The cover of Frost Blood by Elly Blake is both soft and beautiful while implying danger and violence.
In Frost Blood, Ruby is a Fire Blood who lives in hiding among regular villagers in the mountains. She and her mother are far from the viscous Frost King and his mission of hunting down the last of the Fire Blood people. Their efforts to keep Ruby hidden were not enough. The King's regime finds Ruby during a raid of her small village. In this terrifying night, Ruby still cannot gain enough control of her fire gift to properly defend herself. Because of hiding, she never fully learned to harness her gift, and yet the Frost King would have her punished.Ruby is the best chance at overthrowing the evil King's reign, but her fear of her own unchecked power holds her back. She makes unlikely friends who try to help her harness her power. Despite their differences of fire and ice, her ice gifted friends do manage to help her trust herself more and more with time. While on this journey, Ruby develops a love interest. While it is an ancient believe that ice and fire cannot be together, it doesn't quell the intense feelings they develop.
Once again, opposites attract.
I enjoyed the conflict and timeline of Ruby and Arcus developing their feelings for each other. Their gifts were literal opposites to each other and caused each other physical discomfort to which they had to acclimate. Elly Blake didn't rush their love and it's greatly appreciated. Too often in the young adult genre the characters are in love within almost a single chapter. Actual love isn't so easily built and Ruby and Arcus depict that very well.
Without giving too much of the plot away, Frost Blood held some similarities to one of my all time favorite movies, Gladiator. Russel Crowe makes a great placeholder for Arcus. ;) Come to think of it, even Joaquin Phoenix makes for a great Frost King, but I digress.
Love, vengeance, violence ... so much to keep you entertained!
Frost Blood by Elly Blake was a five-star read! Now excuse me while I continue with Fire Blood.
