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Shadow Frost #2
God Storm
Everything has a price.
In the kingdom of Axaria, a darkness has fallen. After defeating the evil mother who summoned an immortal demon to kill her, newly coronated Queen Asterin Faelenhart should have every reason to celebrate. Her kingdom is safe, forbidden magic eradicated, and her friends are alive. Except Asterin’s triumph has come at a devastating cost - forced to choose between a lifelong friend and true love, she’s lost both. But the shadows in Axaria have begun to stir once again, and no one is more starved for vengeance than Asterin....
Yet it soon becomes clear that the shadows plaguing her kingdom are just the beginning. Another realm coexists with the mortal world - the beautiful, nightmarish Immortal Realm ruled by the wicked God of Shadow, King Eoin. When their paths entwine, Asterin realizes that Eoin possesses exactly what - and who - she seeks most. And the fates of all those that she holds dear - Orion, her missing Guardian; Luna, the friend she could not save; Harry, the demon who saved them all; and Quinlan, her beloved broken prince - ultimately rest in the god’s hands.
But in a world of magic, not everyone is always as they seem. When shocking discoveries threaten everything and everyone Asterin has sworn her life to protect, she won’t be the only person forced to make a choice...a choice that will change the mortal world forever.
And maybe even destroy it.
In the kingdom of Axaria, a darkness has fallen. After defeating the evil mother who summoned an immortal demon to kill her, newly coronated Queen Asterin Faelenhart should have every reason to celebrate. Her kingdom is safe, forbidden magic eradicated, and her friends are alive. Except Asterin’s triumph has come at a devastating cost - forced to choose between a lifelong friend and true love, she’s lost both. But the shadows in Axaria have begun to stir once again, and no one is more starved for vengeance than Asterin....
Yet it soon becomes clear that the shadows plaguing her kingdom are just the beginning. Another realm coexists with the mortal world - the beautiful, nightmarish Immortal Realm ruled by the wicked God of Shadow, King Eoin. When their paths entwine, Asterin realizes that Eoin possesses exactly what - and who - she seeks most. And the fates of all those that she holds dear - Orion, her missing Guardian; Luna, the friend she could not save; Harry, the demon who saved them all; and Quinlan, her beloved broken prince - ultimately rest in the god’s hands.
But in a world of magic, not everyone is always as they seem. When shocking discoveries threaten everything and everyone Asterin has sworn her life to protect, she won’t be the only person forced to make a choice...a choice that will change the mortal world forever.
And maybe even destroy it.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2020
22 people are currently reading
3382 people want to read
About the author
Coco Ma
6 books454 followersCoco Ma is a Canadian author and pianist. She wrote her first novel, Shadow Frost, at the age of 15, and since she began playing the piano at the age of five and a half, she has also performed on some of the world's greatest concert stages and graduated with a pre-college diploma in piano performance from The Juilliard School in New York City. Currently, she studies at Yale University. When she isn't practicing piano, writing, or studying, you might find her bingeing Netflix or eating cake. Lots of cake.
Follow Coco on Twitter @shadowfrost2019 and Instagram @CakeForCoco or visit her website at Coco-Ma.com!
Follow Coco on Twitter @shadowfrost2019 and Instagram @CakeForCoco or visit her website at Coco-Ma.com!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 21, 2020
It’s been a month since this book published. I never could have guessed what kind of world we would be living in when I was writing it, yet I can’t help but feel grateful that it’s arriving at a time where I think all of us need a little (or a lot!) of magic in our lives.
I started working on this book during my first year at Yale. Away from home and my family & friends for the first time, the main themes of the book ended up gravitating toward loss, love, and missing those who were once always at your side. And, of course, overcoming struggle. While none of us literally have to save kingdoms or slay shadow demons summoned from the darkest depths of the Immortal Realm, we each have our own battles to fight in our daily lives. I hope that the characters—Asterin, Luna, Quinlan, Harry, Rose, and all the rest of your favs—might help you find the strength to conquer every challenge that crosses your path like they did for me. And I hope that you love reading this crazy book half as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Also, I hope none of you come for me in my sleep after reading the last bits. <3
xoxo, coco
p.s. If you’d like to stay updated on news about the final book (including the title!!!), please follow me on Instagram @cakeforcoco!
I started working on this book during my first year at Yale. Away from home and my family & friends for the first time, the main themes of the book ended up gravitating toward loss, love, and missing those who were once always at your side. And, of course, overcoming struggle. While none of us literally have to save kingdoms or slay shadow demons summoned from the darkest depths of the Immortal Realm, we each have our own battles to fight in our daily lives. I hope that the characters—Asterin, Luna, Quinlan, Harry, Rose, and all the rest of your favs—might help you find the strength to conquer every challenge that crosses your path like they did for me. And I hope that you love reading this crazy book half as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Also, I hope none of you come for me in my sleep after reading the last bits. <3
xoxo, coco
p.s. If you’d like to stay updated on news about the final book (including the title!!!), please follow me on Instagram @cakeforcoco!
January 14, 2021
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
God Storm picks up where Shadow Frost left off, Orion is missing with Harry searching everywhere for him, Astrin and Rose are the queens of their respective countries, Luna has left to get to know her father, and Quinlan is unconscious due to his wound from Shadow Magic. When Quinlan awakes, he must deal with the consequences of this forbidden magic, while trying to protect Astrin from would be assassins. Luna finds what her mother's deal with the Shadow God will cost her, and how she can make it work to her favor. What will become of our heroes when their fates clash against each others? And as always, what will it cost them to have everything they desire?
God Storm is a solid follow up to Shadow Frost. The story development was amazing in some points, and the characters evolved throughout the novel, but it because a bit too quick in changing POV's and you could begin to feel lost. I found myself beginning chapters again just to make sure I hadn't missed something, and to just make sure I understood what was going on. This would have easily been a 5 star rating from me, but the ending felt too rushed and incomplete. Being part of a trilogy, I know that the final book will wrap everything up, but the cliffhanger ending just felt....confusing. For this, I knock it down a star with a heavy heart.
Overall, I can't wait to see what the conclusion had in store for our friends and foes. I recommend this series for anyone 12+ who likes multiple POV's and grand magical systems.
God Storm picks up where Shadow Frost left off, Orion is missing with Harry searching everywhere for him, Astrin and Rose are the queens of their respective countries, Luna has left to get to know her father, and Quinlan is unconscious due to his wound from Shadow Magic. When Quinlan awakes, he must deal with the consequences of this forbidden magic, while trying to protect Astrin from would be assassins. Luna finds what her mother's deal with the Shadow God will cost her, and how she can make it work to her favor. What will become of our heroes when their fates clash against each others? And as always, what will it cost them to have everything they desire?
God Storm is a solid follow up to Shadow Frost. The story development was amazing in some points, and the characters evolved throughout the novel, but it because a bit too quick in changing POV's and you could begin to feel lost. I found myself beginning chapters again just to make sure I hadn't missed something, and to just make sure I understood what was going on. This would have easily been a 5 star rating from me, but the ending felt too rushed and incomplete. Being part of a trilogy, I know that the final book will wrap everything up, but the cliffhanger ending just felt....confusing. For this, I knock it down a star with a heavy heart.
Overall, I can't wait to see what the conclusion had in store for our friends and foes. I recommend this series for anyone 12+ who likes multiple POV's and grand magical systems.
October 19, 2020
WHAT AM I EVEN GOING TO SAY NOWWWW
God Storm picks up right where Shadow Frost leaves off, chasing our cast of characters through the Immortal Realm, across continents and kingdoms, as they search for cures, each other, and solutions to the darkness rising - both in their world and in their souls. They face assassins, shadow magic, and betrayal galore. Will you predict what happens?? Absolutely not 🙃.
Wowza!!! Holy heck. What a CRAZY RIDE. wowowowoww words?? Coherent sentences? What are those??
If you haven’t read the first book yet… I won’t spoil you here but what are you doing? Go read it, now! And if you would like a more sensical review on this series than this one might turn out to be, go check out my review for the first book (click here). Moving on…
I was amazed after the first book, believe me. But this sequel takes this epic fantasy series to a serious epic fantasy level. We see more kingdoms; we take many trips into the Immortal Realm and meet the the King of Darkness, Eoin himself; we go through ups and downs with the characters in their struggle to survive and beat the odds, all while trying to keep the ones they love safe.
My favorite aspect of this series is the complexity of the characters. Pretty much every character has at least one chapter from the perspective, it seems, which provides sooo many different outlooks on different characters and circumstances. Many books are pitched as “having flawed characters who aren’t perfect,” but how many actually carry through? God Storm certainly does. Even the antagonist has his relatively good moments, as seen through many of the characters’ eyes. And in the same way, the revered main character, Asterin, makes mistakes and is held accountable through other characters’ perspectives as well. Basically, the variety of perspectives gives the series so much depth and strengthens the incredible, solid epic fantasy feel this series maintains.
The refreshingly unique magic system also helps with that. I discuss it more in my review of Shadow Frost, but I love it so so much. And the added depth of the forbidden shadow magic and those who are touched by it, raising so many interesting questions: is it bad? Are those who wield it bad? Does it taint with power or inherent evil? What would each character sacrifice in order to save those they love… and what if it involves doing the exact things they are fighting against? This is not a profound, philosophical novel, but what I found while reading is that these conflicts of thought and motive across characters, kingdoms, and worlds aided even more to the vastness of this new world, to the epic proportions Coco Ma succeeded in writing where so many other authors have failed - at fifteen years old, no less.
Basically, if you haven’t realized this already, I want you to read this series. At a time where I’ve been struggling with wondering, “Have I lost my love for fantasy? Have I read too much of it to ever love it as much?” this series came along and rekindled the flame. There’s something in this series and this diverse cast of characters for everyone, and if you are feeling the same, wondering if you’ll ever read another high fantasy you’ll fall head over heels for, maybe this series will fix that for you too.
A MILLION thank yous to the Favourite Pages Book Club for hosting this tour, and thank you for the free finished copy in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!
God Storm picks up right where Shadow Frost leaves off, chasing our cast of characters through the Immortal Realm, across continents and kingdoms, as they search for cures, each other, and solutions to the darkness rising - both in their world and in their souls. They face assassins, shadow magic, and betrayal galore. Will you predict what happens?? Absolutely not 🙃.
Wowza!!! Holy heck. What a CRAZY RIDE. wowowowoww words?? Coherent sentences? What are those??
If you haven’t read the first book yet… I won’t spoil you here but what are you doing? Go read it, now! And if you would like a more sensical review on this series than this one might turn out to be, go check out my review for the first book (click here). Moving on…
I was amazed after the first book, believe me. But this sequel takes this epic fantasy series to a serious epic fantasy level. We see more kingdoms; we take many trips into the Immortal Realm and meet the the King of Darkness, Eoin himself; we go through ups and downs with the characters in their struggle to survive and beat the odds, all while trying to keep the ones they love safe.
My favorite aspect of this series is the complexity of the characters. Pretty much every character has at least one chapter from the perspective, it seems, which provides sooo many different outlooks on different characters and circumstances. Many books are pitched as “having flawed characters who aren’t perfect,” but how many actually carry through? God Storm certainly does. Even the antagonist has his relatively good moments, as seen through many of the characters’ eyes. And in the same way, the revered main character, Asterin, makes mistakes and is held accountable through other characters’ perspectives as well. Basically, the variety of perspectives gives the series so much depth and strengthens the incredible, solid epic fantasy feel this series maintains.
The refreshingly unique magic system also helps with that. I discuss it more in my review of Shadow Frost, but I love it so so much. And the added depth of the forbidden shadow magic and those who are touched by it, raising so many interesting questions: is it bad? Are those who wield it bad? Does it taint with power or inherent evil? What would each character sacrifice in order to save those they love… and what if it involves doing the exact things they are fighting against? This is not a profound, philosophical novel, but what I found while reading is that these conflicts of thought and motive across characters, kingdoms, and worlds aided even more to the vastness of this new world, to the epic proportions Coco Ma succeeded in writing where so many other authors have failed - at fifteen years old, no less.
Basically, if you haven’t realized this already, I want you to read this series. At a time where I’ve been struggling with wondering, “Have I lost my love for fantasy? Have I read too much of it to ever love it as much?” this series came along and rekindled the flame. There’s something in this series and this diverse cast of characters for everyone, and if you are feeling the same, wondering if you’ll ever read another high fantasy you’ll fall head over heels for, maybe this series will fix that for you too.
A MILLION thank yous to the Favourite Pages Book Club for hosting this tour, and thank you for the free finished copy in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!
Read
October 18, 2020Where do I even begin with this review? Because this book was just *muah* chefs kiss. It has delectable characters. Show stopping plot. And absolutely enthralling writing. So yeah, one could argue that I really really loved this book and I wouldn’t tell them they were wrong. I’d probably correct them and say that I’m actually obsessed with it.
Can we just take a minute to discuss Coco Ma’s writing style? I know this is not necessarily about the book, but really it is. There are some books that I love because I fell in love with the worlds, and other books I love because they contain so many snarky characters for me to fawn over, but this book/series I love because of the writing. Every now and then I find an author that I immediately add to my favorites mental pile because the writing is so engrossing and meticulous and witty and I just salivate because it just lures me in and snares me.
I actually find it so funny that I have grown to love this series so much because for the longest time I deprived myself of anything that had the words princess/prince/king/queen. Shockingly horrifying I know, but before I did this I went over the deep end on a binge of epic proportions of court related books that it needed to be done. And I’m really glad I had that palette cleanser because I’ve been able to go back now and really select the ones that I know will blow me away, much like God Storm did.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
Can we just take a minute to discuss Coco Ma’s writing style? I know this is not necessarily about the book, but really it is. There are some books that I love because I fell in love with the worlds, and other books I love because they contain so many snarky characters for me to fawn over, but this book/series I love because of the writing. Every now and then I find an author that I immediately add to my favorites mental pile because the writing is so engrossing and meticulous and witty and I just salivate because it just lures me in and snares me.
I actually find it so funny that I have grown to love this series so much because for the longest time I deprived myself of anything that had the words princess/prince/king/queen. Shockingly horrifying I know, but before I did this I went over the deep end on a binge of epic proportions of court related books that it needed to be done. And I’m really glad I had that palette cleanser because I’ve been able to go back now and really select the ones that I know will blow me away, much like God Storm did.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
October 22, 2020
Thank you Favourite Pages and Blackstone for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
God Storm by Coco Ma is second in the Shadow Frost series. Although the story is technically a young adult fantasy, it's perfect for adults, too. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the heroine's crisis of conflict. She must make a choice between two impossible choices. How would you decide? Weighing the pros and cons is one method. Acting on instinct is another. Either way, she must make peace with her choice. Too often, characters are mindless and flat. God Storm has complex dynamic characters with ample characterization so readers get to know them well. Connection makes any story so much better and more meaningful.
The God Storm journey is one of magic, secrets, revelations and hope. It is unpredictable and exciting, like any good adventure should be anyway. A range of emotions are involved because you will care about the outcomes of the characters. Reading God Storm was a great experience, and I definitely recommend this book!
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
God Storm by Coco Ma is second in the Shadow Frost series. Although the story is technically a young adult fantasy, it's perfect for adults, too. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the heroine's crisis of conflict. She must make a choice between two impossible choices. How would you decide? Weighing the pros and cons is one method. Acting on instinct is another. Either way, she must make peace with her choice. Too often, characters are mindless and flat. God Storm has complex dynamic characters with ample characterization so readers get to know them well. Connection makes any story so much better and more meaningful.
The God Storm journey is one of magic, secrets, revelations and hope. It is unpredictable and exciting, like any good adventure should be anyway. A range of emotions are involved because you will care about the outcomes of the characters. Reading God Storm was a great experience, and I definitely recommend this book!
October 22, 2020
Sugar-Plum-Fairies can this girl write!!! I loved the first book (Shadow Frost) so of course I had to read this sequel. When it comes to sequels sometimes you read it hoping it will be as good or even better than the first with high expectiations, and a lot of the time the sequel falls short.....not on this one! Straight from page one I was back into the world and with the characters every step of the way. The twists! The turns! The really dark shadow god that for some reason I was slightly attracted to during some of this book (still do not know why!)....just everyhting about this book. Normally a cover oversells the book but honestly the cover on this one is as stunning as the story contained within its pages. Definitely one for any fans of A Curse so Dark and Lonely and Throne of Glass.
Just DAMN Coco Ma! You are one talented writer and I need the next one now!!! Like please now!!!!! That ending!!!!
Just DAMN Coco Ma! You are one talented writer and I need the next one now!!! Like please now!!!!! That ending!!!!
October 15, 2022
This book actually took me over a month to read, which was a little disappointing. It felt a bit slow, and none of the plot events were super gripping except for a few? I felt like a large part of it was just them going to the immortal realm, and then back, and then there would be some kind of flying or battle with the affinities. I’m still giving this 3 stars because A) I really enjoyed Luna’s corruption arc 🥵 and B) the cover is so hawt OH OH AND C) ORION AND HARRY ARE MY FAVORITES AND I LOVE THEM AND D) Elyssa and her sort of corruption arc
Okay, now back to the other stuff. So one thing that kind of annoyed me was how I didn’t really feel anything when Quinlain died? Maybe because I never thought he and Asterin were a good couple, but there wasn’t really any part of it that made me feel sad at all. I was kind of just like “heh. Okay.” Honestly, a part of me was hoping that Asterin would move on to be with someone else.
The writing itself was amazing though, and there were plenty of lines that were beautiful to me. Not a favorite as much as shadow frost was, but hopefully the last book kind of redeems it!
Okay, now back to the other stuff. So one thing that kind of annoyed me was how I didn’t really feel anything when Quinlain died? Maybe because I never thought he and Asterin were a good couple, but there wasn’t really any part of it that made me feel sad at all. I was kind of just like “heh. Okay.” Honestly, a part of me was hoping that Asterin would move on to be with someone else.
The writing itself was amazing though, and there were plenty of lines that were beautiful to me. Not a favorite as much as shadow frost was, but hopefully the last book kind of redeems it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2020
[🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ]
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Thank you @favouritepagesclub & @netgalley for the e- arc !
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OMG OMG OMG THIS BOOK!!
Okay this book has officially destroyed me. I loved the first book Shadow Frost, but this one? I freaking love this one even more! Taking a break in between reading the book what?? Middle book syndrome who? I will die for Harry & Orion and they are the best. Best freaking couple and I love them with all my heart.
.
•{Favourite Line}•
“Go home,” Harry begged. “Please.” Orion sighed in fond exasperation. “Idiot,” he whispered. “Home is nowhere without you.”
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Do you see what I'm saying?? The stakes are skyrocketing and my baby here just says things like these. (And yes, I would still marry Harry in a heartbeat, and yes I love the side Characters more than the main characters and yes I will still fight you if you say Harry is not the best).
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Okay, on a much serious note, this book follows our Characters after they defeat the evil queen and have to live ith the consequences of their actions. Since it's the second book, I can't explain without spoilers, but let me just say these things. Harry & Orion are my babies with so much Character development and chemistry and bond and everything between them. Luna with her morally grey Character is the highlight of this book. Eoin is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters and might even become a potential candidate for book boyfriend. These four Characters get the most Character arc wrt this book and I loved that. Though we get to follow our main characters, they take a backseat, and let's the scenes and the side Characters shine. I was really looking forward to knowing more about the Shadow world and the powers it weilds. The way the friendship is put to test, and the extent one goes to rescue a loved one, negotiating with the King of Shadow world, and that Abso-freaking-lutely heart breaking and an amazing ending with a huge cliffhanger, this book set a base for much more mayhem and adventure and I honestly cannot wait to read the next book! Why is the next book coming out so far out? I need a time machine to travel to the future thank you very much.
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And if you haven't read the first book yet, go read it!! It's one of my favorite series of all time and this book has one of my favorite friendship groups I've ever read!
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Here's my Goodreads review link to the first book to convince you more.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Thank you @favouritepagesclub & @netgalley for the e- arc !
.
OMG OMG OMG THIS BOOK!!
Okay this book has officially destroyed me. I loved the first book Shadow Frost, but this one? I freaking love this one even more! Taking a break in between reading the book what?? Middle book syndrome who? I will die for Harry & Orion and they are the best. Best freaking couple and I love them with all my heart.
.
•{Favourite Line}•
“Go home,” Harry begged. “Please.” Orion sighed in fond exasperation. “Idiot,” he whispered. “Home is nowhere without you.”
.
Do you see what I'm saying?? The stakes are skyrocketing and my baby here just says things like these. (And yes, I would still marry Harry in a heartbeat, and yes I love the side Characters more than the main characters and yes I will still fight you if you say Harry is not the best).
.
Okay, on a much serious note, this book follows our Characters after they defeat the evil queen and have to live ith the consequences of their actions. Since it's the second book, I can't explain without spoilers, but let me just say these things. Harry & Orion are my babies with so much Character development and chemistry and bond and everything between them. Luna with her morally grey Character is the highlight of this book. Eoin is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters and might even become a potential candidate for book boyfriend. These four Characters get the most Character arc wrt this book and I loved that. Though we get to follow our main characters, they take a backseat, and let's the scenes and the side Characters shine. I was really looking forward to knowing more about the Shadow world and the powers it weilds. The way the friendship is put to test, and the extent one goes to rescue a loved one, negotiating with the King of Shadow world, and that Abso-freaking-lutely heart breaking and an amazing ending with a huge cliffhanger, this book set a base for much more mayhem and adventure and I honestly cannot wait to read the next book! Why is the next book coming out so far out? I need a time machine to travel to the future thank you very much.
.
And if you haven't read the first book yet, go read it!! It's one of my favorite series of all time and this book has one of my favorite friendship groups I've ever read!
.
Here's my Goodreads review link to the first book to convince you more.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
November 25, 2020
WHAT THE HECK WHYYYYYYY THAT STUPID ENDING. 😒 other than that *ahem* EVIL cliffhanger, this was pretty good! I enjoyed the first one more, but the shadow magic was refreshingly different & new. I will definitely reread this series in the future, probably sooner rather than later.
October 7, 2022
Echt super leuk throne of glass achtig boek. Ik vond de romance tussen Harry en Orion echt geweldig en de persoonsontwikkeling van Luna erg leuk
February 28, 2021
Originally reviewed on Cyn's Workshop
God Storm continues where Shadow Frost left off, following the characters as they deal with magic, dark and powerful.
Interesting Story
I am going to be honest; I got lost reading this novel. However, that is not because the novel itself is terrible. I honestly think part of the reason I could not enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped was that I had forgotten most of what had happened in Shadow Frost.
That does not mean Ma is a poor writer, but I think she relied too much on the reader’s ability to remember that she made minimal references to what happened in the first novel. Unfortunately, this is not enough to reestablish the world-building and the dynamics.
There are just too many characters pulling the story in various directions that some world-building would have benefitted the story’s foundation. God Storm seems as though it is barely connected to the previous novel, which is part of why some readers may feel lost. The villain is gone, and now something else entirely different is going on.
While the story is interesting, it feels like a far departure from the previous novel.
Characterization>
Another issue I had with God Storm was the character dynamics. Luna was terrific in the first novel, as was Asterin. Now, Asterin is still a formidable character when the reader gets to see her in action. Unfortunately, the reader does not see her in action much anymore now that she is Queen.
However, this goes in line with the storytelling. It is a fast-paced story, and Asterin is going places, but it is initially unclear where she is going and why. Transition-wise, the reader may have trouble understanding Asterin’s journey as she seeks to solve the mystery behind shadow magic.
Then there is Luna. It is clear Luna has abandonment issues, and her anger towards Asterin is understandable. Asterin’s fake mother forced her to chose between Luna or the man she loves. Asterin’s choice not to save Luna made her angry, understandably. She feels betrayed, but her anger is blinding her and makes her feel weak. Now she takes out all her anger on Asterin, giving away her freedom to Eoin, God of Shadows. Luna’s journey to be a villain makes her development interesting but her constant whining makes her unlikable.
Asterin’s mothers’ point of view also did not add much to the plot of the story. Asterin’s mother was just sort of there, and even by the end, she felt more like a plot device than a character worth caring about.
Final Thoughts
While the LGBTQ+ representation between Orion and Harry was as enjoyable as it was in the previous novel, the rest of God Storm fell flat. Like I said at the beginning of this review, I would probably have liked it more had I re-read Shadow Frost more because God Storm left me feeling lost from beginning to end.
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God Storm continues where Shadow Frost left off, following the characters as they deal with magic, dark and powerful.
Interesting Story
I am going to be honest; I got lost reading this novel. However, that is not because the novel itself is terrible. I honestly think part of the reason I could not enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped was that I had forgotten most of what had happened in Shadow Frost.
That does not mean Ma is a poor writer, but I think she relied too much on the reader’s ability to remember that she made minimal references to what happened in the first novel. Unfortunately, this is not enough to reestablish the world-building and the dynamics.
There are just too many characters pulling the story in various directions that some world-building would have benefitted the story’s foundation. God Storm seems as though it is barely connected to the previous novel, which is part of why some readers may feel lost. The villain is gone, and now something else entirely different is going on.
While the story is interesting, it feels like a far departure from the previous novel.
Characterization>
Another issue I had with God Storm was the character dynamics. Luna was terrific in the first novel, as was Asterin. Now, Asterin is still a formidable character when the reader gets to see her in action. Unfortunately, the reader does not see her in action much anymore now that she is Queen.
However, this goes in line with the storytelling. It is a fast-paced story, and Asterin is going places, but it is initially unclear where she is going and why. Transition-wise, the reader may have trouble understanding Asterin’s journey as she seeks to solve the mystery behind shadow magic.
Then there is Luna. It is clear Luna has abandonment issues, and her anger towards Asterin is understandable. Asterin’s fake mother forced her to chose between Luna or the man she loves. Asterin’s choice not to save Luna made her angry, understandably. She feels betrayed, but her anger is blinding her and makes her feel weak. Now she takes out all her anger on Asterin, giving away her freedom to Eoin, God of Shadows. Luna’s journey to be a villain makes her development interesting but her constant whining makes her unlikable.
Asterin’s mothers’ point of view also did not add much to the plot of the story. Asterin’s mother was just sort of there, and even by the end, she felt more like a plot device than a character worth caring about.
Final Thoughts
While the LGBTQ+ representation between Orion and Harry was as enjoyable as it was in the previous novel, the rest of God Storm fell flat. Like I said at the beginning of this review, I would probably have liked it more had I re-read Shadow Frost more because God Storm left me feeling lost from beginning to end.
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November 6, 2020
**This review can also be found at The Reader and the Chef! Huge thanks to MTMC Tours & Blackstone for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.**
If you loved Shadow Frost then you will 100% obsess over God Storm! The high stakes! The magic! All the kingdoms!! And in this sequel we get to explore the forbidden magic and only our Queen Asterin will be able to stop it once it slips into the mortal realm.
I think one of my favorite twists in this book was the Character ARC of Luna. If you remember her character from book 1, she was Asterin’s best friend and with such a sweet personality. Everyone ADORED her. However, after the events of Shadow Frost in which she finds out the truth behind her parentage, Luna changes. Her life changes and now she craves to control and grow her newfound magic, and perhaps… overtake even Queen Asterin herself.
God Storm is full of character POVs and they help to share tiny glimpses about the vast world found in these books. Not only about the kingdoms and the mortal realm, but also of the immortal realm where the shadows reign.
God Storm was a whirlwind of feels and you will have such an epic adventure reading its pages. Super intrigued where the story will go next!
If you loved Shadow Frost then you will 100% obsess over God Storm! The high stakes! The magic! All the kingdoms!! And in this sequel we get to explore the forbidden magic and only our Queen Asterin will be able to stop it once it slips into the mortal realm.
I think one of my favorite twists in this book was the Character ARC of Luna. If you remember her character from book 1, she was Asterin’s best friend and with such a sweet personality. Everyone ADORED her. However, after the events of Shadow Frost in which she finds out the truth behind her parentage, Luna changes. Her life changes and now she craves to control and grow her newfound magic, and perhaps… overtake even Queen Asterin herself.
God Storm is full of character POVs and they help to share tiny glimpses about the vast world found in these books. Not only about the kingdoms and the mortal realm, but also of the immortal realm where the shadows reign.
God Storm was a whirlwind of feels and you will have such an epic adventure reading its pages. Super intrigued where the story will go next!
October 23, 2020
Oh my, honestly I didn’t think you could pack more action into a book than Shadow Frost had... but God Storm was like one of those roller coaster rides that just when you think it’s over it shoots you backwards through the whole course over again.
It’s hard to review without spoilers because really you need to know where everyone ended up after Shadow Frost to really appreciate the all the progression in God Storm. I will say I loved some of the characters getting darker and the God of Shadow was just a fabulous character.
This time all of your favorite characters were mostly split up and fighting their own battles so there would be long stretches without Asterin, which made for a dynamic story but also left me missing her. Luna’s development as a character was completely bada** and I was loving it. Like the last story there was often a lot going on and yet it wasn’t always clear what it was building to but all of the threads pulled together nicely. Like the last book, I wish it had ended two chapters earlier but I get the YA trend to leave you dying for the next book.
It’s hard to review without spoilers because really you need to know where everyone ended up after Shadow Frost to really appreciate the all the progression in God Storm. I will say I loved some of the characters getting darker and the God of Shadow was just a fabulous character.
This time all of your favorite characters were mostly split up and fighting their own battles so there would be long stretches without Asterin, which made for a dynamic story but also left me missing her. Luna’s development as a character was completely bada** and I was loving it. Like the last story there was often a lot going on and yet it wasn’t always clear what it was building to but all of the threads pulled together nicely. Like the last book, I wish it had ended two chapters earlier but I get the YA trend to leave you dying for the next book.
October 14, 2020
This book was received as an ARC from Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was super ecstatic when I saw the release of this book and could not wait to read it. I absolutely love books with magic and drama and this book had A LOT of both. I could not help but to be sucked in and transported into the Kingdom of Axaria and be on the journey with Queen Asterin trying to find her way and find answers of why her her friends, true loves and guardians have all died and they all rest in the hands of the God of Shadow King Eoin. Now Asterin has a choice to release them all and save them or save the lives of Axaria. I love when there is a difficult choice to be made and see where the direction the heroine takes us. I know our teen book club will have a field day with this book and I can't wait to hear their discussions.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I was super ecstatic when I saw the release of this book and could not wait to read it. I absolutely love books with magic and drama and this book had A LOT of both. I could not help but to be sucked in and transported into the Kingdom of Axaria and be on the journey with Queen Asterin trying to find her way and find answers of why her her friends, true loves and guardians have all died and they all rest in the hands of the God of Shadow King Eoin. Now Asterin has a choice to release them all and save them or save the lives of Axaria. I love when there is a difficult choice to be made and see where the direction the heroine takes us. I know our teen book club will have a field day with this book and I can't wait to hear their discussions.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
December 11, 2021
Absolutely loved Shadow Frost, but the beginning of this book was a rough start. It was truly a struggle, and half the time I spent trying to remember what happened in the first book, since I had so much time in between reads. I also found that outside of Luna, I didn't really get absorbed by all of the other characters like before. I was even kind of bored by Asterin, who I was fully invested in during the first book. Thankfully the second half of the book rebounded, especially with Luna's story and development. It was enough to make me want to read the next volume when it comes out, but just barely.
November 16, 2020
4.5 stars!
As wonderful as Shadow Frost was, it didn’t have the complexity that God Storm did! The writing was even better, the plot kept surprising me but the characters are the true masterpiece. I won’t give any spoilers but Luna is a new all-time favorite character of mine! Gone is the sweet, timid, weak, virtually magic-less, handmaiden to the princess. She has been replaced with a total badass!
5 Reasons to read it:
1. Coco Ma’s writing style is:
2. There’s LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation! Being LGBTQ+ is pretty normalized in the book and I love that.
King Eoin, God of Shadows, is dark and broody while also being witty aka the trifecta. Not to mention he’s all powerful. Where do I sign?
4. The magic system is still one of my favorites! I love that we were able to find out more about that forbidden tenth element, Shadow.
5. I have to mention the badass characters again, particularly the women. Asterin is the black-haired version of Aelin in Throne of Glass basically with way more range. Rose manages to raise her siblings and somehow keep her kingdom together. I’m not sure what exactly Killian is yet but I 100% need to see more of her in the next book because she seems like a force to be reckoned with. Then there’s Luna who is a woman after my own heart for reasons I can’t say without giving spoiling.
Thanks so much to the publisher and MTMC Tours for the arc and letting me be a part of the blog tour!
As wonderful as Shadow Frost was, it didn’t have the complexity that God Storm did! The writing was even better, the plot kept surprising me but the characters are the true masterpiece. I won’t give any spoilers but Luna is a new all-time favorite character of mine! Gone is the sweet, timid, weak, virtually magic-less, handmaiden to the princess. She has been replaced with a total badass!
5 Reasons to read it:
1. Coco Ma’s writing style is:
2. There’s LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation! Being LGBTQ+ is pretty normalized in the book and I love that.
King Eoin, God of Shadows, is dark and broody while also being witty aka the trifecta. Not to mention he’s all powerful. Where do I sign?
4. The magic system is still one of my favorites! I love that we were able to find out more about that forbidden tenth element, Shadow.
5. I have to mention the badass characters again, particularly the women. Asterin is the black-haired version of Aelin in Throne of Glass basically with way more range. Rose manages to raise her siblings and somehow keep her kingdom together. I’m not sure what exactly Killian is yet but I 100% need to see more of her in the next book because she seems like a force to be reckoned with. Then there’s Luna who is a woman after my own heart for reasons I can’t say without giving spoiling.
Thanks so much to the publisher and MTMC Tours for the arc and letting me be a part of the blog tour!
October 26, 2020
I wish I had read this series together. I think the wait between when I read the first on and when I read the second one dulled some of my interest, at least when I started the book. But it was exciting and I eventually got back into the story.
April 18, 2021
review coming soon
September 16, 2021
Audio 5
Storyline 5
LOVED IT………. Now I have to wait for next installment.
Great story, I feel that it is soooo much better than the first book in the series.
Storyline 5
LOVED IT………. Now I have to wait for next installment.
Great story, I feel that it is soooo much better than the first book in the series.
March 3, 2021
Asterin was a brave and selfless leader who would do anything to save someone in trouble. She truly has the best intentions for her people but I thought it was weird that she left her kingdom to go see her crush only to barely spend anytime with them. Even though I enjoyed the romance between Asterin and Quinlan I was happy we got to spend more time with the other characters. I liked their entire little friend group, but I especially loved seeing more of Harry and Orion. Their romance pulled at my heart and had me completed invested. The angst was turned up when Orions memory loss led him to forget about Harry and start dating the Lord of Darkness. I thought Eoin was a fascinating character. He's this all powerful shadow god but still has these very real insecurities and heartfelt desires.
I enjoyed the rivalry that came from the impossible decision Asterin had to make at the end of the first book. I love morally grey characters so seeing her former friend become an antihero was a lot of fun. Lunas point of view was probably my favorite as she really comes into her own in this sequel. She negotiates with the Lord of Darkness, comes into some awesome powers, and becomes a lot more ruthless than I ever expected. Her single minded determination to never feel powerless again was impressive. The amount of time and effort she put into her training was inspiring. I really enjoyed the new friendship she made with Killian. I suspect it might turn into something more in the next book and I'm totally here for it.
The plot felt a little directionless at first, but when they eventually start looking for a cure to save one of their friends who is sick with shadow magic their goal helps the story pick up. That's not to say the story didnt have any action from the start because we do get a creature of chaos wreaking havoc on Asterins city and some exciting assassinations attempts made on Asterin and her Elite guard. I liked the elemental magic with its affinity stones and getting to see some of the underworld. The different types of demons and the shadow magic was very intriguing. I really appreciated the shadow jumping and how it cut down on the travelling time. This had a lot of the elements I loved about the Ash Princesslo trilogy so I highly recommend giving this a try if you enjoyed that series.
I enjoyed the rivalry that came from the impossible decision Asterin had to make at the end of the first book. I love morally grey characters so seeing her former friend become an antihero was a lot of fun. Lunas point of view was probably my favorite as she really comes into her own in this sequel. She negotiates with the Lord of Darkness, comes into some awesome powers, and becomes a lot more ruthless than I ever expected. Her single minded determination to never feel powerless again was impressive. The amount of time and effort she put into her training was inspiring. I really enjoyed the new friendship she made with Killian. I suspect it might turn into something more in the next book and I'm totally here for it.
The plot felt a little directionless at first, but when they eventually start looking for a cure to save one of their friends who is sick with shadow magic their goal helps the story pick up. That's not to say the story didnt have any action from the start because we do get a creature of chaos wreaking havoc on Asterins city and some exciting assassinations attempts made on Asterin and her Elite guard. I liked the elemental magic with its affinity stones and getting to see some of the underworld. The different types of demons and the shadow magic was very intriguing. I really appreciated the shadow jumping and how it cut down on the travelling time. This had a lot of the elements I loved about the Ash Princesslo trilogy so I highly recommend giving this a try if you enjoyed that series.
January 23, 2021
I absolutely loved the first book in this series. Unfortunately, this one fell just a tad short of the first and had elements that, honestly, just piss me off. The book itself is good and the story continues well from the first. But the portrayal of the demon and God of Shadows as homosexual while the “good” characters are heterosexual just strikes me as offensive. Considering that the author is so incredibly young, I’d like to believe that there wasn’t an ulterior motive or hidden meaning behind the portrayal of gay characters as being evil, but there’s enough of that kind of crappy thinking in our world without making it part of the story. I’m really hoping the next book will remedy this. Or at the very least, be followed with an apology to any who are hurt by this issue.
August 26, 2022
was this as good as the first book?
unfortunately, no.
by how much?
quite a lot.
did i like it?
it was okay. may reread.
unfortunately, no.
by how much?
quite a lot.
did i like it?
it was okay. may reread.
October 10, 2020
Find this review and more on my blog at
Worlds Unlike Our Own
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Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, and Edelweiss for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Asterin Faelenhart should be celebrating – she has rescued her long imprisoned mother, defeated the false queen Priscilla, saved her kingdom and is now Queen of Axaria. But these happy events have come at a price – Orion is lost to the immortal realm, and Asterin’s actions in choosing to save Quinlan over Luna have resulted in her losing both. But darkness is already making its reappearance in Axaria, dark magic is causing havoc amongst the people. When news of Quinlan’s recovery reaches her, Asterin immediately leaves for Eradore with a few Elites only to walk into a deadly ambush en route, a precursor of things to come.
I liked that this book delved deeper into shadow magic, which I was really curious to know about. There was also some excellent world-building, particularly in Eradore (that library sounds amazing) and the Immortal Realm. Writing and pacing wise, I found this to be a significantly smoother read and that ending in particular really was quite epic. Asterin and her most of her friends have parted ways since the events of the Fairfest Battle, which means multiple storylines and POVs for a large part of the book, which I thought the author handled very well, keeping the tone engaging and not letting the plot drag at all. Also, hats off for another gorgeous cover!
While this is undoubtedly Asterin’s story, I felt that this book’s strength was in how much time it spent on building up the other characters – some in entirely unexpected directions. The demon Harry is desperately searching for Orion, who jumped into a portal during the fight, unaware of the fact that he is in fact in the Immortal Realm, in the company of none other than the Shadow God, King Eoin, having lost his memory. Orion and Harry’s arc was actually the one I enjoyed the most, even if memory loss is a trope I severely dislike. They were really put through a lot in this book, Harry in particular, and I do hope he’s going to be fine after what Eoin did to his magic.
Luna on the other hand, went down a very different path from what she has been so far, and an undoubtedly dark one. Granted, Asterin’s choice was indeed a betrayal of their long friendship, but this change in her character just seemed extreme. While her drive to become a stronger and walk her own path was admirable, there were times I found her to be extremely immature and frankly her actions in this book made her quite dislikable. That said, her arc is currently the most fascinating one for me, and I’m interested to see how her story is going to be resolved.
However, apart from these two arcs, I didn’t find myself paying much heed to any of the other plot lines as these just seemed to overshadow it all somehow. Frankly, I rather struggled to keep going with the book, not because the plot wasn’t good, just that I barely felt invested in it at all. I daresay the experience might have been different had I reread Shadow Frost in the last couple of months. When I read Shadow Frost, there was just so much excitement and anticipation to know what was going to happen, but with this book it was more like “ok, what’s next?”. Basically, even with the multitude of twists and revelations in the story, this plot seems to have lost its ability to shock me – and that’s saying a lot considering how this book ended. While I liked the characters, I wasn’t really able to connect to them this time around, and a large part of that was because it felt like I’ve already gone down similar paths in fantasy novels before.
I do believe it’s just that my reading tastes have evolved in recent years, but a reader new to YA fantasy might feel very differently about this book. However, I try not to judge second books too harshly, so I’m reserving judgement on reading book 3 until I’ve seen some reviews for it whenever it’s out. Overall, God Storm was a solid read and would be a good choice if you’re in the mood for something fast-paced and full of unique magic.
Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, and Edelweiss for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Asterin Faelenhart should be celebrating – she has rescued her long imprisoned mother, defeated the false queen Priscilla, saved her kingdom and is now Queen of Axaria. But these happy events have come at a price – Orion is lost to the immortal realm, and Asterin’s actions in choosing to save Quinlan over Luna have resulted in her losing both. But darkness is already making its reappearance in Axaria, dark magic is causing havoc amongst the people. When news of Quinlan’s recovery reaches her, Asterin immediately leaves for Eradore with a few Elites only to walk into a deadly ambush en route, a precursor of things to come.
I liked that this book delved deeper into shadow magic, which I was really curious to know about. There was also some excellent world-building, particularly in Eradore (that library sounds amazing) and the Immortal Realm. Writing and pacing wise, I found this to be a significantly smoother read and that ending in particular really was quite epic. Asterin and her most of her friends have parted ways since the events of the Fairfest Battle, which means multiple storylines and POVs for a large part of the book, which I thought the author handled very well, keeping the tone engaging and not letting the plot drag at all. Also, hats off for another gorgeous cover!
While this is undoubtedly Asterin’s story, I felt that this book’s strength was in how much time it spent on building up the other characters – some in entirely unexpected directions. The demon Harry is desperately searching for Orion, who jumped into a portal during the fight, unaware of the fact that he is in fact in the Immortal Realm, in the company of none other than the Shadow God, King Eoin, having lost his memory. Orion and Harry’s arc was actually the one I enjoyed the most, even if memory loss is a trope I severely dislike. They were really put through a lot in this book, Harry in particular, and I do hope he’s going to be fine after what Eoin did to his magic.
Luna on the other hand, went down a very different path from what she has been so far, and an undoubtedly dark one. Granted, Asterin’s choice was indeed a betrayal of their long friendship, but this change in her character just seemed extreme. While her drive to become a stronger and walk her own path was admirable, there were times I found her to be extremely immature and frankly her actions in this book made her quite dislikable. That said, her arc is currently the most fascinating one for me, and I’m interested to see how her story is going to be resolved.
However, apart from these two arcs, I didn’t find myself paying much heed to any of the other plot lines as these just seemed to overshadow it all somehow. Frankly, I rather struggled to keep going with the book, not because the plot wasn’t good, just that I barely felt invested in it at all. I daresay the experience might have been different had I reread Shadow Frost in the last couple of months. When I read Shadow Frost, there was just so much excitement and anticipation to know what was going to happen, but with this book it was more like “ok, what’s next?”. Basically, even with the multitude of twists and revelations in the story, this plot seems to have lost its ability to shock me – and that’s saying a lot considering how this book ended. While I liked the characters, I wasn’t really able to connect to them this time around, and a large part of that was because it felt like I’ve already gone down similar paths in fantasy novels before.
I do believe it’s just that my reading tastes have evolved in recent years, but a reader new to YA fantasy might feel very differently about this book. However, I try not to judge second books too harshly, so I’m reserving judgement on reading book 3 until I’ve seen some reviews for it whenever it’s out. Overall, God Storm was a solid read and would be a good choice if you’re in the mood for something fast-paced and full of unique magic.
December 13, 2020
WOW! All I can say is wow. I’m blown away. I knew this book was gonna be good, but it was simply exceptional. I’m sad that it’s over and I have to wait yet ANOTHER year for a new one, but I feel so lucky to have graced my mind with this fabulous work of art.
I have soooooo many questions still that I NEED answers for! What are Luna’s motives? Why does she want this massive end goal? What’s going on with her and Killian? Where did the escaped shadow things (I forget what they’re called) get to? How’s Orion doing? I want to give him a hug. Chapter 59 felt like a game of Among Us, trying to figure out who the imposter was. And the ending. Everything was coming together, but then fell apart in the most tragic way. Ahhhhh. It was just so good.
It was VERY different from Shadow Frost, in several different ways. The plot wasn’t as linear, which I kind of liked because we got to see the story from so many different angles. Usually I’m not fan of too many POVs, but it was done in a way that wasn’t confusing or overwhelming and it really did work quite well. The writing was whimsical and lyrical and melodic, with just the right amount of description, and the settings were so imaginative and described so well that I could see them as clear as a photograph in my mind. I love the Immortal Realm. It’s like nothing I’ve ever imagined before. It was a truly transportive story that really helped lower the stress of the ever-worsening pandemic.
I’m so, so, attached to all the characters, now even more than ever. This story really challenged them to grow in different ways, and they are much different than they were at the end of Shadow Frost. Sometimes with sequels the character development kind of halts, but I loved how much more we had to learn about them and that we got to see how they deal with challenges to their personal lives. I especially loved Harry’s character arc. I really, really, love who he’s become. Sending all my love to him and Orion :)
Anyway, I can’t say enough good things about this book. It was just perfect. It was filled with everything I love to see in a story, and it whenever I opened it it was something I could relax into and just enjoy. It is an absolute masterpiece of a book. Definitely cracked into my top 3 of the year. Five shining, dazzling, shimmering, twinkling stars!
I have soooooo many questions still that I NEED answers for! What are Luna’s motives? Why does she want this massive end goal? What’s going on with her and Killian? Where did the escaped shadow things (I forget what they’re called) get to? How’s Orion doing? I want to give him a hug. Chapter 59 felt like a game of Among Us, trying to figure out who the imposter was. And the ending. Everything was coming together, but then fell apart in the most tragic way. Ahhhhh. It was just so good.
It was VERY different from Shadow Frost, in several different ways. The plot wasn’t as linear, which I kind of liked because we got to see the story from so many different angles. Usually I’m not fan of too many POVs, but it was done in a way that wasn’t confusing or overwhelming and it really did work quite well. The writing was whimsical and lyrical and melodic, with just the right amount of description, and the settings were so imaginative and described so well that I could see them as clear as a photograph in my mind. I love the Immortal Realm. It’s like nothing I’ve ever imagined before. It was a truly transportive story that really helped lower the stress of the ever-worsening pandemic.
I’m so, so, attached to all the characters, now even more than ever. This story really challenged them to grow in different ways, and they are much different than they were at the end of Shadow Frost. Sometimes with sequels the character development kind of halts, but I loved how much more we had to learn about them and that we got to see how they deal with challenges to their personal lives. I especially loved Harry’s character arc. I really, really, love who he’s become. Sending all my love to him and Orion :)
Anyway, I can’t say enough good things about this book. It was just perfect. It was filled with everything I love to see in a story, and it whenever I opened it it was something I could relax into and just enjoy. It is an absolute masterpiece of a book. Definitely cracked into my top 3 of the year. Five shining, dazzling, shimmering, twinkling stars!
January 13, 2023
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
Queen Asterin Faelenhart has reason to celebrate. The darkness plaguing her kingdom has fallen. Upon dealing with her evil stepmother, she ensured the safety of her kingdom. While those she cares about are alive, there are casualties. Forced to choose between her best friend and her true love, she’s lost both. One has walked away. The other returned home in a comma. Her guardian is missing.
But shadows are stirring once again. Another realm exists beside the mortal world: the beautiful and nightmarish Immortal Realm ruled by the God of Shadow, Eoin. Now their paths intersect, and Eoin possesses precisely what and who she needs the most. With the fates of those she holds dear in the balance, she must strike a bargain with the God of Shadow himself. Yet everyone is not what they seem, and the choices they are all forced to make could change or destroy the mortal world.
Review:
God Storm is Coco Ma’s second novel of the Shadow Frost series. The victory at the end of Shadow Frost left Asterin and her friends picking up the pieces of their lives. Her best friend turned away because Asterin chose true love over her. Worse, her true love lies broken by dark magic. Her guardian finds himself without his memories and stuck in the Immortal Realm, and the demon who saved them must face the wrath of the God of Shadow.
Coco Ma’s world-building is still phenomenal. I enjoy how she lays out the elemental magic and further explores the forbidden shadow magic. The interplay between characters is still my favorite part of Coco Ma’s storytelling. That said, to push the story forward, otherwise smart people aren’t thinking through the consequences of their actions. While other stories have done this more egregiously, it is still there. It was still a fun read.
Synopsis:
Queen Asterin Faelenhart has reason to celebrate. The darkness plaguing her kingdom has fallen. Upon dealing with her evil stepmother, she ensured the safety of her kingdom. While those she cares about are alive, there are casualties. Forced to choose between her best friend and her true love, she’s lost both. One has walked away. The other returned home in a comma. Her guardian is missing.
But shadows are stirring once again. Another realm exists beside the mortal world: the beautiful and nightmarish Immortal Realm ruled by the God of Shadow, Eoin. Now their paths intersect, and Eoin possesses precisely what and who she needs the most. With the fates of those she holds dear in the balance, she must strike a bargain with the God of Shadow himself. Yet everyone is not what they seem, and the choices they are all forced to make could change or destroy the mortal world.
Review:
God Storm is Coco Ma’s second novel of the Shadow Frost series. The victory at the end of Shadow Frost left Asterin and her friends picking up the pieces of their lives. Her best friend turned away because Asterin chose true love over her. Worse, her true love lies broken by dark magic. Her guardian finds himself without his memories and stuck in the Immortal Realm, and the demon who saved them must face the wrath of the God of Shadow.
Coco Ma’s world-building is still phenomenal. I enjoy how she lays out the elemental magic and further explores the forbidden shadow magic. The interplay between characters is still my favorite part of Coco Ma’s storytelling. That said, to push the story forward, otherwise smart people aren’t thinking through the consequences of their actions. While other stories have done this more egregiously, it is still there. It was still a fun read.
October 14, 2020
God Storm is a story of the price of triumph and the lengths people will go to to be reunited with the people they love. Asterin Falenhart has come out on top over her evil stepmother and now reigns as Queen of Axaria, but she and her friends all live with the price her power came with. They've lost friends, loves and must live with the things they've done. But as a darkness begins to spread across Axaria, things for Asterin and her friends quickly go downhill. Deals are brokered, power is claimed, and soon Asterin faces losing her throne and everything she holds dear.
I wasn't super crazy about the first book and I am happy to say that reading God Storm was a completely different experience. It is clear that Ma's writing style and character development has drastically improved in that I felt more connected to the story and I didn't find the characters as insufferable as I did in the first book. I really enjoyed watching these characters wrestle with the losses and wins of the first book, as well as with the decisions they had to make. I loved Luna's arc probably the most as she deals with the aftermath of Asterin chooing Quinlan over her, and the things she does as a result. I also enjoyed seeing all the different relationships mature and develop. I also liked how the plot didn't drag very much in this book and things that were mentioned in the first book and were explored more in this one. God Storm is a vast improvement over the first installment, adding some much needed depth and development to these character and this series.
I wasn't super crazy about the first book and I am happy to say that reading God Storm was a completely different experience. It is clear that Ma's writing style and character development has drastically improved in that I felt more connected to the story and I didn't find the characters as insufferable as I did in the first book. I really enjoyed watching these characters wrestle with the losses and wins of the first book, as well as with the decisions they had to make. I loved Luna's arc probably the most as she deals with the aftermath of Asterin chooing Quinlan over her, and the things she does as a result. I also enjoyed seeing all the different relationships mature and develop. I also liked how the plot didn't drag very much in this book and things that were mentioned in the first book and were explored more in this one. God Storm is a vast improvement over the first installment, adding some much needed depth and development to these character and this series.
May 16, 2021
As someone emotionally compromised by the end of the first book, I knew I needed to jump into this one straight away.
If we thought things were bad at the end of the first book, they only get worse at the beginning of this one. It is the definition of “everything happens so much” as each of our characters, who split at the end of the first book to take care of personal matters that popped up, learn of individualized terrible news.
Everything hurt.
Most important of all, to me, was Orion. Sure, all the other characters were having their own problems, but I really enjoyed Orion’s sections (and sections about Orion as the characters’ paths met up). Without spoiling anything, let’s just say I wasn’t expecting that.
(But I’m not complaining.)
(Okay, I have one complaint: Orion being a damsel-in-distress kind of character was a weird choice for him being a bodyguard, but if his true destiny is a twink and a sugar baby, I’ll just have to accept this transformation.)
If this book has taught me anything, it is to not trust the first appearances of any character ever. Good characters are bad. Bad characters are good. Good characters are bad characters are good characters are bad characters are–
Again, I am left with questions at the end of this book. What happens next? Is everything going to be okay for our characters? When is the third book going to be released?
If we thought things were bad at the end of the first book, they only get worse at the beginning of this one. It is the definition of “everything happens so much” as each of our characters, who split at the end of the first book to take care of personal matters that popped up, learn of individualized terrible news.
Everything hurt.
Most important of all, to me, was Orion. Sure, all the other characters were having their own problems, but I really enjoyed Orion’s sections (and sections about Orion as the characters’ paths met up). Without spoiling anything, let’s just say I wasn’t expecting that.
(But I’m not complaining.)
(Okay, I have one complaint: Orion being a damsel-in-distress kind of character was a weird choice for him being a bodyguard, but if his true destiny is a twink and a sugar baby, I’ll just have to accept this transformation.)
If this book has taught me anything, it is to not trust the first appearances of any character ever. Good characters are bad. Bad characters are good. Good characters are bad characters are good characters are bad characters are–
Again, I am left with questions at the end of this book. What happens next? Is everything going to be okay for our characters? When is the third book going to be released?
June 8, 2022
What a cliffhanger! I desperately wanted to see more of the sensual romance that was so hot and heavy in Shadow Frost, but this sentence made me change my mind. This was incredibly romantic, and the fact that they were apart for the majority of the book made it much more painful to read, yet the emotional factor was strong. They liked to flirt and have clever banter, which contributed to their unmistakable chemistry in book one, and I missed their dialogue. I'm hoping that things between them will be resolved in a way that makes this hopeless romantic happy (since they did escalate, but not in the way you think!). I sincerely hope that everyone of these personalities is given a chance to shine.
Ma continues to combine comedy with seriousness, which has pushed her cherished characters through a hoop as love and despair, joy and pain are all present. I'm not sure which book I preferred, but the narrative is still gripping, and I'm eager to find out what happens next. I'm hoping to see more of Quinlan, and that his present position is just temporary, but what I truly want is for them all to be okay in the end. Hopefully, that isn't too much to ask! I adore Harry and Orion because they are ENDGAME!
Ma continues to combine comedy with seriousness, which has pushed her cherished characters through a hoop as love and despair, joy and pain are all present. I'm not sure which book I preferred, but the narrative is still gripping, and I'm eager to find out what happens next. I'm hoping to see more of Quinlan, and that his present position is just temporary, but what I truly want is for them all to be okay in the end. Hopefully, that isn't too much to ask! I adore Harry and Orion because they are ENDGAME!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
This was a fast paced wonderful story. I am just blown away by the twists and turns that Coco Ma continues to write into the story. Looking forward to the last book!!
Spoiler Alert
Just so I remember how it all ended . . .
Everyone is trying to save Harry and Orion from King Eown. Luna has made a deal with King Eown and has become a minion of his like Harry. Orion thinks he loved Eown until Eown beats Harry and Orion gets his memory back and remembers he loves Harry. Harry and Eown leave the immortal realm as well as Asterin. Quinlan is in a coma most of the story but awakens at the end to join Asterin. Luna impersonates Aestrin to take over Excaria and Aestrin's mother attempts to kill Luna but Orion sees "aesterin" and the queen regent fighting and kills the queen regent. Quinlan uses his fire magic to try and stop Luna from escaping but it goes array and burns half of the kingdom. In the end, Aesterin is found in Prison "for her protection" with all of the queens guards that her mother had thrown down there. Luna escapes. We don't know about Harry, Quinlan and Orion.
Spoiler Alert
Just so I remember how it all ended . . .
Everyone is trying to save Harry and Orion from King Eown. Luna has made a deal with King Eown and has become a minion of his like Harry. Orion thinks he loved Eown until Eown beats Harry and Orion gets his memory back and remembers he loves Harry. Harry and Eown leave the immortal realm as well as Asterin. Quinlan is in a coma most of the story but awakens at the end to join Asterin. Luna impersonates Aestrin to take over Excaria and Aestrin's mother attempts to kill Luna but Orion sees "aesterin" and the queen regent fighting and kills the queen regent. Quinlan uses his fire magic to try and stop Luna from escaping but it goes array and burns half of the kingdom. In the end, Aesterin is found in Prison "for her protection" with all of the queens guards that her mother had thrown down there. Luna escapes. We don't know about Harry, Quinlan and Orion.
January 11, 2021
God Storm is the highly-anticipated second in a trilogy by Ma, following an action and surprised-filled first novel, Shadow Frost. In this novel, Ma hones her writing prowess, continuing to follow the major arc of the coming-of-age story of Asterin, Princess of Axaria. Although Asterin continues to drive the main arc, the beauty of God Storm is Ma's attention to the minor arcs established by the secondary characters -- Ma is most definitely building a beautifully tangled web that most certainly will result in an exciting series finale.
God Storm is a solid fantasy novel -- bold, yet restrained, and highly polished. A delightful read full of intrigue and big feelings, contention and heroics, God Storm is a wonderful follow-up to Shadow Frost, and will undoubtably lead to an amazing conclusion. << no pressure! >>
God Storm is a solid fantasy novel -- bold, yet restrained, and highly polished. A delightful read full of intrigue and big feelings, contention and heroics, God Storm is a wonderful follow-up to Shadow Frost, and will undoubtably lead to an amazing conclusion. << no pressure! >>
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