Very fast read. I was surprised I went through the 800 and something Nook pages so quickly. The book starts quickly, keeps pace and ends just as quick. I've not read many fantasy fiction books like this so I don't have much to compare to, but I thought it was a good read. My only negative comment is that who ever does the Nook editing for e-books has to do a better job. There were a few times I had to go back over and re-read and insert forgotten words. I've read the Beautiful Dark series by Kelly Keaton and I really liked it, so I was thrilled when I found that she released another book. I read this one with fairly high expectations and while I did not like it as much as the other series, it was definitely an engrossing read.It has all the right things going for it, a strong, compassionate yet vulnerable heroine, a noble hero and a villain shrouded in mystery. It did drag a little in the middle but not for long, thankfully. Diera is a reluctant heroine, she grew up feared, shunned and always being the object of disgust for being a 'halfling' which meant half fae and half human. She was always relegated to the background, never had friends and has never set foot outside her grandfather's castle and all of these things were stifling her. When the role of savior is thrust upon her, it is not surprising that she is not very enthused at the idea, after all, would you want to save people who have always hated you? I liked that her change in attitude was gradual and not something that occurred over-night. Then there was Balen, king of the Sydhrs, a people who have can control fire. They are a strong and proud race and their king is no different. What was different about him was the fact that he was devoted to his people and his humility. But what really set him apart from others to Diera was that he did not treat with scorn or mistreat her, he treated her like a person. He wasn't perfect. He led her on a quest to save their world and told her she was instrumental in that but never trusted her enough to reveal all of his plans and that was disappointing. I had a slight problem with Nox, our resident bad guy. Keaton didn't give us lot of of information which made him seem a little unconvincing. Sure he was uber-powerful but beyond that? She tried to give him more dimension towards the end but then it seemed that she was trying very hard to make him seem real, it was too little too late. Keaton has created a beautiful world so rich in detail and I love that she took the classic fae myth and then gave it a completely different twist that made it seem familiar and new at the same time.When I finished the book, I thought it ended very abruptly without really resolving the problems and then I read the author's note and was glad that there's another book, set to come out in 2013! Now if only she would give us the third in the Beautiful Dark Series! Feel like I've been waiting forever..
What do You think about Embers In A Dark Frost (2012)?
Cliffhanger warning. It's been two years and there's no part two. I think I'll wait before buying.
—sassy
