Book Review: Frostbitten by Heather Beck

It’s been four months since I read this book and I’m still conflicted about it. I don’t know if I should appreciate the effort made by the author, or to disparage the immaturity of the characters. I think the book largely suffers from the first-book-in-the-series syndrome. Hopefully the upcoming books in the series will be better.

When Anastasia Lockhart starts getting into trouble at school, her mother ships her off to Cedar Falls to live with her grandparents. The small picturesque town is pretty much the same as it was when she visited four years ago, with the exception of a strange, but good looking guy, Frost. Anastasia soon realizes that Frost is somewhat of a recluse and the students at the school avoid him like the plague. The town too warns their children off Frost and his family. All this just intrigues Anastasia and she is curious to know more about Frost.

The majority of this book was very high-school-ish. A lot of high-school drama and bitching going around. Some of the students were so bitchy; I was thanking the stars that I wasn’t studying there. People claiming to be friends were backstabbing each other, and then they were spreading vile rumours just out of spite. So basically a high-school worth a T.V. serial was portrayed in the book.

Another thing that did not work for me was that I just couldn’t connect with the characters. They were so immature and sometimes I thought Anastasia was just plain stupid. When she finds out Frost, by then her boyfriend is a werewolf, she decides to elope with him. Who does that? Usually when you find out the person you’re dating is a monster, you run away from them or at the very least are wary of them. You don’t elope with them!! And after Anastasia and Frost elope, she is worried he is not being his true self, because he isn’t hunting and eating raw meat! Seriously? Who the hell says that? And to top it off, she is worried Frost is not being a true werewolf! Oh the horror!!

I did enjoy the last bit of the novel though. When the townspeople are looking for a rogue werewolf killing people, things get a bit more interesting. The book gets fast-paced and there is more action then and it’s actually enjoyable. We also find out more about Frost’s past and there is also a hint of something supernatural going on with Anastasia.

Though the book majorly lacked to connect with me or impress me in some places, I did enjoy it in other places, enough to read the next book in the series, if the author decides to write it. I like the writing style, no complaints with the grammar or the way the book was written, but I think the characters needed a little more depth.

This review first appeared on The La La Land of Books