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Frost Fire (Tortured Elements #1)

by Olivia Rivers (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 96 ratings · 47 reviews

"Magic is just like love, Allai. It won't wait for permission before it destroys you."

Like sand in an hourglass, Allai's future is dwindling away. She's spent her entire life fighting the Mages who threaten humanity, and dreams of someday eradicating magic. But all it takes is an anonymous phone call for the truth to spill out: Allai is the one thing she despises most.

She...more

Paperback, 213 pages

Published November 20th 2012 by Red Sparrow Press (first published November 12th 2012)

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Feb 27, 2013 Richa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, for-review

Originally posted at City of Books - http://ecstatic-for-books.blogspot.com/

I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Okay?

When I started reading this book, I honestly couldn't believe it was written by a high school student. But it's true - Olivia Rivers is I think about a year older than me, and she's written such an amazing book! Frost Fire is a fantastic paranormal read, and it's incredibly well paced. I loved the magic, the action, and the romance in it.

There were quite a few twists and turns i...more Originally posted at City of Books - http://ecstatic-for-books.blogspot.com/

I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. Okay?

When I started reading this book, I honestly couldn't believe it was written by a high school student. But it's true - Olivia Rivers is I think about a year older than me, and she's written such an amazing book! Frost Fire is a fantastic paranormal read, and it's incredibly well paced. I loved the magic, the action, and the romance in it.

There were quite a few twists and turns in this book, and I loved that. Reading this book is like riding on a roller-coaster. There's a huge twist right at the end, and it left me reeling with shock. I felt a physical need for the sequel right after I finished the last page! The different paranormal creatures in Frost Fire intrigued me, and I was glad that they were original and not played out like vampires and werewolves.

Frost Fire is told in both Allai and Drake's points of view. To be honest, I didn't warm to Allai much in this book, because she spent most of it fainting and crying and in pain. Though I think that once she gets used to her magic, she'll be a really strong protagonist, and I can't wait to see that in the next book. Allai is very determined, and she's extremely brave, too. But she also makes pretty rash decisions. In fact, there are a few things she did that I wanted to knock her over the head for. I do hope she learns from her mistakes, though. I liked her unwavering faith in Drake, and her refusal to believe that he could ever harm her. She's really trusting of him, but with good reason. He was always there for her when they were kids, and he swore to always protect her.

Okay that brings me to Drake. I loved reading from his perspective, because he's such a complex character. He's a tortured guy, torn between wanting to save Allai and wanting to become something good, something better than what his father is. He realizes that he can do both, but that it won't be easy. Drake is on his way to becoming the most powerful demon out there, but he's not arrogant or vain at all. He really does have a good heart, and we see a totally different side of him later on in the novel. He seems harsh and dispassionate in the beginning, but Allai manages to soften him. Drake's sweet and romantic words and gestures sent chills down my spine. He's one of the awesomest book boys I've met so far, and is a major contributor to why I liked this book so much!

Luke is another character I really enjoyed reading about. He's a Persequor, and he's basically Allai's best friend. Probably her only friend in the Sentinel, which is why they're so close. Allai's father doesn't like them hanging around together, but there isn't much he can do about it. Luke's good for Allai - he's wise, and keeps her under control. He also comforts her when she needs it, and her safety comes before everything else. I like the fact that he calls her by a nickname, Allai-bird, and that they banter a lot. It shows how easy and effortless their friendship is, and how much they value it.

Have I mentioned that I love books with road trips in them? Well, I do. And Frost Fire's got a great one, with Drake and Allai desperately trying to reach the Caedes as fast as they can. Road trips always bring people closer to each other, at least in books, and that's exactly what happened here. Drake grows more comfortable around Allai, and soon all the barriers between them that formed after they were separated as kids suddenly disappear. That moment is amazing, when Drake admits to Allai that he didn't want anything between them to change, as well as what happens afterwards. Though I think you might have a good idea of that!

Overall, Frost Fire is an awesome debut from Olivia Rivers, and I'm hoping for an equally exceptional sequel! There's a lot more that Allai and Drake have to discover about themselves, and I can't wait to read all about how they decide to do that. This book is a great introduction to a series that I know I will love. The romance was very sweet and believable, the action was heart-stopping, and Drake was the cherry on the top!

*Thank you to Giselle for choosing me for this blog tour and providing me with a copy for review*(less)

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May 22, 2013 Shelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

I LOVE when free books surprise me!

I thought this was a great story! The story itself gets a five outta five star rating... The writing gets about 3.5. With that being said I would like to emphasize Olivia Rivers is a GREAT storyteller!

So I really liked Allai! She wasn't this super tough bad-ass Buffy character but dang she wanted to be! She was really sweet without being Mary Sunshine making you puke. She had ALL of these life changing events happen to her in rapid secession, and as much as I...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Jennifer Bielman (Reading and Writing UF and PNR) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, young-adult, witches, reviewed, paranormal, paranormal-romance

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

At A Glance
Though there wasn't as much romance as I expected, I did enjoy the ride Frost Fire took me on.

The Good
I really liked the uniqueness of the concept for Frost Fire. The world was dark, gritty and completely unfair. Allai had great determination and strength (even if she would disagree) to put up with the demons who raised her. But they were the only family she knew. I loved learning about her mysterious past and how it linked Drake and her t...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) added it

Shelves: asked-to-review, young-adult, paranormal, xpresso-blog-tours, series, series-i-need-to-finish, fantasy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an electronic copy of this novel for review as part of the Xpresso Blog Tours. I was not obligated to write a good review nor am I receiving any compensation for writing my review.

An Overview of the Novel: Allai doesn't remember much about her past, but she does remember Drake, a demon, trying to kill her. But she also remembers him protecting her and promising never to harm her. The two images are impossible to reconcile.

But then she finds...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, 2013-must-read, february-2013, xpresso-tours

Frost Fire is one of those books that has you saying "WOW" "WOW" over and over again. I mean I read it and was like "WOW" and then because I loved it so much I re-read the next day to make sure I did not miss a beat and I found that I had not missed anything. The story was just that GREAT, BRILLIANT in fact. Then just a side note I realized the author looked a little young and HOLY HADES she is a high schooler! Holy Hades I could not believe she had such talent!

Frost Fire is a story about a girl...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A pleasant surprise. Frost Fire was a delightful, imaginative book that I really enjoyed!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book. But, it definitely turned out to be a great read and a brilliant start to a new series.

Allai was a remarkable character. She's a strong heroine-she has to be given that she lives among demons. I really liked her, though I think she has yet to show her full potential. Throughout mo...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

A pleasant surprise. Frost Fire was a delightful, imaginative book that I really enjoyed!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book. But, it definitely turned out to be a great read and a brilliant start to a new series.

Allai was a remarkable character. She's a strong heroine-she has to be given that she lives among demons. I really liked her, though I think she has yet to show her full potential. Throughout most of the book, she was sick for a reason that I can't say without spoiling the entire book. Even while she was sick and fainting, she managed to handle demon assassins and everything else thrown at her. I'm hoping that, in the next book, we'll be able to see her at her best. She was a lovely heroine who was very easy to like.

Drake was a deep and complicated character. And I loved him for it. His life has been misery because of his father, but he hasn't let that corrupt him. He's incredibly powerful, and he's been trying to hide it from his father so that he won't be used as a weapon. And all that isn't even bringing in the issue with his mother. Once again, a very complicated character. His depth was very well done. I LOVED how he was so determined to protect Allai. I adored his character-he was utterly perfect.

Allai and Drake were a very intense couple. By that, I mean that they are very devoted to each other. They've had feelings for each other for a long time, but circumstances prevented anything coming from it. When the meet again, their feelings were very strong. However, their romance was a minor point in this book. I think that it will become more prominent in the next books, but, in Frost Fire, it was a lesser detail

The plot of this book was very action packed. My one complaint is that I wish more has happened. Though there were thrills, secrets, and surprises, I felt like not that much actually happened. I was kept hooked and I loved the story, but I think more should have happened.

With the ending of the book came a cliffhanger and the reveal of a shocking secret. It definitely ended with a bang that has me anxious to find out what happens next.

Frost Fire was a wonderful YA paranormal romance! Lovers of the genre, you should definitely read it.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: demons, fantasy, magical, mystery, paranormal, romance, ya

GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Romance, Demons, Mage
RECEIVED: Blog Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
This was such an interesting concept and definitely original, using Mages and Demons as the main supernatural, it was such a refreshing idea. What’s even more amazing about this story is that a high school student wrote it. Olivia Rivers created such an amazing world with a fast paced story that kept me hooked and shocked until the very end. I look forward to reading more of her books...more GENRE: YA Paranormal
THEME: Romance, Demons, Mage
RECEIVED: Blog Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
This was such an interesting concept and definitely original, using Mages and Demons as the main supernatural, it was such a refreshing idea. What’s even more amazing about this story is that a high school student wrote it. Olivia Rivers created such an amazing world with a fast paced story that kept me hooked and shocked until the very end. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future and already can tell the book world will see great things coming from this young writer.

Frost Fire follows Allai, she is a human girl who knows and lives among the demons. She has grown up knowing that the demons protect humans from the powerful mages that live in their world. But one day everything changes when the boy from her past comes and continues his promise of protecting her, even if it’s from the very people she thought she was safe with.

Allai is like most young female protagonist, she’s strong, determined and stubborn. Her world has been dramatically changed after discovering her true nature. She luckily has one person who she can truly trust, even though she believed he tried to kill her once. Near the middle of the book it was hard to figure out who were the good guys and who were the bad. I was rooting for something to go right for Allai and get the target off her head. There is more than meets the eye with her, lots of secrets that connect her to some very interesting and powerful people.

Drake was a young boy when he first met Allai and he made her a promise that he will always keep. He wants to protect her; he even goes against what his father wants for him. The readers will instantly love this bad boy, who is very much Allai’s love interest. Then there is Luke; there is so much about him that his mysterious and I just couldn’t figure this guy out. He I felt was a great father type figure for Allai and someone who the readers (and me) are going to want to know more about, or beg to know more about in the future books.

Overall a great start to a new young adult paranormal romance, there is never a dull moment. The character development was fantastic; I loved watching Drake and Allai learn from each other and try to adapt to their new situations. There are a ton of surprises, especially the ending, which was my favorite part. I’m still shocked. My only problem was that Allai became a little whiny at certain points and I’m not a fan of whiny leads. But otherwise I will be continuing this series and applaud Rivers for a great debut. Fast paced, action packed, romance and twist, this story has it all.
RECOMMENDATION:

This is a Young Adult books with a mix of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal magic. Fans of the Angelfire series by Courtney Allison Moulton and Brodi Ashtons Everbound series will enjoy Frost Fire by Olivia Rivers.
(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Ashley (The Bibliophile's Corner) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally on my blog.

Cover Talk: I am such a huge fan of this cover. I think it’s definitely the wings that make it so appealing. (Click here for Olivia’s post on how she designed this cover!)

First Line: “Drake extended his claws and stepped toward the girl.”

Why I Read It: The concept of this novel was a very intriguing one. I also participated in the cover reveal for this book and kind of fell in love with the cover so I had to join the book tour as soon as it opened.

Characters: Allai is a Nox...more Originally on my blog.

Cover Talk: I am such a huge fan of this cover. I think it’s definitely the wings that make it so appealing. (Click here for Olivia’s post on how she designed this cover!)

First Line: “Drake extended his claws and stepped toward the girl.”

Why I Read It: The concept of this novel was a very intriguing one. I also participated in the cover reveal for this book and kind of fell in love with the cover so I had to join the book tour as soon as it opened.

Characters: Allai is a Nox, a human that is aware and can see supernatural creatures. Allai was raised by demons after being abandoned by her parents. Being raised among demons, you would think that she would be tough and a fighter, but honestly, I just didn’t see that enough in her. It wasn’t until close to the end that I really started seeing more to her. And the fainting was finally explained.

Drake is a rather conflicted soul. He is supposed to kill Allai, but can’t do it. And instead, becomes her protector. I really love seeing Drake’s past. He is by no means the the son that his father wants and is not the monster that everyone thinks he is.

Luke is my favorite. A blind, gay demon? Can I please have one in my life? His loyalty to Allai is so incredible and I love how willing he is to put himself in danger to protect her.

Plot/World-building: It took me several chapters to get into this book. I enjoyed bits and pieces of the beginning, like Luke and Allai’s relationship, finding out about this world, but it took about halfway through for my attention to be caught. But once Allai and Drake team up and escape, I found that I couldn’t put the book down.

The romance between Allai and Drake I actually don’t care for. I do love their connection and how they met, but the romance is just a little off for me.

I’m also a little bit picky when it comes to fantasy novels. When there is a new world, I appreciate a little bit of creativity. And unfortunately, I just found the names…weird. The character names were a little too out there for me and I couldn’t pronounce a lot of them. And as for the names of the different beings: Nox, Lux, Demons, Hunters…I just don’t know. They didn’t work for me.

The ending definitely makes up for the slow beginning. For the entire first half of the novel, it’s world building and family angst. But the second half gets good when all of the magic starts happens. Literally.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I think this is an enticing enough read to have me read Olivia’s next book. I look forward to seeing these characters grow and for Olivia’s writing to grow.(less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Marybeth (Manhattan Reader) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, for-review, kindle

I have been thinking about a million ways to start this review. It wasn't that this story was bad - it was different. It was different in a good way.

It has been a long time since I've read a story like the one presented here, because I've been stuck in the contemporary/erotica world for a little too long that sometimes I tend to forget that fantasy tales like these exist and that they make me happy.

Allai has been fighting Mages all her life and in a twist of events (or not, depending on who's po...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Krishna rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book review was originally posted on my blog
Journey with Books
Get a chance to win a copy of this book!

Frost Fire is the first book I've read from Ms. Olivia Rivers and I must say that it pleasantly surprised me.

Frost Fire is all about 'the girl', Allai. She was raised by the fierce leader of the Sentinels who have a long standing war against the demons who hurt the humans. They all thought she's just a weak human with a little blood of demon in her but they were all wrong. The truth is All...more This book review was originally posted on my blog
Journey with Books
Get a chance to win a copy of this book!

Frost Fire is the first book I've read from Ms. Olivia Rivers and I must say that it pleasantly surprised me.

Frost Fire is all about 'the girl', Allai. She was raised by the fierce leader of the Sentinels who have a long standing war against the demons who hurt the humans. They all thought she's just a weak human with a little blood of demon in her but they were all wrong. The truth is Allai is a very powerful Mage and the moment they discovered the truth, they all turned their backs on her and decided to order a kill on her.
The only one who can save her is Drake, the demon who once promised to protect her but tried to kill her years ago... or so she thought.

Frost Fire is a really good book to read. The plot is wisely executed. There were a lot of twists and turns that made it so exciting.

I loved the characters. They were simply amazing. Allai is the kind of girl who is so brave despite her limitations. She's really strong despite her vulnerabilities. And Drake is simply adorable. The way he values and protects Allai is the one that made me fall in love with him. I also liked Luke. He's an amazing character and I am so intrigue on what would happen to him in the next book.

The chemistry between Allai and Drake is good and I would love to see how their chemistry grows on the next book.

The pacing of the story is quite nice. The start seems a bit slow but it's quite understandable because I think the author is trying to slowly introduce the new world inside the book. I appreciated that.

Overall, I think Frost Fire is a nicely written YA Paranormal Romance book. It has an unforgettable and at times an action packed adventure every adventure book junkie wants to read. And the nice and sweet romance in it is definitely one you don't want to miss out on. It's definitely on my great reads list for YA Paranormal Romances.

So, if you guys want all that in your YA Paranormal Romance book, then get your copy of it from your favorite stores because I'm sure you do not want to miss this lovely lovely book! (less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-paranormal-reading-challenge

I loved this book! The story itself was very different and unusual. The characters were amazing, and I especially LOVED Drake! (swoon!) I really felt all the emotions while reading, especially the romance between Allai and Drake.

The backstory of the novel is that Drake tried to kill Allai in her bedroom about 2 years ago. He failed, and ever since Allai has had nightmares about it. But she also has a memory of him from when she was little, a memory where he tells her he will never let anyone hu...more I loved this book! The story itself was very different and unusual. The characters were amazing, and I especially LOVED Drake! (swoon!) I really felt all the emotions while reading, especially the romance between Allai and Drake.

The backstory of the novel is that Drake tried to kill Allai in her bedroom about 2 years ago. He failed, and ever since Allai has had nightmares about it. But she also has a memory of him from when she was little, a memory where he tells her he will never let anyone hurt her. This is the only memory Allai has from when she was little. When she was 8 or 9, she was found on Sentinel property, abandoned and bruised. The head of the Sentinels adopts her, as she is part demon, but mostly human.

Back to present day. An evil demon attacks Allai while she's on a run, and Drake saves her life, but is then captured. Allai is, understandably, very confused with this turn of events. Is Drake really an evil killer?

So much happens in this story. There is lots of action, drama, and even some romance to even it all out. I loved the descriptions in the story, especially about the demons. They have razor sharp wings that sound like wind chimes when they prepare to fight. It was a totally new concept on a demon, and really cool to read about! And like I mentioned before, the emotions were so real, and very intense.

Let's talk about Drake...oh, goddess! I totally fell in love with him, and his cursed life. I really just wanted to hug him all throughout the story. He is one of the most cursed characters I have ever read, and its amazing what he does with it! He doesn't like contact, even just a pat--he equates touch with pain. He's a mastermind at changing subjects, and has a very sarcastic humor. He really is one hot bad boy!

The ending completely surprised me. There are a few twists, and I really didn't see any of them coming. Things wrap up nicely for the story, but there is still a lot to learn about the series. I can't wait to find out more about Luke, Drake, and Allai! (less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Stephanie Cover2CoverBlog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Background: Set in a world where Demons walk among the humans, Allai believe she is a human that lives in this Demon world. Caught in a battle against Mages who threaten humanity as well as the demon race. Allai has had her share of problems, she was left by her parents then she was almost killed by a very attractive boy, and suddenly her attacker has returned, only to tell her things aren't always as they seem.

Review: I really enjoyed this book, but it did have a lot of flaws as well. I gave it...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Aseel (My Crazy Book Obsession) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nov-release, for-review

I really liked Frost Fire. It was an easy book to get into and love, and I had so much fun reading it. I didn't know it was written by a high-school student until I finished reading it. I'm very impressed by this fact, I honestly would never've guessed. It's so well written and the description of everything was vivid.

Frost Fire is about Allai, a girl raised to hate mages, only to discover that she, in fact, is one herself. Hunted by her own father, Allai is forced to put her trust in a demon, D...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Jenea Whittington rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say that I was drawn to this cover, and when the chance came to be part of the tour for it, I was all in. I had no know why his wings looked they were metal and what a Mage was. And most of all, why Allai is so dangerous to those around her.

Allai is the protagonist, who has lived in a world with demons being raised by a man who wasn’t her biological father. She has known this since she was little, and everyone around her called her a Nox (human) but neither one these things bothered he...more

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Feb 25, 2013 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nichole

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

Buy the book: Amazon Barnes and Noble

“Magic is just like love, Allai. It won’t wait for permission before it destroys you.”
Like sand in an hourglass, Allai’s future is dwindling away. She’s spent her entire life fighting the Mages who threaten humanity, and dreams of someday eradicating magic. But all it takes is an anonymous phone call for the truth to spill out: Allai is the one thing she despises most.
She’s a Mage.
Though ancient la...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Lea (Between fantasy and reality) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Between fantasy and reality

First I have to start with the cover. It is amazing. I must say that this is one of my favorite covers of all time.
Now, with the book. Frost fire is a good book. It has an interesting story, a hot guy and it has Luke, who is one of my favorite characters ever. Irish demon. Amazing. Allai was a little bit annoying and she was the only thing in the book I didnt really like. Then there is Drake. I always love a good bad boy and he is one of the best. The storyline was ok...more

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Feb 27, 2013 J.A. Huss rated it 5 of 5 stars

First reviewed at New Adult Addiction

I gave this book a 4.5 - but I round up.

Frost Fire has a lot going for it. I, for one, am not ashamed to admit that I decided to review this book based on the cover. I love winged dudes and this guy here is all sorts of awesome! This is low fantasy novel and while I admit that I’m not all that much into fantasy, I do enjoy urban fantasy and this book certainly has some elements of that going for it.

Allai lives with a faction of Demons and she is sort of the...more First reviewed at New Adult Addiction

I gave this book a 4.5 - but I round up.

Frost Fire has a lot going for it. I, for one, am not ashamed to admit that I decided to review this book based on the cover. I love winged dudes and this guy here is all sorts of awesome! This is low fantasy novel and while I admit that I’m not all that much into fantasy, I do enjoy urban fantasy and this book certainly has some elements of that going for it.

Allai lives with a faction of Demons and she is sort of the adopted daughter of the leader of this faction, who are The Sentinel. This is the part of the story that I think really shines above everything else – and that is the relationship Allai has with these Demons, and most importantly, her father, Shieldak. I’m very interested in learning more about this father daughter relationship because it hints at two conflicting realities and while I’m leaning in one direction about Shieldak, I’m not sure. I realize you have no idea what I’m talking about, but I don’t do spoilers, so I can’t say any more. I just think Olivia Rivers nailed the whole familial relationship thing in this book. If the reality of the situation – the way in which Olivia Rivers writes the relationship between Shieldak and Allai – is true, then all I can say is poor Allai. I feel for her and while I'm not generally into hesitant female characters, this was a major blow and she deserves her moment of crippling doubt and vulnerability.

The main love interest is Drake and I thought Rivers did a very good job describing the complicated emotions that Allai has for him. Some of the plot devices were simple – like the lockgem. That’s just asking for trouble! But all in all, this book was well-written, fresh, and kept my interest the entire time. I would’ve liked to see a deeper level to Drake and Allai’s relationship, but it was built up at an appropriate pace.

I’m really looking forward to the next book and I hope it sheds more light on Allai’s childhood. She hints all kinds of “preparation” and I’d just like to get to the bottom of why Shieldak invested so much time and effort in her.(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Merin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, read-in-2013

When I first saw the summary for Frost Fire, I was instantly intrigued. I like books where the main character finds out she or he is something different from what they'd always thought, and the self-discovery that usually takes place. While Frost Fire didn't have any of that self-discovery - Allai is on the run for her life, which doesn't leave a lot of room for ruminating on your future - and Allai herself wasn't actually my favorite part of the book, I still found quite a lot to enjoy in its p...more When I first saw the summary for Frost Fire, I was instantly intrigued. I like books where the main character finds out she or he is something different from what they'd always thought, and the self-discovery that usually takes place. While Frost Fire didn't have any of that self-discovery - Allai is on the run for her life, which doesn't leave a lot of room for ruminating on your future - and Allai herself wasn't actually my favorite part of the book, I still found quite a lot to enjoy in its pages. I'm betting now that things have been solved in terms of where Allai is, we'll (hopefully!) see more of that questioning in the second installment.

First of all, the world this is set in is very interesting. While I really would have loved more world-building - how did these paranormal creatures come to be, and why are they protecting the humans? why don't they like the Mages, who can perform magic? how can the humans have no idea these creatures exist? etc. - the little glimpses we did see of the various factions intrigued me and made me want more. I was especially interested in how the Mages were seemingly working with Drake's father, but don't actually seem to like him. The whole thing left me very curious. I also enjoyed what we could see of the Mages' magic and how it works. I am always a fan of magic, and am especially intrigued with Drake's abilities.

As for the characters, I had a bit of a problem with Allai herself. She proclaims to have trained to fight the Keepers and Rhaize's forces, but she spends most of this book being very damsel-in-distress. Drake has to save her neck several times (and his view of her as soft and weak didn't help), which made it all the more disappointing. I know Allai is dealing with something pretty severe throughout the book in terms of her magic, but I would have liked to see her be a little stronger. Drake, too, has his own flaws (see his view of Allai above), but on the whole I found him enjoyable to read, and especially liked when we got to read from his point of view. He's made out to be all-powerful and strong as well, but he, too, sort of didn't live up to that hype. I'll be interested to see more growth from both him and Allai in the second book.

The character I felt most drawn to is Luke, who I have loads and loads of questions about (and not just because of what we discover at the end). I'm really hoping he's going to make an appearance in the second book as well, because there's so much I want to know about him and his past!

While I seem to be complaining a lot about Frost Fire, that's not really my intention. Truthfully, I found this book extremely intriguing and compelling. The action and introspective parts were very well mixed, keeping the book constantly moving forward at a good pace. While there are things I wish I had more information on, this is the first in a series, so not finding answers to everything isn't exactly a deal breaker. The twists at the end regarding Drake's father's ultimatum and the appearance of the Mages leaves things with a definite question mark hanging over them, and I for one am very interested to see what happens next!

A copy of this book was provided by Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

***

To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

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Dec 11, 2012 Jennifer marked it as to-read

Love the cover!

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Jun 18, 2013 Ina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks

My rating is 2.5. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it very much either. The beginning was very promising and I was quite excited to read it, but then it went downhill. I didn't care about the characters (which felt very generic), and while the plot was original enough - minus the 'ordinary girl learns she's got powers she never suspected about' bit which is rapidly getting very old these days - the writing was average at most and there was too much tell rather than show for my taste. It could...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Pure Textuality rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stunned. I am just……STUNNED right now!

I received Frost Fire as a review request for this blog tour and the first thing I noticed was the cover. It is just BEAUTIFUL. I started reading and was IMMEDIATELY pulled in. The characters are highly intriguing and she’s built this complex world they live in. Everyone knows I am partial to demons and not having read the synopsis for this book, I had NO CLUE I was about to step into this crazy hierarchy struggle of demon breeds with crazy powers. The whole...more Stunned. I am just……STUNNED right now!

I received Frost Fire as a review request for this blog tour and the first thing I noticed was the cover. It is just BEAUTIFUL. I started reading and was IMMEDIATELY pulled in. The characters are highly intriguing and she’s built this complex world they live in. Everyone knows I am partial to demons and not having read the synopsis for this book, I had NO CLUE I was about to step into this crazy hierarchy struggle of demon breeds with crazy powers. The whole world that makes up Frost Fire is just unreal.

I loved the story line. Beginning to end. Well, if you can call it an end. Frost Fire is left wide open to carry on as a series. I have no idea how many books there will be in this series but I will most assuredly be following it to the end.

The story surrounding the main characters and what they are keeps the story moving at an extremely fast pace. The more you learn about them, the more you want to know! I LOVED the character of Drake. In the readers eye, he goes through the most transformation in this book, taking on much different roles as the story progresses. By the time you reach the end, you see him in a FAR different light than you do at he very beginning. And he’s not the only one. The character development in Frost Fire is flawless across the whole cast.

Nothing is predictable either, which is one of my favorite aspects of this book. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it would take an abrupt turn. The character development plays a HUGE part in this because just when you think you have everyone pegged as “the good guy” or “the bad guy”, the world gets flipped around on you.

As I said at the start, this book left me stunned. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and am highly anticipating the next book to see where the story goes from here. I am giving Frost Fire 5 solid stars. A total page burner. Frost Fire will be one that I will definitely be rereading and recommending to anyone willing to listen.

To top everything off, I was further floored when I decided to reach out to the author about doing an interview. Not only is she a talented writer, she’s a high school student. To add to that, she’s quite the artist! That absolutely GORGEOUS cover was created by her as well. I believe that Olivia Rivers has a very promising career ahead of her in the writing world and I for one will be following it.(less)

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Mar 20, 2013 Gabic Reads rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Original review on Gabic Reads

At first I thought Allai was going to be a total BA. Then she just turned into this huge blubbering idiot. She's in a catatonic shock for what seems like half the book! Staring into space, not responding to anyone. Wake up, honey! You're being chased by demons and need to get your act together if you and Drake want to survive. And Drake's words describe Allai perfectly: "She was so pitiful, so helpless and sad." Yeah, that's basically what she's like throughout the...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Megan Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review first appeared on Books i View.

Frost Fire was a first for me. It was the first demon book I’ve read. I don’t know why but for some reason I just never explored that type of world until now. Little did I know how much I could get sucked into a story like this one. Frost Fire opened my eyes up and I would be more likely to try more books like this now!

The characters were simply amazing. I envied Allai for living in such a unique world with all of these hot demons around her, even after...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Girls*heart*Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours, mel-is-reading

Frost Fire is the first book in the Tortured Elements series by Olivia Rivers. When I read the synopsis of the book before signing up for this tour, I knew immediately that it was something I would enjoy.

Told from the perspectives of both Allai and Drake, Frost Fire was a nonstop thrill ride. I enjoyed every moment. Loaded with suspense, intrigue and romance, this book was impossible for me to put down. I simply had to know what became of Allai and Drake.

The characters were interesting and com...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Eatonlm rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

Frost Fire took me by surprise. I'm not above admitting I picked this book up just for the cover. The synopsis sounded terrible to me. I've never picked up a book about mages that I even remotely liked. What I was anticipating to be another regurgitated story about magic turned out to be a whole complex world I've never delved into before.

Each character had their own voice. Their own personality. There was not a single character introduced that was even remotely boring. Some of the background c...more

Frost Fire took me by surprise. I'm not above admitting I picked this book up just for the cover. The synopsis sounded terrible to me. I've never picked up a book about mages that I even remotely liked. What I was anticipating to be another regurgitated story about magic turned out to be a whole complex world I've never delved into before.

Each character had their own voice. Their own personality. There was not a single character introduced that was even remotely boring. Some of the background characters we met had no relevance to the story (maybe they will in future books, but for this story they were just there) yet somehow I was enthralled with the little bit of their lives we got to see.

A high school-er wrote this! Seriously?????

The world Olivia Rivers created is fascinating. There are no lags, no ridiculous concepts that seem hurriedly manufactured to get us from point A to point B. All concepts were well thought out and executed beautifully. There are a few grammatical errors, but not enough to take away from the story.

Allai had a few moments where I really wanted to slap her. She screams a lot. For someone who was raised with warriors and taught that weakness is never to be shown, she sure was a weak damsel in distress. I get that she needed to be in order to make Drake relevant. If she could take care of herself there would really be no need for him. I just wish she wasn't portrayed as such a baby all the time. It is going to be difficult to believe her to be the leader I expect she's going to become down the road.

Drake is awesome. Scars, tattoo's, piercings, and metal wings. Hey, what else could a girl ask for? His personality fits his descriptive image perfectly. Then there is the soft side, the vulnerable side. The flash backs we experience through his memory transfers round him out perfectly as a character. He's exactly what every girl wants her leading man to be.

An excellent first book in what I ave no doubt will be an amazing series. So Olivia, give us book two already! (less)

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Mar 02, 2013 Dana Square rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-gr

I read Frost Fire in one sitting it was just that amazing. I want Drake to be my new book boyfriend just saying. This book was exciting, fun , creative and definitely swoon worthy. I loved the demon mythology Olivia created it was unique and really enjoyable.

This book for me was super addicting I loved the characters and how they were really unpredictable. Drake was fantastic because he loved Allai so much even though it went against his demon nature that it was so endearing to read. I liked tha...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Isabel (Sab The Book Eater) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour

This review and more at Sab The Book Eater

I'm not very fond of paranormal novels that don't have a lot of contemporary elements in it (i.e. names, you're-in-highschool-but-actually-you're-a-powerful-warlock etc etc) so I originally had trouble getting into the story. But once I read a few pages and the backgrounder was there, BAM! I couldn't stop reading and I felt really awful that it was kind of short.

I really liked how imaginative the author was. Everything about the world she created was rea...more This review and more at Sab The Book Eater

I'm not very fond of paranormal novels that don't have a lot of contemporary elements in it (i.e. names, you're-in-highschool-but-actually-you're-a-powerful-warlock etc etc) so I originally had trouble getting into the story. But once I read a few pages and the backgrounder was there, BAM! I couldn't stop reading and I felt really awful that it was kind of short.

I really liked how imaginative the author was. Everything about the world she created was really detailed and it was a real page turner! I liked how the story was action-packed and how the action scenes were told in detail. I hate it when action scenes aren't... I mean, that's kind of the point right? To describe action? Anyway, I had my does of action in Frost Fire and I was not disappointed. I especially loved how bloody it all was - not that it was gory or anything - it's just that it became more realistic when Drake got badly wounded or Allai got hurt and whatnot.

Another thing that I liked about this book was the pacing. I liked how fast paced it was and that no page was wasted. Right from the very start, there was something going on. I admit though, part of the reason for me not getting into the book early on was because it immediately dove into the story and I didn't feel like I was eased in. But I now I just feel like it's part of the story's charm. I liked how things got so exciting at the right moments and how the twists were placed at key moments as well. Speaking of twists - woah. And that's all I'm going to say. *wink* The characters were a delight as well. I just wish I got more out of Allai. It's not that I didn't like her. I just didn't really feel a connection with her in the beginning but I guess it all worked out in the end because I enjoyed the book so much.

Overall I can say that Frost Fire is definitely my cup of tea. Heck, this kind of paranormal is definitely my cup of tea now. It made me like a genre that I didn't like that much and I hope you can give it a try as well (especially if, you know, you're like me pre-reading heh). You won't be sorry! :-)

***I received an e-copy of this book for review***
This review is based solely on my opinion.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Sam Kasbrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I have to say that I wasn't all too impressed with this novel. It was okay, but that's as far as I'd go. Having said that, we need to keep in mind that a teenager wrote this book...so that's pretty impressive! However, I do not let things such as age/experience affect my reviews; all books get treated as they are and with no biases. Okay, so the story was good. The story was probably my favourite part of the novel. It is quite creative and unique. It's about a girl named Allai, who doesn't remem...more I have to say that I wasn't all too impressed with this novel. It was okay, but that's as far as I'd go. Having said that, we need to keep in mind that a teenager wrote this book...so that's pretty impressive! However, I do not let things such as age/experience affect my reviews; all books get treated as they are and with no biases. Okay, so the story was good. The story was probably my favourite part of the novel. It is quite creative and unique. It's about a girl named Allai, who doesn't remember much about her past other than a few weak memories. She remembers a boy demon named Drake who tried to kill her after always claiming he would keep her safe. She has constant nightmares about him, until one day he comes back into her life. And saves her life. Then, she has to force herself to trust that what he says is true, because she needs him to keep her safe once again. Together, they embark on a journey with ups and downs and hopefully safety at the end...

I was not a big fan of either Allai or Drake. I found it difficult to connect with either of them, but I do find this often happens for me with third person narration. But, I just don't feel that these characters were very memorable...there was nothing that stood out from them, in my opinion. Allai is a typical damzel in distress throughout the majority of this novel. She is weak and constantly screaming or fainting. Definitely not the tough heroin I like my leading ladies to be. Drake is the tough one. He is Allai's knight in shining armour; he's always coming to Allai's rescue. Both Allai and Drake are likeable enough, I suppose; but, I find myself very much disconnected from them, even while writing this review. I can't even think of interesting things to say about them...

The writing is below average, I would say. It's weak and immature, although it does have it's strong moments. I understand that Rivers is very young and this is her debut novel, so I don't want to go too hard on her. Everyone has to start somewhere. And, believe me, the writing could be a lot worse -- I've definitely read worse. So, Rivers' writing isn't bad per say, but it's not very good either. I also noticed that there were quite a few mistakes in the later half of the novel. I'm not sure what happened there...did the editor get sick of it and started becoming sloppy? I don't know...but there were significantly more in the second half than the first.

Overall, I wasn't too keen on this book. I don't think I'll read the second of the series. But, if you think it sounds up your alley, then please try it out for yourself. It does have quite a few 5 star ratings on Goodreads. Oh, one thing I love is the cover, though! It's awesome!(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Stephanie Ward rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, ebook, for-review

'Frost Fire' is the first book in a YA paranormal series that follows teenage Allai, an orphan raised by the leader of the Sentinel - a powerful group of Demons who protect humans and kill any dangerous paranormal beings - including Mages. Allai has lived a really normal life, apart from being a human in a Demon world. She lives to help her father and the Sentinel in any way she can - including killing Mages and ridding the world of magic. That is, until one day an anonymous tip is received by h...more 'Frost Fire' is the first book in a YA paranormal series that follows teenage Allai, an orphan raised by the leader of the Sentinel - a powerful group of Demons who protect humans and kill any dangerous paranormal beings - including Mages. Allai has lived a really normal life, apart from being a human in a Demon world. She lives to help her father and the Sentinel in any way she can - including killing Mages and ridding the world of magic. That is, until one day an anonymous tip is received by her father and Allai realizes her entire existence has been a lie and she is actually the one thing she was taught to hate - a Mage. Now, she's on the run with Drake Rhaize, a Demon - who until extremely recently - Allai has believed tried to kill her three years ago. Drake is unpredictable, an outcast from his own kind - and also the unknown boy from Allai's childhood memories. Drake has taken it upon himself to get Allai to safety - before the Demons hired by his father and Allai's own father catch up to them and try to kill them both. Will he make it to safety in time?

After participating in the cover reveal for this book, I was in love. The cover is absolutely gorgeous! The premise sounded pretty interesting and I thought that I'd really like the book. Little did I know that I would soon fall prey to it's pages. I was almost immediately sucked into Allai's world. I easily connected with her and found myself feeling real sympathy for what she goes through in the book. I rooted her on the entire way and just loved her for the main character. The other characters were interesting - especially Luke - her Demon "brother" who has looked out for her and practically raised her since she was adopted by the Sentinel leader. He was unique for a Demon - his ability to show or even have emotions was interesting - and the fact that he was blind really set him apart from other characters out there. Then we have Drake. Oh, Drake. I don't normally go for the "bad boy" type - but I certainly broke out of that mold for this guy. He's a tough guy on the outside - a completely badass demon who can seriously fight - but he's also full of emotion -- especially when it comes to Allai. He's basically the bad boy with the heart of gold - sort of. Definitely irritating at times but he always seemed to redeem himself one way or another. The world that the author creates with the Demons, Mages, and the history behind everything was really intriguing and I loved learning about it all. I hope the second book goes into more detail about the varying species and the history between the Keepers, the Mages, and the Sentinel. The world was super detailed and the descriptions were great - I could easily feel like I was there beside the characters during the entire book. The writing was superb - everything flowed effortlessly and the book had a great pace. Even the dialogue between characters was spot-on - it didn't feel forced or fake. I loved every single thing about this novel and I'm really glad it's only the first in a series. The only problem now is having to wait for the next installment to come out! I highly recommend this book for fans of YA paranormal fiction - you definitely won't regret it!!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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May 08, 2013 Heather andrews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Right off the bat we are put into action and if anyone who knows me, knows that's how I like it none of this beating around the bush crap. What really kept me in the story wasn't the storyline itself but Drake, I loved that boy so much, he's protective, "I'm not going back," Drake snarled. Then he nodded toward Allai and added, "and I'm not letting you touch the girl. So get away from her." That is seriously one hot macho male right there. I liked how Drake thought weirdly in awful situations it...more

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About Olivia Rivers

Olivia Rivers is a high school student, a literary agent intern, and an obsessive-compulsive reader. She has a slight obsession with Kootenai County in Idaho, and she’s pretty sure life will always be awesome as long as Irish accents exist. She lives with dysautonomia, a chronic medical condition affecting her nervous system. Portions of proceeds from her “Tortured Elements” series go toward suppo...more

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Frost Fire (Tortured Elements #1)

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