Frost

Jun 04, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration, for-slj

A haunted house story for teens that keeps the pages turning. Not of the Goosebumps variety, more in the spirit of Lisa McMann's WAKE or even the old gothic classics. There's a ghost or something like it in Frost House, a tiny dorm converted from an old home at a boarding school called Barcroft. Leena Thomas and her best friends are finally seniors, and Leena has talked the dean into letting girls have the house instead of the boys who have been rooming there for decades. Leena is planning a sem...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2011-debut-author-challenge

Moving into Frost House for senior year wasn’t just a curiosity it was more like a compulsion for Leena Thomas.

The fact that Leena would be among the first female residents of the previously all-boys dorm meant little to her. Frost House, from the moment she saw it, drew her in. It was home. A safe haven.

It was an old house. There were bound to be quirks. A cold breeze, a musty scent, the feeling that someone was watching – all were explainable phenomenon. As were the broken vase, torn skirt and...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

It’s creepy on a couple of levels… surprisingly, I’m disappointed in how things turned out. Frost is a psychological thriller that didn’t get me going. I was never really very scared. And the points that had me creeped out,I don’t think were supposed to creep me out.I read on hoping things would pick up.

When Leena and her friends decide to room with each other, things could have not been better for her. She’s basically independent anyway, and her friends were her family. When Celeste is thrown i...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Rebecca rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have no idea how to rate this. 2 and a half stars might be fair. It is well written, Baer has a lovely style, but the story just didn't work for me.

Leena is a Senior at an exclusive boarding school. She's pretty, has a lot of friends and is involved in everything: sports, counseling, getting ready for college. A lot of this is to try and make up for her parent's divorce which caused her to reject her family and bond to her school environment. And now, for Senior year, Leena's swung a great dea...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Wendy Lohr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: psychological

I'm not exactly sure where to begin with this book. I have some mixed feelings about it. The writing flow was really good and kept me wanting to read just a little bit further...then a little more. The plot was intriguing and there were a couple of side plots going on that kept things interesting. The romance was good: not too mushy, not too hot (for YA) and I actually really liked David. The fact that there was a strong male character that wasn't a bad boy and actually loved and cared deeply fo...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Casey (The Bookish Type) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read

Frost is a deeply chilling and psychologically thrilling read that will suck readers in and turn their world upside down. Leena Thomas seems like the typical American teenager. She has her group of friends and her extracurriculars, she's independent and friendly and ready to start her senior year. However, as the novel progresses, the cracks begin to show. Subtly at first, but increasingly insistent. Her mistakes seem innocent and humanizing, but they are slowly tearing her life apart.

Leena's fr...more Frost is a deeply chilling and psychologically thrilling read that will suck readers in and turn their world upside down. Leena Thomas seems like the typical American teenager. She has her group of friends and her extracurriculars, she's independent and friendly and ready to start her senior year. However, as the novel progresses, the cracks begin to show. Subtly at first, but increasingly insistent. Her mistakes seem innocent and humanizing, but they are slowly tearing her life apart.

Leena's friends are an eclectic group, and not always the most likable people. I would have liked their friendship to play a larger role in the story -- but at the same time, it's important for the plot that Leena becomes increasingly distant. Nothing is as it should be in Frost House, and nothing is as it seems. Surprisingly, Leena begins to develop a relationship with her unwelcome new roommate Celeste and her brother David. Celeste is beguiling, Leena's opposite in almost every way. She's artsy and eccentric, oblivious to social niceties and pretty self-involved. Yet, it's impossible to hate her when no one can quite understand her. She's an intriguing enigma, and readers will vascillate between frustration, fascination and pity for her haunting and inscrutable character.

The relationship between Leena and David is incredibly well-developed. Instead of meaningless conversation or mere flirtatious banter, the two teens bond over their personal demons -- David's institutionalized father, and Leena's broken home. They have a mutual understanding that connect them on a deeper level than just physical attraction. Yet, as with all other aspects of the novel, something's not quite right. The bizarre bond between David and his sister is disconcerting, and readers are never quite sure what it means. Marianna Baer invites readers to speculate on its true nature, entertaining a whole host of unnerving possibilities.

Baer is a master of the power of suggestion. Even when nothing is happening, readers are on edge and ill-at-ease. Everything just feels off. The reader is left unsettled almost from page one, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's impossible to pinpoint exactly when everything begins to unravel, or to tell the difference between real and imagined. The pacing of this novel is crucial, and pitch perfect. The slow downward spiral is so subtle, readers may not even notice it at first -- but it's there, a slow, steady march toward the abyss. By the time they realize what is happening, it's already too late.

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Sep 02, 2011 Kwinks rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love crazy, quirky books. Sometimes I find a jewel of a nutty read and some of the images stick with me forever.

This is one of those books.

Perfect for Fall, Frost drops us back to school (a boarding school) and in a house on the property that is a dorm for four students and a totally absent house mother.

Leena, studious and nerd-girl cool, is rooming with her two besties. Forced on them is Celeste, the school's crazy girl and the reader thinks
"Oh, great, another book about friendship dynamics a...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

From the creepy, ominous opening through the very last lines of the book, Frost is a haunting, thought-provoking read. Author Marianna Baer did a magnificent job of setting the tone. Frost is the perfect "mood book"; obviously can be read anytime, but perfect for a gloomy, rainy day.

The way Frost is told, with Leena looking back at the events that occured at Frost House, the sense of impending doom is palpable.

When Frost opens, main character Leena seems like a girl who has her life in order....more From the creepy, ominous opening through the very last lines of the book, Frost is a haunting, thought-provoking read. Author Marianna Baer did a magnificent job of setting the tone. Frost is the perfect "mood book"; obviously can be read anytime, but perfect for a gloomy, rainy day.

The way Frost is told, with Leena looking back at the events that occured at Frost House, the sense of impending doom is palpable.

When Frost opens, main character Leena seems like a girl who has her life in order. Determined to make her senior year a success, Leena seems unstoppable. But as the story unfolds, Leena reveals little pieces of her inner self, the broken girl on the inside. Haunted by her roommate, her personal demons or the house itself, Leena is a girl who is slowly unraveling. She becomes isolated from the outside world, taking refuge in Frost House.

Leena's new roommate Celeste is quirky and exceedingly fragile. But strangely enough, I found Celeste likeable in her genuine nature. Although she may seem odd, her eccentricites made her endearing. The wild card, for me, was David, Celeste's brother and Leena's love interest. He's smart, sweet, handsome and has a deep, abiding love for his family, especially Celeste. But... his attentiveness to his family seemingly goes to unhealthy extremes.

David and Leena's preoccupation with each other continually veers towards troubling, leaving their motives in question. Could David be behind the scary goings-on at Frost House? Is he trying to terrify Celeste, Leena or both? Or are he and Celeste acting together to "gaslight" Leena? And why? The most looming, troubling question of all: Are all of the dramatic happenings a result of Leena's increasingly fragile mental state? The possibilites left me racking my brain, mulling all the theories behind the mystery of Frost.

In truth, maybe Frost House is the star of the book. With her words, Baer literally filled each nook and cranny of the home with a spooky quality. The slants of light through a window, the creak of the floor boards, they all served to increase the dread within Leena, and the reader. And the closet. Oh, wow. The closet is best left to be discovered by the reader.

Frost chilled me to the core. Never overtly scary, this story managed to dig itself into the little (or big) paranoid, panicky part of my brain, leaving me antsy and unsettled. Frost proves that the scariest scenarios are the mind games we play on ourselves.

Favorite Quotes:

"We held eyes for a minute. Something had shifted; the connection between us had changed.We had stripped something away, like when you strip away layers of lumpy paint and get down to the smooth, original wood."

"His smell of coffee and warm boy skin filled my lungs and melted through my limbs."

* I received Frost from the publisher, Harper Teen, in exchange for an honest review. *(less)

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Jul 24, 2011 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Senior year at Barcroft Academy is not turning out the way Leena Thomas planned it. She and her best friends Abby and Viv were supposed to have Frost House all to themselves, their very own private corner of campus. But all because of a broken leg, their sanctuary has been invaded by Celeste Lazar, an eccentric girl Leena is now forced to call roommate. Leena is willing to get over what she sees as an unfair intrusion and make nice with Celeste, but keeping the peace becomes more difficult with...more Senior year at Barcroft Academy is not turning out the way Leena Thomas planned it. She and her best friends Abby and Viv were supposed to have Frost House all to themselves, their very own private corner of campus. But all because of a broken leg, their sanctuary has been invaded by Celeste Lazar, an eccentric girl Leena is now forced to call roommate. Leena is willing to get over what she sees as an unfair intrusion and make nice with Celeste, but keeping the peace becomes more difficult with all the strange things starting to happen around Frost House. At first, Leena is fine writing off the fallen picture frames, toppled furniture, and locked doors as just strange, but Celeste is convinced that there’s something sinister inhabiting the house. As the year progresses, the stress of class and personal insecurities cause Leena to withdraw further into Frost House and become more entangled in its mystery until she no longer knows if the mystery is all in her head—or if there’s something actually seriously wrong with the one place she feels totally safe in.

Frost is one of those novels that walks the line between the psychological and the fantastical. I am always intrigued by stories like these, because there is something so alluring about the possibilities in each of these explanations, but often I end up disappointed. I am happy to say that debut author Baer’s novel was not disappointing in the least. I was so impressed by Baer’s ability to get inside the sometimes confusion mind of protagonist Leena. In addition, her fluid writing and attention to detail combined with a well paced and intriguing plot made Frost so enthralling to read. However, the real reason why Baer succeeded in my mind where other writers failed is because of the ending of her book. This is one of those stories fueled by ambiguity, but I am the type of reader who is irritated when ambiguity is all that remains at the end, as in Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma. Baer doesn’t necessarily give an absolute explanation for the mysterious events that transpire in her story, but she gives enough to work with so that readers can pick one of the explanations, psychological or fantastical, and feel secure that there is enough evidence within the story to back their opinions. This is what made Frost so much more satisfying to me than other stories like it. I applaud Baer for a lovely and wonderfully written novel and the beginning of a very promising writing career.

Frost will be enjoyed by fans of Tighter by Adele Griffin, Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma, and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

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Jul 26, 2011 Christy (TheReaderBee) added it

Shelves: arcs, read-in-2011

I was really looking forward to reading Frost. The cover for the book is amazing, and when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read the book. The book was really different from a lot of what I have read so far, and I found it to be quite an interesting read.

The main character in the book is Leena. It’s Leena’s senior year, and all she wants to do is live in Frost House, and focus on her last year at the boarding school, which she’s attended since freshman year. I found Leena’s character at the...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya-paranormal

Frost by Marianna Baer has an extremely intriguing synopsis. Take a boarding school, add in a mixture of haunting and psychological thriller, and you’ve got me hooked! Unfortunately – once the story got going, it became way too overpoweringly bizarre and weird for me…to the point that I stopped even being interested. Still, that being said, it had things going for it that might make others like it more than I did.

Leena becomes entranced by the Frost House boarding home on her high school campus...more Frost by Marianna Baer has an extremely intriguing synopsis. Take a boarding school, add in a mixture of haunting and psychological thriller, and you’ve got me hooked! Unfortunately – once the story got going, it became way too overpoweringly bizarre and weird for me…to the point that I stopped even being interested. Still, that being said, it had things going for it that might make others like it more than I did.

Leena becomes entranced by the Frost House boarding home on her high school campus – it is an old Victorian house that only holds four students so she thinks it’ll be the perfect retreat for her and her friends. Unfortunately, at the last minute, they get roped into hosting an extra roommate. Celeste, known school-wide for being weird and extremely difficult to deal with, has a broken leg so special accommodations had to be made. This does turn out something positive for Leena at least – Celeste’s brother David, who she quickly develops a relationship with.

There wasn’t a ton of development, but Leena and David didn’t have insta-love either. I thought it was a pretty typical high school relationship, so I was satisfied there. What really freaked me out was that, once Leena started suffering from the weirds, she kept making all these references to some kind of incestuous thing between David and Celeste. And truth be told, he was a little too into taking care of Celeste. The whole thing was just bizarre though, because it didn’t really go anywhere. Leena kept turning it over in her mind and noticing what she felt were weird interactions between the siblings but nothing came of it. So what was the point? It didn’t really add anything to the story except turning me off of the characters BIG TIME.

Also, Leena ends up alienating her friends and making everyone (except David) basically hate her. That was never really resolved that well either. In fact – absolutely nothing was resolved. The mystery of whether there was some kind of weird haunting or if Leena had a legit mental problem was never fully answered – but I actually did like that being left sorta up in the air. I don’t think the plot as a whole was developed that well though – it all remained more odd and confusing than anything else.

So, even though I thought the book sounded awesome, I ended up pretty disappointed. Neither the characterization or the plot were handled with much skill – I feel mean saying it, but I kinda wish a different author had handled it. I think someone else might have been able to immerse the story in an atmospheric haunting vibe better.(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Daisy Chain Books marked it as to-read

Shelves: wishlist

Psychological thriller with gothic elements set in a haunted boarding school. Does this sound like my perfect book or what?! Want, want, want!!

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Oct 24, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 2011-favorites, read-2011, unreliable-narrator, pn-ghosts, psychological-thriller, 2011-publication

Surprisingly engrossing, with some nicely creepy moments. Review to come.

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Sep 30, 2011 Jenni Haveman rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Sep 21, 2011 umad80 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, thriller, ya

Possibly more like 3.5 stars. I liked it, but it was a slow build up and it left you hanging as to what would happen next. There wasn't even an epilogue to wrap up everyone's lives considering there are no plans for a sequel. Did David and Leena ever get back together? Did Leena and Abby become friends again? Did Celeste and Leena ever figure out what had really gone on? Did they tell David? What happened with Frost house after everything? Did Leena get her life back on track? Too many questions...more Possibly more like 3.5 stars. I liked it, but it was a slow build up and it left you hanging as to what would happen next. There wasn't even an epilogue to wrap up everyone's lives considering there are no plans for a sequel. Did David and Leena ever get back together? Did Leena and Abby become friends again? Did Celeste and Leena ever figure out what had really gone on? Did they tell David? What happened with Frost house after everything? Did Leena get her life back on track? Too many questions that should have been answered.

However there are some great points with the book. The psychological thriller of it all. The intenseness of what was going on. Like, was it all psychological? Or was there more to it? The characters are good, even if sometimes you didn't understand why Abby and Viv would have some of the reactions they had. Leena and David's relationship was sweet and worth the build up. You rooted for them; you wanted them to be together. Reading Leena's life spiraling out of control was the most interesting part of the book; wondering what really was causing it. Celeste was probably the most intriguing character with her idiosyncrasies and sarcastic attitude. You also wanted to know if what was going on with her was in her head or truly happening. Was it psychological? Was she doing it to herself? Or was she right about what she thought was truly happening?

Parts I didn't like... I explained the first annoyance in the beginning paragraph. However there was other things: I didn't like Abby. From the moment you met her to her overreaction to everything. We're suppose to believe she was this best friend type, but she was willing to dump her friendship with Leena all over feeling like she didn't get enough attention from her. Viv was better, but I thought she had an overreaction as well (I won't say what as I don't want to give it away). She did however redeem herself later when life threatening events happened, she changed her attitude. I'd have liked to have known Kate too... again, something that could have been revealed in the epilogue. I also agree with a lot of people in saying that David and Celeste's relationship bordered on creepy at times. However I was able to forgive this knowing what lengths siblings will go to for each other, especially if they're close.

All in all, the book is worth the read, but I wouldn't have anyone expect it to be amazing. Nor would I have anyone expect it to be bad. It was good, just not great. It was interesting and often times intense, but not to the point where I was at the edge of my seat (although one or two chapters you did wonder what would happen next). It was different in a good way, but not to the point where it will be a book I recommend people buy in the bookstore. It's more of check out from the library and if you like it, buy it type book.(less)

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Sep 27, 2011 Mandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-reviewed-for-wellreadwife-com

For the full review go to WellReadWife.com.

There were so many things about this book that I loved! For starters, I thought the plot (see summary above) was very original. From the cover and summary, I worried that this would be a typical haunted house story. Thankfully, that was not the case. Frost was more of a psychological thriller. Throughout the book I was wondering if the house was haunted (as Celeste believed) or not (Leena thinks Celeste is having a psychotic break). Marianna Baer does a...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books, favorites, own

Where do I begin? First, I will say I dove head first into this novel. I was so excited to start reading it, expectations I usually have before starting a book completely disappeared. I read the first sentence wanting nothing more but for it to be a good, thrilling adventure of fun. I like fun.

Frost is about a girl named Leena who, after much convincing, moves into Frost house for her senior year at Barcroft, a boarding school she had been attending since first year (grade 9, I'm assuming). The...more Where do I begin? First, I will say I dove head first into this novel. I was so excited to start reading it, expectations I usually have before starting a book completely disappeared. I read the first sentence wanting nothing more but for it to be a good, thrilling adventure of fun. I like fun.

Frost is about a girl named Leena who, after much convincing, moves into Frost house for her senior year at Barcroft, a boarding school she had been attending since first year (grade 9, I'm assuming). The house is everything she had hoped for, except for Celeste Lazar, a girl she wasn't so thrilled about sharing a room with. Despite Celeste, Leena is drawn to her brother. Leena is also drawn to her enemies closet where she spends much time thinking and feeling at 'home'. Weird things start to happen, though. Vases get broken, pictures are thrown across rooms, hell, poor Celeste wakes up with bruises covering her entire body, head- to- toe. Something weird is happening at Frost house, however poor Leena just doesn't want to believe any of it. Period.

This was a creepy, thrilling and one of the better ghost stories I've read in a while. Well, I haven't read any recent ghost stories. Ah, but this was a good one. We don't ever know for sure if a ghost is involved with all the strange happenings, however, this is what makes this book so mysterious and creepy. It's unbelievably spine chilling. I brought this book everywhere with me, in case I could sneak some reading time.

This book was told in the POV of Leena, the one who had been so drawn to Frost house. I find POV novels to be bothersome, especially when you dislike the main character- *cough* Zoey *cough*. Leena was the better of the POV varieties. I found her easy to relate to. She was like any other teenager. Trying to get through school, apply to colleges, worry about boys, and have family troubles. If you couldn't relate to her in one way you were certain to relate to her in another. She wasn't weak, but strong and independent, she wasn't irrational, but rational and thoughtful. She put a lot of thought into her actions, which was probably why I continued on. You can't enjoy a book without loving the character telling you the story, now can you?

The creativeness of this novel and originality was thrilling and adventurous. Drawing me in just like Leena had been drawn into the closet. Once I was in, there was know going back. I felt so a part of this book. It's words were hypnotizing. Truly, the writing was great. The plot was crafted in a way so that there were sharp turns of surprises that had me gasping and shivering.

One note on characters: They were all great. I already talked about Leena's character, so I will continue on to Celeste, the broken-leg in a cast, weird collecting- roach girl. She is, like I said, weird. But I liked her. She was different and had no care for what people thought of her. From time to time she would piss me off, but in a sisterly way. I'd quickly love her again. David, Celeste's brother, is the boy Leena, obviously, likes. He was great. Different, actually. I can't say I've read a book that featured a boy who was so protective of his sister. They were both weird, but lovable. Leena's friends, Abby and Viv, were just that, friends. They all get into a fight, don't speak to each other, one kind of forgives the other and life goes on. Girl drama, what do you expect?

This review does not do this book justice. I haven't been so drawn into a book for some time now. Is it me, or does whatever roam the halls and walls of Frost house roam the pages of that book? I wonder...
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Sep 02, 2011 Orchid rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

Review taken from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia.

Sadly I was kind of disappointed with Frost. When I picked it up I was expecting a bone chilling psychological thriller that would leave me unable to sleep at night, what I wound up with instead was a book that just fell flat and that didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I will try my hardest to explain just why this book did not work for me and what I did and didn't like about it.

While it may not have been my cup o' tea Frost isn'...more Review taken from my blog, The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia.

Sadly I was kind of disappointed with Frost. When I picked it up I was expecting a bone chilling psychological thriller that would leave me unable to sleep at night, what I wound up with instead was a book that just fell flat and that didn't quite live up to my expectations.
I will try my hardest to explain just why this book did not work for me and what I did and didn't like about it.

While it may not have been my cup o' tea Frost isn't a bad book and Ms. Baer's writing is really good. It just had a few elements that kept me from enjoying it as much as I thought I would have.

One of the things that disappointed me the most in this book was the main character, Leena, I just did not like her and could not bring myself to feel anything more then pity for her.
The main reason I didn't like her was that she didn't seem to have much self-respect for herself and that her character was maybe just a little too emotionally scared, cold, damaged whatever you want to call it. She just had too many issues to make for a believable character.

My other complaint about Frost would have to be the instant luv factor between Leena and David. Sure they don't get together till pretty much the middle of the book, but the fact that she thought she loved him from pretty much the first time they met was kinda of irksome because how can you love someone that you don't even know, the answer is you can't.

I found that Frost was a bit slow when it came to getting to the actual plot line, because it felt like over the half the book had come and gone before any of the characters (Leena and Celeste) seemed to even consider that some of the happenings at Frost House weren't exactly normal. I think if things had picked up a little quicker that I could have easily been pulled into the story, but most likely my opinion of Leena would not have been any better.

The one thing I did really enjoy about Frost was Ms. Baer's writing. Her writing was my absolute favorite thing about this book because she did an excellent job of adding a sense of paranoia to the book. If I hadn't enjoyed her writing as much as I did, in all likelihood I would not have finished reading Frost.
I (with probably no surprise to you the reader) liked the fact that when Leena screwed up, and boy did she on multiple accounts, that she didn't just get a slap on the wrist for what she did.

Content (will contain spoilers): Leena and David fooling around (no sex, but still being a bit inappropriate), talk of suicide (one by overdosing on pills, the other by cutting *I think*), addiction to prescription pills/stealing others prescription pills. There is also some swearing, mostly mild swear words though.

Final Verdict: Frost unfortunately the story just didn't work for me. Although I did enjoy Ms. Baer's writing style and will definitely try another book by her.

Frost earns 3 out of 5 pineapples. (less)

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Sep 07, 2011 kristin (paper reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya, to-review, arc

This is not one I should have read at night, I scare too easy for that. Otherwise it was a pretty engaging book that kept me on my toes, but it almost felt like there was something missing that would have brought it to the next level for me.
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A ball led astray was all it took for Leena Thomas to come across Frost House (a beautiful Victorian house tucked into the woods), and as soon as she set her eyes on it she knew she had to live there for her senior year. Having been sent to Barcroft Academy...more This is not one I should have read at night, I scare too easy for that. Otherwise it was a pretty engaging book that kept me on my toes, but it almost felt like there was something missing that would have brought it to the next level for me.
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A ball led astray was all it took for Leena Thomas to come across Frost House (a beautiful Victorian house tucked into the woods), and as soon as she set her eyes on it she knew she had to live there for her senior year. Having been sent to Barcroft Academy after her parents divorced right before freshman year, Leena sees Barcroft as her home, her friends as her family, and Frost House their private sanctuary. So when Celeste Lazar is assigned to room with Leena in her first floor room due to her injured leg there's bound to be a period of adjustment - until Leena discovers that's merely the beginning.

I know I scare easily, so it really wasn't any surprise that I had a hard time falling asleep after reading this one late at night. Take it from my experience and read it with a snuggable animal along or during the day. That said, Frost was a crazy psychological journey that I had a difficult time putting down. I hadn't any clue where the story was going while I was reading it; I just knew that something had to come to a head or I might have had to fully hide under the covers. From the first time Leena steps into her new room at Frost House she was drawn to it. Airy and spacious surrounded on one end by windows and a sole closet that smelled slightly like her old attic.

While I really enjoyed the story part of the book, the characters sort of lost their vividness along the way for me. I want to preface that statement by saying that in part due to the storyline it makes a lot of sense for the characters to seem sort of faded. However, I had a hard time staying along with them at times and was more curious about the progression of what was going on in Frost House rather than the people everything was happening to. The relationship between Leena and David - Celeste's brother - didn't entirely win me over. They had a lot of cute moments near the beginning and in the middle, but there was one near the end that completely didn't work in any way for me, and after that I would have preferred that they not see each other.

The ending of the book was a real trip and it's very safe to say that I didn't at all expect how it ended and thought the big reveal to be quite clever and well-done. What progressed with Leena in the end, though, wasn't okay for me. I don't want to give anything away, but I felt that more needed to be done to address the problem at hand and that she needed more assistance than she was given. Yes, this is vague, but when you read it you'll know what I mean.

All in all I enjoyed Frost and think that if you're in need of a fast-paced thriller then you should give this book a try. The writing is lovely and matches the nervous feeling of the book. Just.. don't read it at night.(less)

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Sep 25, 2011 Ruby rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, paranormal, private, school

This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.

I have so many issues with this book it's not even funny. I'm also really struggling with a way to start this review. It's not that I thought Frost was a bad book so much as I really, really disliked the narrator. The whole thing is meant to be an examination into psychosis as well as the supernatural, but I was completely distracted by the heroine and her many, many issues.
The basic story is that Leena and her friends have scored Frost...more This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.

I have so many issues with this book it's not even funny. I'm also really struggling with a way to start this review. It's not that I thought Frost was a bad book so much as I really, really disliked the narrator. The whole thing is meant to be an examination into psychosis as well as the supernatural, but I was completely distracted by the heroine and her many, many issues.
The basic story is that Leena and her friends have scored Frost House for their senior year of high school. Leena has masterminded the whole arrangement; it's particularly important to her because, ever since her parents' divorce, school has been her home. Unfortunately, Leena's idyllic senior year is disrupted by the fact that she's going to have an unexpected roommate. Worse--one that she considers unstable. Moving in together doesn't improve the impression, and soon Leena's home situation is untenable--to say the least. And when bizarre stuff starts happening, Leena starts to think that Celeste isn't just unstable--she might just be psychotic.
I never warmed to Leena, which was a problem because she narrated the story. There's an incident in the book that basically symbolizes my feelings for her, so I'll tell you about it: One of the bizarre things that happens in Frost House is that Celeste gets a burn on her back when the water coming out of the bathroom faucet turns boiling hot. Leena tends to Celeste's wound by applying antibiotic ointment and putting a bandage on it. Now, maybe it's because I just took a CPR/First Aid class for work, but this part really bothered me. You're not supposed to put anything on that kind of burn--just run cool water over it.
This is one of many signs that Leena, while well-intentioned, is acting without important knowledge. The more I learned about her, the more amazed I became that anyone let her be a peer counselor. I think the readers are supposed to think this, but I don't think it was meant to keep readers from liking/relating to Leena. For me, it did. She came across as that girl who insists that she knows better than you, and that she's right and you're wrong. I wanted to hit her.
While there was room in my stone-cold heart to feel for Leena--her parents are neglectful idiots, I fail to understand Dean Shepard's appeal, and her friends drop her cold despite three years of closeness--I mostly just wanted to tell her to stop trying to counsel people. You know the saying--therapy begins at home. Though I suppose fixing others is easier than fixing yourself. If this had been the message of the novel, I think I would have liked Leena more. And I would have been more understanding about her mental health issues. As it was, the end was kind of anti-climactic and the paranormal element took away from the more serious problems of Leena's self-prescribing, the fact that she tried to kill herself when she was thirteen and hasn't, apparently, seen a counselor since, and her isolation from her peers.
I would also like to point out that I considered, at several times throughout the novel, that Leena was exhibiting classic warning signs for a depressed/suicidal teen. With her history, it flabbergasted me that no one ever expressed concern in that respect. I suppose it's possible that Leena's friends don't know her history, but I would expect Dean Shepard to.
All in all, a flawed book. Too flawed for me to enjoy. (less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Ashelynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don’t remember wanting to read FROST by Marianna Baer. But it was on my to-read list, so some part of me wanted to read it—and I’m glad that it was sent along with a review package from Harper because otherwise I would have probably forgotten about this book and that I wanted to read it.

FROST is a psychological thriller. I love these type of stories. Another book—THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin—comes out this month that’s also a psychological thriller, and that one really truly...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-2011

Just in time for Fall and Halloween. Frost will haunt you as you read. It's so creepy and chilling, that your pages might even begin to frost. This was one of the books I was most excited about grabbing at BEA this year and it didn't let me down. Frost will thrill, spook and have you looking behind you. If you are living in a dorm house that seems a bit creepy, you might not want to read Frost. I can see you running for the hills if you do. Blame Marianna and her suspenseful writing.

Lenna is st...more Just in time for Fall and Halloween. Frost will haunt you as you read. It's so creepy and chilling, that your pages might even begin to frost. This was one of the books I was most excited about grabbing at BEA this year and it didn't let me down. Frost will thrill, spook and have you looking behind you. If you are living in a dorm house that seems a bit creepy, you might not want to read Frost. I can see you running for the hills if you do. Blame Marianna and her suspenseful writing.

Lenna is starting her senior year at her boarding school. This year Leena was super excited because her and her friends would be moving into Frost house. Frost house usually was given to senior boys to live in but Leena was ale to get it for them. Well everything isn't cozy when she gets to Frost house, it turns out that a temporary unexpected roommate has been assigned to Frost house and to share a room with Leena. This doesn't go over very well to the girls. Having the eccentric Celeste as a roommate is not something anybody wants.

Things begin to happen or appear in Leena's room and Celeste blames everyone else. Leena thinks it might be Celeste doing it to call attention while her leg is in a cast. Honestly what normal roommate fills the top of your bed with dead roaches as part of her project. The one thing that is keeping Leena somewhat sane, is David, who happens to be Celeste brother. Of course Leena starts to go somewhat downhill with all the creep occurrences happening at Frost house. Unless you consider talking to a small wooden owl inside your closet is normal. What will happen to Frost house and its occupants, I guess you will just have to read to find out. You might want to leave the light on.

The only issue I had was the ending, I wanted more. That's my opinion, many I'm sure will be satisfied with the ending. The book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time until the end. The end just didn't match the rest of the book for me. Overall, its a great book you will still enjoy it.

review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...(less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Tiffany (For Those About to Read...) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was really excited for Frost by Marianna Baer because I love trying to figure out what is really going on in a story. In this case, we had to figure out if either Celeste or Leena was psychotic or if something paranormal was going occurring. I really enjoyed reading the story, and I liked the secondary cast of characters. I also feel that Baer did a good job of creating confusion as to whether or not the characters were certifiable.

Even though I enjoyed reading the story, I really did not like...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Jena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Frost is an eerily written story that will have you questioning what you believe even after the story is over. Part romance, part struggle, part haunting, part friendship, part fun, and part crazy, Frost will keep you hanging on to every page making you wish you'd looked into your closet before you started.

Frost starts off with the beginning of Leena's senior year at Barcroft Academy. Having an "in" with the Dean Leena and her friends are granted an adorable Victorian style house dorm in which L...more Frost is an eerily written story that will have you questioning what you believe even after the story is over. Part romance, part struggle, part haunting, part friendship, part fun, and part crazy, Frost will keep you hanging on to every page making you wish you'd looked into your closet before you started.

Frost starts off with the beginning of Leena's senior year at Barcroft Academy. Having an "in" with the Dean Leena and her friends are granted an adorable Victorian style house dorm in which Leena feels drawn to. Unfortunately Leena get an unexpected roommate, Celeste Lazar, and the only benefit is that she has an attractive, caring brother named David. The more Leena connects to the Frost house, the more strange things start happening. As Leena and her roommate Celeste start spiraling downward, they hurry to figure out the causes before it's too late.

I love eerie, creepy stories. I'm not sure why because I hate scary movies hah! But, reading a thriller makes me turn the pages even quicker, I just love that feeling of suspense and Frost has that. Even after the book is over, you're still like 'Wait a second? Is that house.....' and that is a really interesting way to end a book! And as the description says 'Supernatural or Psychological?'... I'm totally going with Supernatural. But, don't let me sway you. Read it and decide for yourself...and I dare you to read it at night. I did... and I'm fine! ;)

I really liked Leena's character. Yes, I'm fully aware that she kind of has a downward spiral throughout the story, but that being said I think she is such a strong character. Leena has already dealt with so much in her past and she completely depends on herself (among other things). She has best friends, good grades, and a sexy love interest that keep her grounded. Plus she's blonde with glasses which totally reminds me of myself at the moment (since I'm not aloud to wear my contacts right now). Leena is also "Miss Fix-it" which is a strong, unique quality to have in a girl.

I mentioned a certain sexy love interest which would be... David. With his striking blue eyes, and his protective, caring manners you can't help but love him. I also loved the note in which this romance ends on. Because, all things are not fairytales and butterflies. Strong relationships need to be worked on and I loved how Marianna Baer did that with David and Leena.

Overall fantastic book. I really enjoyed it. Eerie, romantic, and full of surprises. Want chills?(less)

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Oct 04, 2011 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm not sure where things went wrong for this novel. Mostly because the characters were engaging, and I was interested to figure out why the main character was so attracted to the Frost House.

However, once I was reading it--things didn't seem to match up.

For example, I'm not sure how the ending has ANYTHING to do with the mystery throughout the rest of the novel. It seemed so anticlimactic after all of the build up. In addition, the love story ended somewhat lackluster-ly and the main characte...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Claudia rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Creepy- haunted book lovers

This was a GoodReads First Read, and it was well written and it flowed, but I can't say I loved it. It's one of those books that it reveals just enough to keep you reading and builds that suspense, but when get to the end you ask, "Where's the bang?" I expected so much more. the cover is amazing, the characters are really pulled together, it's also told in first person but about the past, but maybe it would have been nice if she added a POV change every now and then. At first the novel pulls you...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tour

Frost has just a little bit of everything I love in a novel: boarding school, ghost story, unreliable narrators, romance, and setting as deep and conflicted as any character arc.

From the get-go we can see that there's something not quite right about Leena's connection to Frost house-a quaint cottage-style dormitory on her school campus. The trouble really starts to show itself when she finally moves in, with an unlikely roommate. As soon as the girls all move in, strange happenings are taking pl...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Alexandria Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars

I continuously waited for something dire to happen! Something that would scare me enough to not want to turn off the lights before I went to bed, but that never happened. I was disappointed in this book because it's mainly Leena thinking she had gone insane, sleeping in her closet and pushing her friends and boyfriend away. I was expecting something much more terrifying maybe? I didn't see much "romance" as said there would be from reviews on the back of the book, and I didn't get "chills" eithe...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Ellen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I frequently read YA novels even though I don't fit the standared age range, and I also enjoy ghost stories. So Frost fit the bill. Let me just say that for a YA reader this book would probably rate a 4, but for an adult who reads YA this book isn't as strong a story as some of the other cross-over books I've read. The book focuses on a group of senior girls at a boarding school who are joined in their dorm, "Frost House", by a schoolmate they don't know very well. Baer does a great job writing...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Bayan Basri rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: boarding-school, characters-in-school, ghosts, female-pov-only, no-love-triangle-thank-god, stand-alone

I didn't expect much from this book at first, I thought it would be a quick read to pass the time. But then I finished the first part and my expectations went up. I thought that the upcoming parts would be the same. Sadly I was mistaken. I think that the cons of this book will outweigh the pros:

Pros:

The Before: As Leena put it which is basically the begging of the book or as I pointed out earlier the first part. When Leena had her own conscience and some common sense, when Viv and Abby were her...more

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