REVIEW: Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Guest Reviewer: Doris aka La Chiquita

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Oh my dear sweet snow! I could NOT get enough of this book! I am the first to admit that I am a cover whore. If it looks pretty I'll send it a drink at the bar. Walk up to it with a smile and say "Hey beautiful, do you come here often? No? Why don't I show you around? Oh come on, just a little peek at your jacket won't hurt anyone. I promise I'll even read the acknowledgements." Then you finally get it open and read the first chapters and you are neglecting the world around you. Suddenly you don't need to eat, all the loved ones that start talking to you irritate you and you just want to know what happens next regardless of the emotions of the real live people in your bubble.

Snow Like Ashes deserves all the praise. The world is so well built that you feel like you have been hearing about Primoria all your life. Of course you know about the Rhythm and Season Kingdoms why wouldn't you? In the story, Meira is from a land that she never saw herself. She was made to leave because her country was taken over and her people enslaved. She has had to create loyalty to a land built on other peoples memories. In away the reader is swept in there with her. The way she talks about the chill in the air and the smell of fresh snow on the ground made me cold. I love the growth of Meira. She is not your typical wide eyed teenage girl. She was raised to be a soldier and knows that she is more than a pretty face. Granted she does have normal problems being stuck in a hunk sandwich.

You heard me right swooners, prepare yourself for an epic tale of the teen love triangle. Meira has to not only understand her feelings for her King, which she was raised next to and until recently thought she harbored feelings alone for, but she is also introduced to Theron who swoops her off her feet at a time she feels the most vulnerable. What makes this triangle epic is that they are fighting for her at the same time in front of each other. There is no maybe he does maybe he doesn't, this is a pissing contest from the locking of eyes and the way Sara writes it is pure magic. Meira knows that the two guys she has feelings for are fighting for her but she knows that is small pebbles compared to the greater evil of getting her people freed from the Shadow of the Seasons Angra.

 Angra is a whole new level of evil. I love it when I love to hate a villain. He makes you want to reach out and punch him in the face just in hearing his name. He is the king of Spring and the master mind behind the whole oppression of the Winterians. He alone sought out every single one of them and brought them to heel. But even that is not enough for him. The entirety of his need for more makes him darker, slimy even. It makes you root for Meira and her people even more.

I have always been a fan of Fall. 1) it holds my birth date, 2) the color changes 3) the weather always seems right. But after this book I'm ready to shake off my rabbit skins and get me some snow! We are WINTER!