Touch Of Frost

Written by Jennifer Estep

Narrated by Tara Sands

The new girl at a school for mythical warriors is out to solve her classmate’s murder in the New York Times bestselling author’s YA fantasy series debut.

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy—a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword. Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. That kinda puts us on the verge of death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Now I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why – especially since I should have been the one who died.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9781501218460

Jennifer Estep

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author who prowls the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.Jennifer is the author of the Section 47, Galactic Bonds, Elemental Assassin, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, and other fantasy series. She has written more than forty books, along with numerous novellas and stories.In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at or follow her online on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads. You can also sign up for her newsletter: https://www.jenniferestep.com/contact-jennifer/newsletter/Happy reading, everyone! ?

Reviews for Touch Of Frost

[hotcha-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have always wanted to review this author, and thanks to my library I was not disappointed with Gwen's story!! A Touch of Frost spins Gwen Frost, a Gypsy with powers unknown to her, as she is uprooted from her own high school and placed in the Mythos Academy a school of magic. Ms. Estep combines my two favorite genres: Paranormal and Mystery AND I CAN'T WAIT TO READ HER NEXT BOOK!

[carolesrandomlife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. This was a re-read for me but it felt like I was reading it for the first time since I remember next to none of it. I can barely remember the names of characters an hour after finishing a book so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I can forget an entire plot after 11 years. Anyway, I thought that this was a worthwhile read and am glad that I decided to revisit it.Gwen has recently started attending Mythos Academy. Her mom was killed by a drunk driver so now it is just her and her grandmother. Gwen has a bit of gypsy magic which helps her find lost items for other students. She doesn’t have any real friends at school and often sneaks out of campus to visit with her grandmother. One night when she is working her job at the school library another student is murdered and an artifact is taken. Nobody seems to care but Gwen wants to figure out what really happened that night.I liked Gwen and thought that it was great to see a few friendships start to form in this book. I liked the mythology that was worked into the story. The mystery was rather interesting and there were enough twists and turns to keep me invested in the story. I thought that the story was well-paced with enough action to keep things moving. I am eager to see how the events from this book play out in future installments.Tara Sands did a great job with this story. I thought that she was able to bring the characters to life and liked the voices that she used for the various characters, both male and female. I thought that she added just the right amount of emotion and excitement to her voice which added a lot to the story. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others and look forward to continuing with the series.

[payday1999-430350 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the start of a great series. I love Mythology books and this series is one of the best in it's Genre. I love Gwen and Grandma Frost and the introduction of characters that you will learn to love as the Series continues.

I would recommend this book and series to anybody.

[melrailey-412132 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've been meaning to read this book for a while. I'm glad I finally got around to it. It was a fun kick off to the series. Estep does a good job of developing her world and setting the stage for future novels. It's kind of humorous because it feels a bit like Percy Jackson for older kids. There are all these descendants from Greek mythology that are at a boarding school and preparing for a life of fighting. A new kid thrown into the lifestyle that doesn't understand why she's there or her powers. Gwen is a good heroine and I found myself really pulling for her. I can't wait to see how Estep develops the storyline and brings Gwen along. I also appreciated that Estep didn't jump right into the romantic relationship with Gwen and Logan (or anybody for that matter). She seems to be comfortable with taking her time and that'll be the best way to tell the story.

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Here is the thing: I really, really enjoy books that take place at magical/mystical/wacky boarding schools. This book is average for that trope, leaning more toward Harry Potter than toward Hex Hall (meaning more fantasy/mystery than urban fantasy). Gwen is likeable and the mystery is entertaining even as the high school stuff is typical.

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun characters and plot, and a unique premise.

[cygnet81 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Same idea as Rick Riordan's books - that the gods and goddess have kids but with a different twist. In this case they are all training to defeat/hold back the god Loki. The book is part mystery part fantasy.

[magickislife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I got this book as part of a YA book swap and I really enjoyed it. I love fantasy stuff and this was quite different and really fantastic. The characters are easy to relate to and the storyline is fun to follow along with.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So this is the first full book in the series. Gwen starts school and doesn't really fit in. She eventually makes some friends and begins to develop relationships with other kids but I think she has some friends before she realizes it. She gets embroiled in a murder mystery and becomes Nike's champion. A lot of this reads like a darker/older Percy Jackson series. There was quite a bit of foreshadowing regarding who did it but I didn't really notice until after the book was over. I definitely founding myself wanting to know about Logan, besides that he's hot and a good fighter. I found the mix of mythologies very interesting and I would have liked more of a breakdown on who sided with Loki and what happened to make those gods part of the pantheon after the war.

[vanyadrum · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books with a huge fan club, which I end up being disappointed with. Seriously, I can't understand what all the commotion is about.

Firstly, the main character being a gypsy sort of bothered me. That's because everyone has this incredibly romantic understanding of gypsies, which is soooo untrue. Maybe it was true in the middle ages or something. But today... let me say that it's as far from the truth as the Earth is from the Sun. Perhaps that's fine because this is a work of fiction and you know, it's written so it would be likeable. But I just couldn't like it.

Secondly, I love books with lots of dialogue in them and action. Here we have a bunch of back story, narration and blah-blah stuff that I could very easily just skip over and not miss anything interesting or important. That is a huge minus in my eyes, because I like it when a book entices me so much that I get hungry for EACH AND EVERY word on the page. Touch of Frost was not like that. I got very easily distracted from it, and found myself thinking of anything else but the story.

Thirdly, the main character, Gwen, didn't touch me in any way. I was rather bored and unimpressed with her. She was just another girl, nothing special about her. Until we learned that indeed she was supposed to be very special in the story (but I didn't feel like she was). I can't even remember a single thing about her that made her any different than the regular Mythos population.

Logan was this spartan boy who had to get me all crazy about him. But all he managed to do was get bored. He was supposed to be the bad boy of the story, kick-butt and you know. The man. But for some reason he didn't make my heart flutter, or my imagination go wild, or anything at all.

So, I don't think I should continue with this series. It's obvious that it isn't doing it for me.

[kaymackey · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Touch of Frost, the first installment on Estep's Mythos Academy series, is a fantasy novel for young adults that concerns the misadventures of Gwen Frost, a teenager struggling to fit in at a magical academy. Supposedly, Gwen has been transferred to Mythos Academy because her grandmother wants her to learn how to better control her magical gift and use it for good. Instead, Gwen spends most of her time at school poking into the love lives of more popular students and bemoaning her lack of friends. Even when Gwen looks into the death of "mean girl" Jasmine, who no one seems to miss, the author doesn't bring Gwen's powers to the forefront or give her more than a bumbling role in bringing the mystery to a conclusion.

Estep describes Gwen as "a smart, plucky, slightly snarky heroine," but in fact, the protagonist comes across instead as whiny, self-pitying, and always needing a boy to save her. Gwen describes herself as a "geek," with a 4.0 GPA that she's proud of, yet she doesn't seem to enjoy classes or her job in the school library, so this is a hard idea to swallow. Most of the other characters are even less well fleshed out, and certainly less likeable. Jasmine's best friend and rival, Morgan, is described simply as "slutty," and Gwen's perpetual savior, Logan, seems only interested in two things: fighting his adversaries, and chasing girls. The only character who isn't completely one-dimensional is Daphne, a popular girl who ditches her old friends in favor of Gwen after realizing everything isn't as it seems in her clique.

By the end of the book, Gwen hasn't gained new skills with her magic, or found any self-confidence that would seem to make her future adventures worth reading about. I doubt that many teenagers would relate to this protagonist or enjoy reading about the cardboard cutout cast of characters at Mythos Academy.

The one strong point about Touch of Frost is the way that Estep draws on mythology to create the back-story for Mythos Academy and the students' powers, but she devotes too much time to developing this aspect of the story and not enough to the characters themselves. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, although for a slightly younger audience, spins a much stronger and more enjoyable modern mythological tale.

[iris0boekenplank · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Originally Reviewed at Witchmag's BoekenplankOoooh, lots of myths, all tangled up in each other and used to create a whole new world? Where gods from all parts of the world play a part in? This had to be my kind of book. And it was. I just love it when well-known stories are put in a brand new jacket. When you delve in the more unknown depths of said myths. When you get to know more about the powers the gods of yore (supposedly) had and the focus is on the less known gods and goddesses. That’s exactly what happens in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed updating my knowledge of the world of gods and goddesses!Add to that the rather mysterious main character, with powers unlike the Academy has ever seen, and my head was working overtime to think of all the things she could be. What makes her special? Is it her father? Her mother? Hmm.. A little too accidental that they are both death… Maybe something more is going on…. It took most of the story before I had this puzzle solved. And I quite liked the result. Only to discover the bigger puzzle it was part of…. A lot of my questions haven’t been answered, yet, and I’m looking forward to what the answers will be ^^Gwen is you average teenage girl, who suddenly discover a whole new world she didn’t know existed. She has her less than stellar moment, but fortunately ALWAYS knows when to call in for back-up instead of going alone. She even tells at least one person what’s bothering her and doesn’t keep all the weird things happening to herself. Smart girl, otherwise it will create an even bigger fuss if you keep silent! Read too many stories to not know that ;). Gwen also has her heart in the right place, who else would go and investigate the murder of the most hated girl in the school? Even thought the ending is a bit different than Gwen imagined, I admired her for caring.The only thing that this book lacked was romance. There’s enough opportunity in the form of cute boys. Especially Logan would be a great candidate, what with him coming to her rescue time and time again ^^ I loved to see a bit more conversations between Gwen and him, some more bonding moments… Although his reticence has me intrigued. There’s apparently something about the Spartans….Conclusion3 HEARTS. It’s the perfect book for any mythology lover out there. Myths and legend are given a whole new look and different worlds are mashed together in this book. Furthermore there’s a very puzzling main character, whose origins are very mysterious and puzzles me even more. This book only missed a bit of romance and it would be truly perfect for me. But I have high hopes for the next book!

[natalie_fallon-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've thoroughly enjoyed all books so far in the elemental assassin series and so combining a great writing style with mythology was always going to be a winner for me! Gwen is a great lead character and other characters become more as their layers are peeled back. I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished it and I'm eagerly looking forward the next one :0)

[lcrabtree-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I did enjoy this and think it has potential to get better which is why I want to carry on with the series :)

[snukes-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this book. I'll start with that, because I'm about to lambaste it, so I feel like anyone reading this should know that I still slurped it down in two days and am reasonably interested in what happens in book two.

So. Percy Jackson meets Harry Potter and has a baby meant for the Twilight crowd. The ideas in this story are not original, but what stories are these days? Gwen Frost is attending an academy of students who are the descendants of mythic characters - Greek, Roman, and Norse heroes, and apparently others that we don't happen to meet in this book. She has some magical powers of her own, what she calls her "Gypsy gift," and that's fine, but she doesn't fit in with any of her peers and doesn't believe in any of the mythic magic taught at the school.

There's my first point of contention. She is magical herself. She sees sparks flying from the fingernails of all the Valkyrie girls around her, sees how deadly strong the Spartan boys are, and yet completely refuses to believe any of their "magic mumbo-jumbo" is true. I don't get that. It didn't even seem to be a particularly useful plot point.

Point of contention #2: I'm not at all sure about her claim on the word "Gypsy." I'd have been fine with it if she'd made some sort of connection to the folk legends about the historic Gypsy/Roma people, the same way the book was allowing the myths about ancient Greek folks to become true in the kids at this school, but early in the book, Gwen outright denies any connection to Gypsy/Roma culture. They just call themselves Gypsies because they have a little bit of magic. Meh.

Points of irritation: The author's narrative is not brilliant. She apparently doesn't understand the grammatically correct way to use "good" (rats, now I can't find any examples, but she did it exactly three times and each time it smacked me in the face) - and I don't know if it's because the author doesn't know the correct use, or if she was trying to make the narrator's voice (it's in first-person) sound somehow more authentically like a teenager. If the latter, it's the only thing she did toward that end.

Additionally, Gwen as the narrator OBSESSES about certain plot points. She obsesses about the death of her mother, which is obviously important, but it gets to feel like I'm being bludgeoned over the head with it. She obsesses about how she doesn't believe in the magic mumbo-jumbo, which I've already pointed out would have been annoying even if it hadn't been overdone. She obsesses out the hairbrush. There is nothing at all delicate about this prose. It's as if the author is terrified I might miss one of her themes if she doesn't bring them up and explain them to me fully. And repeatedly.

Ugh, and the purple eyes. She really beats you over the head with that. It's one of those twinky-things that's supposed to make a character really specially - different from everyone else because purple is such a unique color. But by the time the story is done, 50% of the characters mentioned have purple eyes (they're all special, you know) and I'm just grossed out by it. At least poor twinky-Twilight Bella was a normal-looking human being.

The characters themselves are okay. No great depth. They act like teenagers (well, much drunker and sexed-up-er than any teenagers I ever hung out with... but since the world has clearly gone down-hill since I was a teenager, I'm willing to buy that). They hoard of girls suffers from being 100% stereotyped as mean-girls. A single character is redeemed out of that stereotype, but she started as a mean-girl, and we don't meet a single female character through the entire book who isn't a mean-girl, and who isn't also humongous rich and pampered.

An explanation for the richness and pampering is given, but I find it rather unsatisfactory. Fortunes are made and lost, especially over the course of the thousands of years from which these fortunes supposedly originate. I can't believe that 100% of the kids at this academy come from families that were able to guard and grow their fortunes, without a single family losing it in the Great Depression, or losing it because of some irresponsible drunk uncle (which is totally how my family lost its fortune ;) ). I'm also not terribly sure what the plot use of this is, except to make Gwen's "differentness" from everyone else at the academy more painfully apparent.

Yeah, there was a LOT of irritating stuff in this book, but like I said at the start, I still snorfed it down. It was a really brainless read with adventure and murder and that mandatory love interest. I did like how the story was a bit of a murder-mystery, the one thing that really set it apart from other tales of epic evil vs. epic good, though I suspect the rest of the series may not pan out that way.

You could tell that the author is up on her mythology, so I appreciated that too.

[rabidreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsIn the face of months of separation from Gin Blanco while I hungrily await the next Elemental Assassin installment I decided to give Jennifer Estep’s Young Adult books a whirl. I’m not a huge reader of this genre but every so often I venture out of my comfort zone and Touch of Frost turned out to be an excellent choice. The age of the characters may have changed but Estep’s terrific world-building, unique magics and action driven plot still remain at the forefront of this story which are the main reasons I enjoy her writing so much anyway so the fact that this tale unfolds in high school quickly became a non-issue. Besides, even I enjoy some good mean girl drama just so long as the characters are mature and Gwen Frost is indeed a very grown-up 17 year old.I like that this series features Valkyries, Amazons and Spartans instead of the typical vamps and weres; it made the Mythos Academy universe captivating from the get-go. Instead of looking for the one trait that will set her paranormals apart from the crowd, Estep goes completely off the reservation by incorporating Norse mythology instead. I enjoyed learning about these creatures through Gwen’s eyes because, coming from a “normal” school, she was as skeptical about their impossible natures as I was. It’s hard to avoid information dumps in the first installment of a series but Jennifer cleverly disguises them as lessons in Frost’s classes which I found much more enjoyable than the standard format.At first glance, the plot seems relatively straightforward: a girl is murdered and Gwen’s on a mission to find the killer. However, the story quickly morphs into so much more and also helps set the tone for future installments in this series. I appreciated the fact that amidst all of the drama, the school setting never gets forgotten. Frost may have bigger fish to fry but she still has to write that darned myth-history essay. I find that a lot of the time in Young Adult fiction the author forgets that her characters are still supposed to attend class and do homework. This is a personal pet peeve of mine so I’m glad that Estep didn’t make the same mistake that I’ve encountered countless times before.Gwen Frost is an easy character to like; she’s feisty, intelligent and just an all-around good person. The most popular girl in school gets murdered and none of her classmates even bat an eye. I like that she cares about everyone, even the mean girl. She learns a few very important life lessons in this book which is another pivotal element to a good story in my opinion. I have no use for whiny characters that don’t evolve over the course of a series. I think Gwen definitely has potential and I enjoyed witnessing the first phase of her transformation from “that Gypsy girl” to something more.Gwen is definitely no Elemental Assassin but I loved Estep’s little hat tip to the Pork Pit; I didn’t expect any mention of her Urban Fantasy series in this book so I couldn’t help but crack a little smile at the mention of BBQ. Vic was a lot of fun too and a great example of an element that’s cute in a Young Adult setting but would be absolutely ridiculous in a more grown-up tale. Touch of Frost is proof that a talented author can win you over with a great story no matter the genre.

[pahel-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

More like 3.8 stars!

[celeste.harrington · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this heroine! Gwen Frost is someone I want as a best friend. Gwen is a gypsy, at least that is what she has always called herself because of her “gift”. For that reason she has to attend Mythos Academy, a school for kids that are descended from warriors that served the gods. Don’t let the boarding school idea turn you off, this struck me as more of a college setting, with the ages of the kids ranging from 16-21. This is definitely a Young Adult novel for the older crowd ;) . This also isn’t your typical school with run down buildings and grounds. Everything here is lavish and gorgeous and plush. I mean, Gwen’s dorm room is in a turret (how cool!). Everyone is also gorgeous it seems, from the Valkyries, to Spartans (rawr!), to Amazons…..

Gwen is barely settling into the academy, making peace with the fact that she has no friends at Mythos, when the gorgeous but bitchy Jasmine is murdered nearly in front of her eyes. Not only was Jasmine murdered, but an ancient artifact was stolen. However, Gwen is left untouched much to her suprise. The school barely flinches at the murder, but Gwen can’t swallow the fact that Jasmine is so quickly forgotten even if she wasn’t the nicest person.

Gwen’s humanity towards Jasmine’s death gets her attention. Some good, some bad, and some from the smexy, perfectly muscled Spartan Logan Quinn. Oh yes, the supposed manwhore of Mythos Academy that I couldn’t help but love, and neither can Gwen. He was born a warrior and loves to fight; it’s in his blood. While this book in the series isn’t heavy on the romance I think it was just the build up leading to a love affair I hope to see in book 2. There is definitely sexual chemistry between Gwen and Logan and I can’t wait till the sparks start flying *fingers and toes crossed*. Gwen also gets attention from a few other people that she did not expect. One is very scary and the other is intimidating, but amazing. No, I can’t say anything else ;)

This book is the story of Gwen finding her place at Mythos while trying to figure out who killed Jasmine. The story was such a quick, easy, and fun read that is filled with a brewing romance, humor and mystery. I definitely rec it and can’t wait to jump right into the second book, Kiss of Frost.

[capnrandm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In an interesting spin on the "magic boarding school trope", Gwen Frost is already attending Mythos Academy when the story begins. There is still plenty of discoveries for her to make, however, if not about her own powers than about the gods and goddesses that Impact the world around her.

[becky_jean_12 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really, really wanted to like this book. It had elements of everything I love--a seemingly kick-ass female protagonist, a little bit of mystery, some romance, and lots of action.

Or so it appeared at first. Gwen, while not quite TSTL, is still not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. She tends to wander around, doing whatever comes to mind, seemingly astonished when she runs into unexpected obstacles...like locked doors. At one point, Gwen attempts to explore a murdered classmate's room, only to be surprised when she suddenly remembers that dorms require student IDs, and her student ID is keyed to a different dorm. So...Gwen forgot about something she's forced to do MULTIPLE TIMES every day?

Another major problem I had with Gwen was the RAMPANT sex shaming. While Gwen is a high schooler and a certain amount of uncomfortableness with sex is in character, every time I found myself liking Gwen, I was blindsided by casual one-liners like so:

Morgan’s reputation for being a raging slut who’d sleep with almost anyone made her number one with the guys, though. Naturally.

Because that's all guys want, amirite?

But even if I had been a raging slut like Morgan McDougall who gave it up just for fun, there was still the little problem of my Gypsy gift.

God forbid sex be fun.

Morgan looked gorgeous and totally slutty at the same time.

Yes, we get it. MORGAN LIKES TO HAVE SEX. SEX IS BAD.

I didn’t look like a beautiful fairy princess like Daphne had, but at least I didn’t come off as a total slut like Morgan either.

What is Gwen thinks of Morgan, again? Or sex, for that matter? I keep forgetting.

Point is: I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't. Will not be continuing the series.

[thehistorychic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read from February 13 to 15, 2013Read for Fun (Kindle/Paper)/Listened for Review (Brilliance)Overall Rating: 4.00Story Rating: 4.25Character Rating: 3.75Audio Rating: 3.75 (not part of the overall rating)First Thought When Finished: LOVED all the mythology! The characters were growing on me by the end!Story Thoughts: How very clever Ms. Estep! I truly enjoyed my trek into Mythos Academy. I am a sucker for mythology based stories and this series has got potential written all over it. I liked how Jennifer took stories, creatures, and magic that we all know and gave it her own little kick! I was definetly impressed with how quickly I was immersed into Mythos Academy and was stunned that I was left wanting to continue the series (You guys know me and my YA thing). This also has Jennifer Estep's quirky humor and fast-paced writing style that I love from her Elemental Assassin series. Perk: The Pork Pit was mentioned!Character Thoughts: Gwen Frost is the epitome of what most geeky girls with reading problems are in High School. They don't quite fit in but if you could hear their internal dialogue you would be in stitches all day. I love that Gwen does her own thing and I even like the way she ends up making friends. She is growing on me and by the end of book 2 I am certain I will love her. I am enjoying getting to know the rest of the characters too. As always with Jennifer Estep, I think the secondary characters will be very important in books to come. I hope so anyway because they were a delight!Audio Thoughts: Narrated by Tara Sands / Running Time 9 hrs and 46 minsI am going to admit that it took about 3 hours for me to warm up to the narration for Touch of Frost. I don't think Tara Sands did a bad job but sometimes it just takes a while to click. The pacing was great though and after I got Gwen's "voice" the rest fell into place. I will be continuing this series on audio and imagine the audio will get higher ratings from me as I go along.Final Thought: Touch of Frost was a fun ride with very little angst, no triangle, and very fun characters. It makes my very limited YA List!

[jwitt33 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever bought a book that sounded SO good and that everyone was totally loving on but for some reason didn't get around to reading it right away, and then when you finally did you can't figure out why you waited so long because you absolutely LOVED it? (Does that make any sense?) Well that's what happened with Touch of Frost! I have no idea why I haven't read it before now because I've been really psyched about it since I read the first promo for it - mythology, magic, and monsters? I was hooked from the beginning, but I kept getting books I had to read for review and as I'm sure you reviewers out there know, the books you want to read just for you can get pushed to the back of the bus. I finally just made myself take the time to read it and you know what? It only took me a day and a half because I couldn't put it down!! I loved it, loved it, loved it! Jennifer Estep is a goddess herself to me because of her ability to write in such a way that you fly through the book without realizing that you've totally lost a day or so in your life, and you don't mind at all because the book was totally worth it!Gwen Frost loses her mother and her normal life at the same time. Her mother is killed by a drunk driver and she is taken out of her routine and plopped down in Mythos Academy, a place where the students and teachers actually believe that the gods and goddesses in the myths are real, and that the God of Chaos, Loki, is trying to escape from his prison to wreak havoc on the world that we live in. Nuts, no? Sure, Gwen has a gift, but it's a Gypsy gift, psychometry, which Gwen describes as the ability to touch an object and immediately know, see and feel its history, but in a school that is filled with Spartans, Valkyries and Amazons, she doesn't really stand out at all. Nor does she fit in at all. She has no friends because all the other students are rich, beautiful, powerful and pretty much full of themselves. They've also been trained to be warriors their whole lives, and Gwen can't figure out what the heck she's even doing there. No one will give her any answers either, they just keep telling her it will become clear in time. Extremely frustrating for a teenager!One of my favorite things about this book is the world building. I've always loved mythology and reading about the gods and goddesses and such, and Jennifer Estep puts such a fun twist on it all. She really brings it to life for you, the reader, so much so that I really, really want to go to school there myself! The characters, other than Gwen, start out kind of two dimensional but are quickly fleshed out and come into their own personalities. There is definite character growth through the course of the book, especially with regard to Gwen, but some of the secondary characters really change a lot too. The pacing is excellent and the book is very easy to read. As noted above, I finished it in a day and a half, and with a hyperactive 6 year old at home who wants all of my attention, that's really saying something! I was constantly trying to find things for him to do just so I could pick up the book and read a few more pages! That hasn't happened to me with a book in a while, and I've really missed it! That NEED to read a book, because you've been so drawn into the story that you HAVE to find out what is going to happen next! I already have a copy of book 2 on my shelf waiting for me, and I'm going to start it as soon as I finish typing this - and spending some time with my poor, neglected son of course:)I give this book a very enthusiastic 5 stars and since I've heard that book 2 is even better than book 1, I can't wait to get reading! I highly recommend this to all fans of YA fantasy, especially mythology related fantasy :D

[elizabethmichael_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Touch of Frost you hear Gwen say a lot, I have more questions than I do answers. This is how I felt about the beginning of the book. Just within the first chapter I was slightly confused and had questions. You meet our main character Gwen, known a lot through the book as “Gypsy Girl.” You also meet Daphne, mean girl with hot pink sparks coming out of her fingers. Daphne is a valkyrie and I honestly had no idea what that was. This was really my only complaint about the book, but really it was my fault for not being more knowledgeable about Norse Mythology. Not everyone would know the meaning and taking the time to figure it out wasn’t difficult. Later on in the book it does explain about who the valkyrie are. I just wanted to know immediately who they were, I do well with being (im)patient, right? So what is a Valkyrie? “In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one in a group of female figures who decides which people will fall and die in battle. The valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin.” –Quoted from WikiThe story started off slow, but I enjoyed that pace because you knew something exciting was about to happen. It kept me turning the pages to figure out what would happen next. This book was filled with more mystery than I had expected. When Jasmine is murdered in the library and Gwen is spared, she instantly starts to hunt for what really happened. That’s when the fun begins.I like that Mythos Academy was not your typical witches and wizards academy. The mythology part in this book was remarkable. I learned about some tales in mythology I didn’t even know about. Most books that have references to mythology keep it to the most known tales. This one was stimulating for the mind, getting to learn about Loki, Nike, and the Bowl of Tears. The school is full of Valkyries, Amazons, Vikings, Spartans and many more. Gwen is just a simple gypsy, so it seems to her. She has a gift of touching an item that belongs to someone and seeing and feeling reminisce of who has touched it. Gwen is the outcast at school and seems happy at first to be that way. You can tell she wants more, but being the only gypsy with not the riches and power like the warriors in training doesn’t go in her favor. I feel like this whole book was about Gwen trying to figure out who she was. All she wanted was answers, not just about Jasmine, but also herself as well. And she slowly started to get them throughout the story. Logan was an interesting love interest I must say. He was the typical ladies man, yet Gwen had feelings for him. I like that he was a rough Spartan and enjoyed the witty banter he has with Gwen. He seemed to always be there for her in times of need. I am not sure why he pushed her away when she admitted her feelings, but hopefully the next book will go more in depth with that.The ending was intense and full of action. Things happened that I did not see coming. When Gwen finds out who she truly is and the meaning of why she was at an academy with a bunch of warriors, it was like a sigh of relief for me. I wanted so badly for Gwen to have such incredible purpose and not just be the “gypsy girl” anymore. I am so stoked for the next book and to see what happens next in the Mythos Academy series.

[sassybrunette · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

wow!! this book was so good, the best fantasy book i have read this year, i just couldnt get enough of it, i read it in one sitting. it is very well written and is unique.

[flashlight_reader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun read--nothing too serious or complicated. If you’re a fan of mythology, you’ll really enjoy this series. It’s so full of mythology, you’ll overdose. The plot isn’t overly complicated with this one. There were a few twists that I enjoyed along the way, but most of them I saw coming. It wasn’t a bad thing though. I really did enjoy just reading the story for the simple pleasure of enjoying a story. No analysis. No deep thought. Just simple enjoyment. This was a good, fun read. (It should be noted that the sexual references were high in this one, so don’t read if you like “clean” books.) Gwen Frost is a Gypsy… whatever that means. She’s not entirely sure, since she’s the only one at Mythos Academy (or so she thinks). All she does know is that everyone else thinks she’s a freak and she has the hots for the reputed campus man-whore Logan Quinn, Spartan extraordinaire. I have to admit, Logan seemed pretty darn dreamy, even if he had this whole conflicted warrior thing going on. I would drool too. Reading about Logan kept my interest long after I figured out the majority of the plot. He was definitely mysterious, and I—like Gwen-- wanted to know why. Their love-hate relationship kept me turning the pages as fast as I could, until his betrayal at the end. Oh, how my heart broke right along with Gwen’s! Scandalous. (I also quickly picked up book 2 to find out what would happen next. So glad I did!) If you can’t tell, the romance factor is what I enjoyed the most in the book. The complicated weaving of the various mythologies was very original and interesting as well. I thought the author did a nice job blending Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies together in a cohesive, slightly complicated way. Along with the on and off romance between Gwen and Logan, other characters develop relationships too. My favorite is between Daphne (super hot Valkyrie) and Cameron (Celtic band geek). They are adorable. There are a lot of transformations and lessons learned throughout the book, especially by Gwen. She has to figure out her place in the mythological world. See, Gypsies aren’t freaks. They are rare warriors gifted directly by gods/goddesses and she is no exception. Her biggest challenge is figuring out how to use her special magic, her touch magic that she views as both a blessing and a curse. (and for very good reasons!) As I’ve said, this was a fun read. Good beach reading. There is lots of romance, a good bit of action, and a kick-butt main character who is sarcastic and funny. I love Gwen’s uncanny ability to get herself into impossible situations. This is, however, meant for older YA readers. Since the book takes place at a boarding school of sorts, you can guess at the “extra-curricular activities” that occur with a lack of adult supervision. I wouldn’t want my 12 year old reading about that stuff. Just sayin’.

[damarisgcr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really don't even know where to begin. A Touch of Frost to me was just okay. It was one of those books that I was super excited to read, only it was just an okay story.The world that Jennifer Estep takes you into is fantastic. It was very believable and the characters are very easy to like. The main character Gwen is funny, smart, daring and very nosy. Gwen has the power to see things and feel things by simply touching them and/or it. Gwen's story is a really sad one and you can't help but feel sorry for her. I really liked Gwen, though I did feel that at times she talked way to much. The story is told from her point of view and it was just a lot of talking. I found myself losing interest at some points, but not enough to put the book down. I also feel that a lot of things in the story was repeated a lot. There was plenty of suspense and humor though, for me to continue reading and finish the book. I really liked the chemistry between Gwen and Logan, but I just wish there was more of it. It really wasn't a back and forth relationship, which made me SUPER happy, but nothing really happened between the two even though you can feel the chemistry. It was obvious that Logan was into Gwen. Overall, I feel that A Touch of Frost is more of an introduction to the next. Jennifer Estep did a lot of explaining and introducing in this book and it felt more like an opening to me. A lot does happen in the book and Gwen's life changes, but it still felt like it was explaining the world and how everything works. I am curious to see what will happen next in Kiss of Frost now that everything has been explained and put into motion. Plus, I need more of Logan. He's just yummy!3 out of 5 Stars!

[mrsmich02 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Had forgotten that I tried unsuccessfully to get this in a member giveaway awhile back. Anyway, story turned out a little better than I expected. Pretty obvious where the big bad's reveal was going about halfway through. It was nice to see a new elemental added to the standard gallery of heroes. I do have to say was a little disappointed to see a similarity between the sword Vic and the sword featured in Laurell K. Hamilton's old story Nightseer and featured in a short story in her Strange Candy anthology. Talking and literally blood-thirsty swords, yuk. Anyway, willing to give the next story, Kiss of Frost a shot.

[shaelipar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Touch of Frost was an enjoyable paranormal read with a great mystery and a fun new twist on mythology.I've always been a huge fan of mythology so the idea of Mythos Academy; an elite school for the descendents of Amazons, Valkyries and Spartans was a well developed and unique one. I loved learning about the school, its history, and all the different myths that tie into it.I liked the MC Gwen a lot. I think she's easy to relate to if you've ever felt like an outsider or had to be the new kid at school. Gwen is independent, smart and cares deeply for her family. She also has a great sense of humor, always poking fun at people especially herself. My only complaint with Gwen is that I wish she had been more confident in her gypsy gift and herself. She keeps seeing all this crazy stuff happen around her and sometimes to her, but then just lets it go because she can't figure it out. This becomes more frustrating by the fact that Gwen already knows the answer but can't grab onto what it is.The supporting cast of Daphne, Logan, and Professor Metis all help bring out a new side of Gwen and its fun to see her explore all these different relationships. Professor Metis tries to help Gwen be more comfortable with her abilities, while Logan adds a bit of intrigue with his bad boy ways. However, its Daphne who surprised me the most. She's much more then the mean girl she appears to be and had easily won me over by the end of the novel.I think the murder mystery side of the story was well paced and featured a few surprise twists, some which I never saw coming. In fact I only figured out the mystery shortly before its reveal, which is actually a bit late for me.A few themes do get repeated several times throughout the novel, most notably Gwen's feelings about her gypsy gift and how it landed her at Mythos. While it's a bit distracting I don't think it hurts the novel to much. Instead, it just kind of slows down the pacing for a bit.I think a Touch of Frost will definitely appeal to any fan of paranormal, mythology or mystery books. Its a great start to a fun new YA series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Kiss of Frost.

[brandisbookmusings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Touch of Frost was a very interesting read. The thing I most enjoyed was not just the traditional Greek/Roman myths, but that many culture's myths were mixed to make this unique world. I have always had a soft spot in my reading heart for "boarding school" books and add to that the fact that this is a school for warriors...amazingness is abudant! The main character is Gwen Frost. She is a nerd who loves comics and wears hoodies 24/7...she's awesome! Gwen is a character who feels the need to right injustices and she is more sympathetic or more human than her fellow classmates. There is a lack of self assurance in Gwen that I believe many people experience at least once in their lifetime. She has these amazing abilities and a caring heart, but never sees herself being quite as good as those around her. As for Logan (the main guy in the story), I think I've just found another bad boy crush! He is certainly a naughty boy, but I have a feeling he is hiding something. Daphne was the other character I found very likable. She adds just the right touch of airiness, self assurance, and snobbery to counteract Gwen. The story as a whole was very good, but judging by the cover I wasn't expecting it to be for "older" teens. By that I mean the sexual content. It wasn't excessive and I believe that it plays a role in the story showing what kind of world her classmates have grown up in. The story line overall reminded me a little of Oh. My. Gods. by Terra Lynn Childs (this isn't a bad thing), but on a more grown up level. This is a unique and very enjoyable start to a series that I am sure many will love.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: This is a fun, easy read that spent a lot of time on world-building and characters but not so much on the plot. Opening Sentence: “I know your secret.” The Review: Mythos Academy is a school designed to train the descendants of mythology to be warriors. Gwen is enrolled by her grandmother and feels very out of place. Not only is she definitely not a warrior, but she has trouble believing most of the supernatural gifts of her fellow students. They’re being trained to prevent the Second Chaos War, but Gwen doesn’t understand what a she’s doing there. Estep’s characters are likable, even if they’re not unique. The conversation really keeps the character development growing throughout the novel, revealing these geniuses to be funny as well as smart. We have the classic story of popular boy falling for unpopular girl, but there’s a lack of resolution between the characters as Estep sets the story up for the rest of the series. Maybe it’s just because I’m a Happily Ever After addict, but I really hated the way Logan, the popular and sexy Spartan on campus, kept jerking Gwen around. Even knowing that the author made Gwen feel that way intentionally, I still felt a little bit cheated out of a good love interest. Except for the attractive part. Make note: Spartan warriors are definitely attractive. Unfortunately, the story takes a while to take off. The beginning is filled with Gwen’s repetitive what-if thoughts, guilt, and angst and there are times when Gwen’s repetition is really annoying. It’s difficult for the reader not to start doubting Gwen’s intelligence when she’s being blind to all the proof that the myths are real. She has the power of psychometry and she uses it, but she refuses to believe that she belongs at Mythos Academy. This feeling is brought about by the epic talents her peers eventually begin to display, which shows the students to be ferociously powerful. However, Gwen’s witty and smart, she’s a comic book fanatic, a nerd and she develops through the story into a worthy heroine. She has a touch of insecurity, but doesn’t feel the need to fit in with the crowd. Gwen’s not perfect. All of these things make her very easy to relate to and make her perspective an easy, enjoyable read. Once you reach the second half of the book the plot gets going and makes up for the slow introduction to this world and Gwen’s inability to accept this new reality. The story follows Gwen’s investigation into Jasmine’s death, the popular girl whose bloody body Gwen found in the Library of Antiquities. With the Bowl of Tears missing, Gwen puts her psychometry to good use trying to put together the pieces of this mystery. Granted, the mystery–like the characters–isn’t exactly unique, but it does make for a great start to this new series. It was a fun; entertaining book–and really, what more can you ask for in a novel? I enjoyed reading Touch of Frost and can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel! Notable Scene: “So” the Valkyrie said, cracking open the lid on her Perrier. ”This is where you eat lunch. All the way back here. What are you? A vampire who’s afraid of sunlight or something?” Vampires? Were vampires real, too? I wondered, but I didn’t want to look stupid and ask, especially since I didn’t know what Daphne was doing here in the first place. “Yeah,” I said in a guarded voice. “You caught me. I’ve got this whole superhero thing going on, so I sit way back here to keep the paparazzi and rabid fans at bay.” Mythos Academy Series: 1. Touch of Frost 2. Kiss of Frost 3. Dark Frost FTC Advisory: Kensington Books provided me with a copy of Touch of Frost. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.