(5 / 5)
I cannot even express how much I loved this book. It has completely stuck with me in the 24 hours since I finished reading it. I keep going over and over it in my head! I have been extremely lucky finding good books this year, and this one is another one to add to the favourites list!
I think the first thing that captured me was the cover. It is beautiful. And having finished and reflected on this book – the cover really captures it perfectly.
I had no idea what to expect from this book, and that made it all the more beautiful. The synopsis peaked my interest – but gave nothing away as to the essence of the book, and I’m extremely glad because it was such a pleasant surprise.
This is predominantly a romance novel, and a beautiful one at that. I don’t want to go into the plot much as to give anything away, as the romance somehow caught me unexpectedly and developed so beautifully I was left breathless. I really don’t want to spoil it for anyone else by divulging too much, so I will sum it up very briefly. Smitha is 17 years old and is, quite frankly, a bit of a bitch. She is mean to people and thinks herself superior to others in personality and looks. She lives in a small village with her family and conspires with her best friend Ashlan. When a young man named Mordan makes his intentions clear that he wants to marry her, Smitha is absolutely disgusted and is absolutely horrible to him “Surely a toad could hold my interest longer, and be more pleasant to look at”. OUCH!!! And turns out she pissed off the wrong man, because unbeknownst to her, Mordan is actually quite a powerful wizard and angrily puts a curse on Smitha, making her the bearer of eternal winter. She is forever cold, everything that she touches turns to ice, and everywhere she goes brings with her a horrible cloud of rain and snow. After people in her village start to die because of the freezing cold, Smitha is forced out to brave the cold alone. However she isn’t totally alone, as death has taken an interest in her, and wants her to come with him to reign in the after world.
What a beautiful message this book has! Treat people as you would like to be treated, or perhaps you too will be cursed to brave an eternal winter. Smitha changes so much throughout the novel and it is lovely to see. She morphs from a spoiled brat into a beautiful selfless woman. It is about forgiveness and dealing with the cards in front of you. Not blaming others for the misfortunes in your life.
The writing in this book flows so easily, I absolutely loved it. The romance was just so beautiful. There is always something lovely about a romance where the main character has some problem and is unable to physically touch people. It is impossible, and it makes the tension all the more palpable. I was absolutely SWEPT up in it!
So many young adult novels have let me down lately, but THIS BOOK, Followed By Frost, is the reason I persevere. A beautiful book, with an amazingly beautiful message. I already want to read it again!
“For happiness has wings, and when burdened by the things a man should want, Garen could not reach it.”
Many thanks to 47North via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Release Date – 22nd September 2015
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