Its people were captured, enslaved.
Not me.
I escaped the wrath of Spring.
I survived with seven others.
Including my best friend and further king, Mather.
I have been training as a solider.
To help bring back our kingdom.
I would do anything to help Winter.
A locket was discovered.
And it has the power to restore our kingdom.
I'm going after it.
My name is Meria.
Book: Snow Like Ashes
Author: Sara Raasch
Series: Snow Like Ashes
Book Status: Book 1
Setting: Land of Primoria (fictional world)
POV: first person, told by Meira
Genre: YA fantasy
Reading: first time
Favorite line: Oh my god, there are so many...
"Congratulations, everyone. You've finally broken Meria, the crazy, orphaned solider-girl. She's snapped, all thanks to the mention of floral arrangements."
"Someday we will be more than words in the dark."
Comments: A unique, original story.
Rating: 5 Stars!!!
This has to be one of the best high-fantasy books I've read. It features a realistic heroine, Meria, who has the same mindset I would have in her situation. Her characteristics? Brave. Loyal. A catalyst.
Let's break this down, shall we? We'll start with bravery. It is made very clear from the very beginning that Meria is brave. She has no qualms in risking her own neck, of facing danger she may or may not be ready to face. She will face even the king of Spring for her kingdom, which leads us to her next trait: loyalty. Meira's loyally to Winter? It goes deep, like really deep. Meira is willing to go to extreme extents for Winter, including physical and mental sacrifices. But what I really love about her is that she is the catalyst for everything. If it weren't for her actions (however impulsive they may seem), things would have gone very different. Plots wouldn't have been uncovered, objects never discovered, nothing. Meira doesn't sit idly by, waiting for time to pass; she's always acting, reacting by acting, always getting things done. She deserves a medal, really. Like a hundred.
Another medal she needs is for her skill with chakrams. It's a circular disk which you throw, also featured on the cover of the book. First off, how many people even grasp the awesomeness of that? Just the weapon itself is amazing. Then we add on to the fact that Meira knows how to use it, like expert/pro/sensei/master. Immediately her cool factor skyrockets. And that's just for wielding a chakram. She's got it going for knives, crossbows, swords, the list goes on. She's amazing.
But what I really love about this book is that it's a story about a girl who wants to be needed. A girl who wants to matter, who wants to find her place in everything. And I really understand that, really connect to her feelings. Her victories, her surrenders, everything she does is to find her place, to find her meaning to Winter. She's trying to find a reason to matter to the world, and I love her for that.
The next book, Ice Like Fire which comes out in the fall, is definitely on my list of most highly anticipated books of the year! I can't wait!
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