Speed Date: Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

The Deal: Gwen Frost is the new kid a Mythos Academy, a special school for special kids, kids who can trace their lineage back to Valkyries, Vikings, Amazons, Spartans and other magical folk, and they are all very good at killing.

Gwen isn't exactly thrilled about being there, and doesn't really understand why as she's just a Gypsy girl -which is what almost everyone calls her at school instead of Gwen - and her one gift is to be able to touch things and people and know their history. 

One night, when she was working in the library, Gwen stumbles upon the dead body of the most popular girl of her class, Jasmine. She's is shocked and surprised, but eventually decides to take matters into her own hands and figure out who killed Jasmine and why... which starts to get her into all sorts of trouble and puts her on Logan Quinn's radar, the school's deadliest Spartan. 

My Thoughts: I decided to read this book because Small, of Small Review, reviewed it and it made it sound just like my kind of thing. What was there not to love? it has a boarding school for mythical kids! 

While I didn't love the book as much as Small did, I can see the potential of the book. I liked Gwen and Logan and Daphne and Carson, the world building is pretty good, there are a lot of secrets in the world Gwen finds herself thrown up into and it's fun to discover them along her. 

My trouble with the book is that a) I sometimes found Gwen to be a bit whinny. And b) it took forever for things to get going and it was very easy for me to put down the book, particularly during the first 100 pages. 

Other than that, Touch of Frost has all the makings for a good series. 

1/2

What's a Book Speed Date, you ask? It's a quickie review--about 150 words or so--of any genre book (variety is the spice of life, after all).

If you want to join in or just read other speed date reviews, check out The Book Swarm

PS - I just realized I bought this book almost exactly a year ago :P