Blog Tour Review + Giveaway!: Embers in a Dark Frost

Author: Kelly Keaton  

The Fire Breathers have come. The Underworld calls. A choice must be made…

With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost.... 

But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness.

REVIEW:

I really liked this book. The story kept me captivated and the world building is truly amazing but what I liked best of all is the writing. It sets the tone of the book. Kelly has created a great world and stayed true to it through and through.  

I could imagine the places, the creatures, everything has been described with such detail and I loved that. This is my first book by the author and now I am a fan. I'm gonna read all her books.

Deira was always looked down upon because she has human blood in her veins and humans are responsible for taking light from Innis Fail. She was never given a choice in her life. People decided for her, told her to hide behind a veil, her grandfather decided to trade her to the Sydhr, the fire breathers in exchange of protection from Nox. She was treated as a thing and not a person. But the King of Sydhr, Balen, has different intentions. He knows of a prophecy told by his mother that a halfling could bring back the light to their world but Balen would die in that process. 

Diera is confused and isn't really sure if she wants to go on this journey to retrieve the light. She doesn't believe in fate, and does not want to put all her faith in a prediction. I understand her dilemma and I think she is strong and feisty  She also has a good heart though she doesn't give herself enough credit for that. 

“Don’t you see? I’m tired. I walk these halls like a shadow. I want to live, to feel, to take my life in my hands and do what I will with it. I have that right.”

Balen is honorable, loyal and a great leader. He doesn't want to die but is willing to sacrifice his life for his people and his land. 

“I would rather die trying, than to grow old and watch my land, my people, those I love perish. I would lay down my life this very moment if it meant turning back the frost.”

He is also this alpha male, the warrior, tough, handsome, rugged that I couldn't help but swoon over. I did feel that somehow he resigned himself to his fate quite easily. I wanted a little more fight. Also I wan't happy with the secret he kept from Diera. I think he should have told her.  It was her choice to make and I was a little disappointed with him for taking it away.

Balen and Diera have great chemistry. I was rooting for them and wishing for Balen to survive. Their conversations was funny and cute. The bathing scene (yes, I am calling it that) was steamy. 

Balen ended the kiss by pulling my bottom lip into his mouth and between his teeth, biting it gently before letting go and kissing me softly. His lips spread into a grin as he moved a strand of wet hair from my neck and licked the place where it had been.

There are some interesting secondary characters as well. My favorite would be Ferryn. 

“It’s all right,” he said with a shrug. “I make females speechless all the time.”

Nox is the lord of the underworld. He gains power from the darkness. Nox is a complex character. He wages wars and kill innocents but he has also been wronged in the past. He has not been treated fairly. He has reasons, of course that cannot justify his acts but they do make you not hate him. I love such characters, that confuse you, make you question the whole black and white thing. The kind of character that you can't make your mind about and even though I hated the things he did I don't really hate him. Does that make sense?

It's a great tale and I was totally enamored by the world created. The pace is good and there is action. Waiting for the next book in the series. The ending was E-V-I-L. How can you end it like that? I need to know what happend next, NOW. 

I recommend it to all fantasy lover but it is for older teens.  Keep that in mind. :p

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