Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg, Starting Sept 10th 2018

[Jamie]

eventeen-year-old Smitha has the wealth, status, and beauty that make her the envy of her town—until she rejects a strange man’s marriage proposal and disastrous consequences follow. Smitha becomes cursed, and frost begins to encompass everything she touches. Banished to the hills, hunted by villagers, and chilled to the very core of her soul, she finds companionship with Death, who longs to coax her into his isolated world. But Smitha’s desire for life proves stronger than despair, and a newfound purpose gives her renewed hope. Will regrets over the past and an unexpected desire for a man she cannot touch be enough to warm Smitha’s heart, or will Death forever still it?

[Jennifer]

Ch 6 (24%) - (view spoiler)[ So far, this has a similar feel to The Bear and the Nightingale. I am waiting for Sadriel to actually start being kind to her and make her fall for him. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 15 (51%) - (view spoiler)[ Sadriel sure is persistent - I guess Death would be. So when is he going to figure out that if he is better company, maybe she would be more receptive to his offer? I think he is right that even these people might turn on her. (hide spoiler)]
Ch 18 (63%) - (view spoiler)[ Wow! I did NOT see the part w/Sadriel coming. I can't believe he hit her! I'll admit, even with the thing with Lo starting to warm up, I still thought this story would be about her and Death having some romance for the ages. THAT scene, just woke me up. I'm now on team Lo - can he melt her frozen heart? (hide spoiler)]
Ch 24 (84%) - (view spoiler)[ NOOOOOO! He's betrothed? And to a nice girl? UGH. I hope she doesn't go all ice queen on everyone in her sorrow. That would definitely turn everyone against her and that asshat Sadriel might get his way. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ I'm still not sure why saving Imad was the thing that finally broke the curse - she had already given selflessly to others and she gave up her love for Lo too. Anyway....I really liked the story. It was nothing like the Bear and the Nightingale as I originally thought. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Starting this book today finally :) The book cover looks a little strange, but lets give it a go shall we.

[Andrea]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ So much snow and running, snow and running, snow and running, until finally something happens. I do hope that the soldiers and the prince actually mean well. Although she may have been a mean young lady, she still didn't have to get cursed, that was pretty extreme I would say. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Chapter 21 (view spoiler)[ So she's finally in the village and she has done both good and bad since arriving, although her good has outweighed the bad, or so we think. She is just now realizing she has feelings for Lo, which comes as no surprise. And Death has hurt her... Didn't see that coming actually. (hide spoiler)]

[Andrea]

Finishes (view spoiler)[ Yay I finished! I thought the first half was slow and then the second half started and it went so fast, I didn't want to put it down! Although the last chapter was not 3 months late it must have been 3 years later, And I really thought Ashlens brother did pass away. So that was confusing. But all in all great story. (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

Andrea wrote: "Chapter 21 [spoilers removed]"

I didn't see that coming either!

[Jennifer]

Andrea wrote: "Finishes [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I know, I thought the epilogue was a little weird. So she conceived a baby on the first night she and Lo had premarital sex - seems to not be in character for Lo or Smitha to go that far before tying the knot. And didn't it take almost a month for them to even get from Smitha's home area to the desert in the first place? (hide spoiler)] Ah well, we can nitpick all we like about the little details, but I still thought it was a pretty good story.

[Kerri]

Okay, so waaay behind on starting this. I'm sorry :-(. September ended up being kind of a crazy month for our household.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but now I'm really liking it! Charlie Holmberg has some really unique ideas for her books.