Fireblood: The Frostblood Saga Book Two Paperback – 7 Sept. 2017

Second volume in young adult fantasy trilogy 'The Frostblood saga.' All about a girl in a land where those with fire based powers and those with ice based powers are in conflict.First volume was 'Fireblood'. And it's best to read that as this isn't really a jumping on point, there not being anything much to bring new readers up to speed.This volume runs for four hundred and eight pages. And is divided into twenty nine chapters. It is not the end of the story.Following the end of book one, the Frost King has been defeated. Arcus is now ruler.But he and Ruby cant live happily ever after just yet. Arcus and Brother Thistle are pretty much her only allies in a place that is yet to accept her. And there's the evil force that she set free. It has to be stopped.The only way to do that is to go to the land the Firebloods come from. But the place that should be her home isn't as safe as she might have thought. And her relationship with Arcus is going to be tested...This is surprisingly easy to get back into, and very readable with it. The prose is decent. It can get a little bit strong on the description at times when it needs to show what people's powers can do, but at all other times it's a real page turner.I gave book one four stars, but this is a five star read. Down to two things.1: the way it opens up the world and expands on what we saw of it before. The land of the firebloods is an interesting and well drawn setting, and the Queen of said land is a magnificently three dimensional creation.2: Plotting The way everything comes together, with twists and turns and some brilliant surprises in the last third, is fabulous. Any plot that can make you gasp at a surprise is a very good one, and it had that effect to me.And the characterisation really does stand out at times as well. Ruby's relationship with Arcus is very nicely done. Her relationship with a new character also really clicks. Brother Thistle is a superb and appealing creation as well.A really good second volume. The story will finish in the upcoming 'Nightblood.' Looking forward to it.

Normally the love triangle that emerges in this book would cause me to discard the novel - I really don't enjoy reading about them, the paragraphs where the heroine examines her feelings, cliched metaphors about how she loves them both ect. But Blake has manage to weave in my pet hate in a way that isn't nauseating.Blake uses Kia to show Ruby's progression as a character - he helps her understand herself in a way that a Frostblood couldn't. Their resulting chemistry was more a symbol of the fire they wield then romantic feeling and it was always clear, to me if not to Ruby, that her love lay with the Frostblood King.This novel had everything a good middle book has - lots of character development, the final battle set up and the introduction of amazing new characters.

Loved the first book, looking forward to reading this sequel.

Really enjoying this series, it's well written and the story has some good surprises, can't wait to read the final book next

Entertaining fantasy novel. Good for some light reading and a nice, if typical, love triangle. Characters develop but kinda fall flat on some key areas of their development (the frostblood king should really really abdicate).

So much better then the first book! Full of action, comedy, and magic- I finished it in a day!! Would definitely recommend.

ONE OF THE BEST SERIES IVE READ!

Good