couple. There were a lot situations going on with this novel, and we get to find out more about each characters' past, including Gwen, Daphne and even Logan. I felt that this novel was more emotional, and couldn't wait to find out more.
I felt sympathy towards Daphne and what she was going through, as well as Gwen, as she finds out who her mother's real killer was. The Fenrir wolf was an interesting turn of events, and I can't wait to find out how Gwen will deal with the idea. It was also shocking to read that Gwen was having second thoughts about becoming Nike's champion, but also understandable. All in all, a great read, and one to definitely look forward to, especially if you've followed along since the beginning.

Would I recommend this book: Yes.

Rating: I give this book a 4/5.
(less)

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-beth-guest-reviewer

3.5 stars

Dark Frost is the third book in the Mythos Academy series. Gwen Frost and the other students are in the Crius Coliseum doing reports on the relics for class. The Coliseum is then attacked by Reapers who are looking for the Helheim Dagger that can set Loki free, and screw over the world. It is here that Gwen comes face to face with Loki’s champion. The only problem is that she is masked.

You want to start on the first book in this series. If I came in on this book I don’t think I would l...more 3.5 stars

Dark Frost is the third book in the Mythos Academy series. Gwen Frost and the other students are in the Crius Coliseum doing reports on the relics for class. The Coliseum is then attacked by Reapers who are looking for the Helheim Dagger that can set Loki free, and screw over the world. It is here that Gwen comes face to face with Loki’s champion. The only problem is that she is masked.

You want to start on the first book in this series. If I came in on this book I don’t think I would like it as much as I did. I would have cared far less about Gwen, and maybe even thought she was a little bit of a cry baby. The truth is that she actually grows for me as a character in this one, and I like her A LOT more than I have in the past. I am finally being able to relate to her, and feel for her on an emotional level which is something that hasn’t come through with the books before this one.

The story starts out with a bang. In the books before this one they always had a slow start. Too much recapping on past events always made for slow starts, but that isn’t the case in this one. It had the right amount of recapping, and started out with an attack that tossed me right into the story. The fights are well done through Gwen’s eyes and the action very enjoyable! In fact the action is something Estep doesn’t gloss over. I would ever call it too graphic, but it does grip the reader (at least this one).

After the opening battle it becomes a question of who is Loki’s champion, and where is the Helheim dagger? The story turns into a ‘Who is Loki’s champion?’ I knew right away, and was more than a little annoyed that Gwen couldn’t figure it out. There is a reference to Scooby-Doo in the book, and that is just what I thought it felt like, down to the last. Gwen is supposed to be smart, but I doubted that through a lot of the novel. I have a huge problem with her when I knew after the battle who Loki’s champion was, and it takes her almost the whole novel to figure it out. Why does she have these issues? Because of a boy. Yea, a boy. Her feelings for Logan and a character he was close with don’t help her with the mystery. Instead he gets in the way. This isn’t an excuse by the way, at least I felt like it was a bad one.

There is as always a sub-romantic plot with Logan, a Spartan that Gwen is in love with. I really like how this is coming along, and I will say that they are coming together nicely. There is a ‘but,’ a big one I mentioned before. He gets in the plots way, and sometimes, no, a lot of times this is annoying. On another character side note I am really happy with where Gwen’s friends Daphne and her Celt boyfriend are going. I really look forward to more of them.

The academy is neat as always. Mythological objects play a big role in the story which is a lot of fun. I would like to see more mythology than I am getting. Most of the mythos here is Greek, Norse and Celtic. Asia is briefly mentioned, but we don’t hear about their gods or mythos, in fact I really want one of these Ninjas to be a main character, just saying.

I have to say that this installment in the series was my favorite yet. I like where the story is going, and am looking forward to it a lot more than I was before. It did let me down in the middle with Gwen not knowing who Loki’s champion was, and instead of tension, I only felt annoyed with her. She was dropped far too many clues not to figure it out. On the other hand the end of the book was intense, and page turning. While it didn’t make up for the middle of the books lack, it did bring me much closer to Gwen who I feel more for than I have in the past.
- Beth (Guest Reviewer)(less)

like · see review

May 27, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep brings back Gwen Frost in the third book of the Mythos Academy Series. Things get a little bit more powerful this time around inside the unique world of the Mythos Academy. Fully jam-packed from the very beginning, it entirely pulls the reader into a frenzied event that literally shakes the very core of the story. The danger and adventures that the adored characters go through is more intense and entirely different that of the first two books.

The Gwen Frost character...more

like 1 like · see review

May 25, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, urban-fantasy

You've probably realized by now that Jennifer Estep is an author I adore. Absolutely adore. Her writing is consistently engaging and excellent and I always have her books pre-ordered as soon as they show up online. Needless to say, I'm always excited when they show up on my doorstep and I end up reading them right away. It's not great for my school schedule but it makes me so happy. =)

In DARK FROST, Jennifer Estep delivers a fast-paced story centered around Gwen looking for the Helheim Dagger. I...more You've probably realized by now that Jennifer Estep is an author I adore. Absolutely adore. Her writing is consistently engaging and excellent and I always have her books pre-ordered as soon as they show up online. Needless to say, I'm always excited when they show up on my doorstep and I end up reading them right away. It's not great for my school schedule but it makes me so happy. =)

In DARK FROST, Jennifer Estep delivers a fast-paced story centered around Gwen looking for the Helheim Dagger. It's a pivotal artifact in the good guys' battle against the Reapers and it's been missing since Gwen's mother was murdered. Gwen being Gwen, she's determined to find the dagger before everyone else and ends up looking for it by herself. (This is a sort of theme in the Mythos Academy novels. Gwen tends to try to go it alone, even though it usually leads to trouble. Thankfully, she's starting to learn her lesson on this front.) Jennifer Estep leaves some clues in DARK FROST that told me where the dagger was before Gwen found it but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this plot line.

What I really liked about DARK FROST is that we get more bad guy time. The book opens in this really unexpected way and it really sets the tone for the novel. Plus, we finally get to meet Loki's champion and his/her identity is another mystery for Gwent to solve. (I don't want to give anything away so I'm not going to talk too much about this.) It's a real treat to see what's going on from the Reapers' perspective, though, and I think it adds a lot to the book and the series.

We also get to see some interesting developments for the secondary characters in the book, particularly Daphne. She comes into her powers in DARK FROST and spends a significant amount of time learning about them. Daphne's always been a really fun character, especially with regard to Carson, but now she's got a more serious storyline and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And she's not the only one who has some interesting developments: we get to learn more about Gwen's family and powers, too. It's juicy stuff, people!

On the romantic front, Gwen and Logan finally abandon the will-they-won't-they stage of their relationship. I'm not going to say which way it goes but I will say it's not a smooth ride. It's great fun for the readers but it's torturous for our heroine. Jennifer Estep's done a marvellous job with their relationship. Logan's such an alpha male but he's got secrets and we finally get let in on some of them in DARK FROST.

As you may have guessed from all of the above, DARK FROST is jam packed with goodness. There's something for everyone -- action, romance, Big Events, and more! If you haven't tried the Mythos Academy series, now's the time because it keeps getting better and better.

http://www.tyngasreviews.com
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com (less)

like · see review

May 25, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Mythos Academy series is one where the road traveled by its characters gets progressively rougher with each installment, the tests Gwen faces increasing in emotional and physical intensity to ensure that what started out as a lighter connection to characters and story darkens and solidifies into something we feel with every beat of our hearts. One of Ms. Estep’s strengths lies in her ability to pair humor with pain, life with loss, and romance with heartbreak, always adding a little grit to...more The Mythos Academy series is one where the road traveled by its characters gets progressively rougher with each installment, the tests Gwen faces increasing in emotional and physical intensity to ensure that what started out as a lighter connection to characters and story darkens and solidifies into something we feel with every beat of our hearts. One of Ms. Estep’s strengths lies in her ability to pair humor with pain, life with loss, and romance with heartbreak, always adding a little grit to an otherwise smooth story, our skin abrading when we come in contact with it to act as a sharp reminder that in Gwen’s world, as in reality, suffering is a part of life. Though the burden Gwen carries as Nike’s Champion weighs more heavily from one book to the next, Ms. Estep never allows the darkness hovering on the fringes of her tale to fully infect and consume the story itself, crafting characters who repeatedly rise battle-ready with weapons drawn, prepared to be the first line of defense against any evil threatening their lives, their loved ones, and their world.

Gwen is a young woman whose growth continues to impress us the more time she spends at Mythos, starting out a true outcast who often lamented her status but did relatively little to ingratiate herself fully with the other students, to someone with a drive and determination to strengthen herself physically while striving to more thoroughly understand the scope of her pyschometry. She handles the constant emotional turmoil with Logan (and at times with best friend Daphne) remarkably well, never allowing her backbone to bend under the onslaught and instead keeping her head held high as she continues to wish for an outcome she’s not sure will ever truly be possible. While she does crumble a bit under the guilt stemming from certain events that take place in the last several chapters, her feelings of failure and inadequacy are more than understandable, and she only wallows in them briefly before drawing her spine straight once more and soldiering on.

Dark Frost is a pivotal book in the series in terms of the main story arc with Loki and the Reapers of Chaos, the minor developments of the previous two installments culminating in a conclusion that has us quivering in anticipation of the next book. There’s no jaw-dropping cliffhanger thankfully, but our need for more time in this world as the characters struggle to deal with the aftermath of all that’s happened is at an all time high as we close the back cover. While the identities of the Reapers are fairly easy to deduce, that knowledge doesn’t detract from our overall enjoyment as we’re easily wrapped up in Gwen, Logan and an epic battle of good versus evil, knowing all the while Ms. Estep will never make things easy for our heroes and heroines and loving her all the more for it.

Rating: 4/5 (less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Didn't see that one comming! (spoilers)	7	77	Mar 25, 2013 11:45pm
Gwen and Logan	8	59	Aug 04, 2012 10:42am

combine
Other Editions (9)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

179 users

Fantasy > Mythology

143 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

110 users

Fantasy

105 users

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

66 users

Romance

60 users

Fantasy > Magic

55 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

24 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

23 users

Young Adult > Teen

20 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Jennifer Estep

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy series for Pocket. Books in the series are SPIDER'S BITE, WEB OF LIES, VENOM, TANGLED THREADS, SPIDER'S REVENGE, BY A THREAD, and WIDOW'S WEB. THREAD OF DEATH, an e-novella, is also available.

HAIN...more

More about Jennifer Estep...

Books by Jennifer Estep

Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin, #4)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Dark Frost

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Dark Frost

“You won't hurt me. I know you won't." Logan said.
"How can you be so sure?" I whispered.
"Because you're that Gypsy girl, and I'm the bad-boy Spartan. And I think it's time we were finally together, don't you?” — 16 people liked it

“I'm crazy about you, Spartan.” — 11 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Dark Frost
avg rating	preview: Dark Frost Goodreads rating: 4.19 (4660 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11022222-dark-frost?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322599400l/11022222.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11022222-dark-frost?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep[/url]

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website