Frostblood Review

Frostblood
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Uncorrected proof from publisher (released 12th January 2017)

In a land ruled by frost and ice, Ruby lives in constant fear. She’s a Fireblood, born with the dangerous ability to manipulate fire.

She’s spent her whole life in hiding.

Until the day Frostblood soldiers raid her village and kill her mother. The day she swears to avenge her people.

But first she must learn to control the fire that rages within her. She must travel to the heart of the empire, to the court of the Frostblood King – a place where her very existence is a crime. Her only ally is Arcus, a scarred Frostblood warrior who despises the King, albeit for his own reasons…


I have to start this review off with a big W O W! This was an absolutely amazing book. I’ve already tweeted Elly that a review can never do this book justice because there’s no way to sum up just quite how brilliant this book is. I read it in a day. It’s a 400 page book and I read it in a day. It’s simply unputdownable.

Frostblood is a book written by Elly Blake. I’m not sure if there are any sequels in the pipeline but if there aren’t…I will be hugely disappointed. Not because it didn’t end well or there were things left unanswered; just for the sheer fact that I want more of this world. And more Ruby. And more Arcus. Lots more Arcus please. A big thank you to Hodder and Stoughton who kindly sent me a copy of this book, you have made me a very happy girl.

Frostblood is written from Ruby’s point of view. Ruby lives in a world where being herself is a crime. She’s a Fireblood and Firebloods should be taken to the King and killed immediately; or put in his arena to fight and be killed anyway. Tough choice. Ruby lives happily with her mum until someone alerts the King’s guards that there’s a Fireblood amongst the village. Ruby’s mum is killed, her village is burnt down and Ruby is imprisoned.

After a long time, she is rescued by a Frostblood. Rescued by Arcus. He has a condition though. He will only help her if she helps him defeat the King. She’s bewildered as she doesn’t quite understand why a Frostblood would want to kill one of their own but Arcus certainly has his secrets…

She reluctantly agrees and she’s whisked away to a refuge for people in need of help. She settles into daily life there…with a few hiccups along the way and she begins her training. Her gift is powerful but she doesn’t’ know how to control it yet, which makes it extremely dangerous. She needs to have mastered her powers in a matter of weeks, before the battle begins.

Things don’t go quite as smoothly as planned. I’m not sure whether to include this part so I won’t give away too much except: it all turns a bit Gladiator like…Fire and Ice style. It is absolutely bloody awesome and my favourite chapters of the book.

There are certain characters in books that you meet, that leave a special place in your heart. There have only ever been two for me. Warden (from Samantha Shannon’s The Bone Season), Ben (from Danielle Rollins’ Burning) and I can now introduce the third, Arcus from Frostblood. Arcus is actually very similar to Warden from TBS. He comes across as stern and emotionless but he hides behind a mask to protect himself and the people he cares about. I don’t know why I’m drawn to such characters but I most definitely am. With every page, I could feel myself falling deeper in love with him and every time there were pages without him, I was wondering if he was okay…I do realise he’s a fictional character, I promise. There were just a lot of uncertain moments.


I don’t want to give away too much more than I already have so please read this book. January seems a long time to wait but trust me, it’s worth it! One of the best books I’ve ever read. I salute you, Elly Blake.

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