A Breath of Fresh Air
A Breath of Frost
By Alyxandra Harvey
The Lovegrove Legacy Series, Book 1
# Pgs: 304
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Overview:
In 1814, three cousins-Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope-discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. Now ghouls, hellhounds-and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters-are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders...because she keeps finding the bodies. Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed...or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?
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Review:
This has to be one of the cutest books that I've read in a while. I've just finished reading A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey and I'm seriously enchanted by the words Harvey has woven together in this tale of witches and mystery. I don't think I've ever read a book quite like this one.
The manner of which Harvey's writing style is soft, feather-like. It's not overly dramatic, the murders that take place within the book aren't incredibly gory, there aren't any disturbing kinds of aspects that might otherwise distract us from the world that Harvey creates. I say that her style is soft because it doesn't force us to fall in love with the book. Like a gentle fingertip, it presses us in the back of our minds onwards towards this wonderfully elusive world of witches and magic and ghosts. Like a gentle finger, it seductively entices us in a dare to wander towards Harvey's words in almost a haze. Reading this book, I completely lost myself.
I wasn't distracted by any unimportant facts that might've existed in the book. There wasn't any kind of emotional rollercoaster that some books take you on. It didn't make me feel angry about something that happened, or about the characters themselves. I really can't think of any other way to describe this book other than soft. As with any "witchy" types of books, there were dark facets about this novel. And yet, it wasn't of the disturbing, horrific, gruesome or grim kind. Had the dark details--the deaths, the ghosts, the madness of a witch losing her familiar, even the iron nails and their properties--been written in any other way, perhaps by any other hand, this book would lose its illusions of gentle guidance. Instead, we'd be drawn in by the dark and disturbing, which would've distracted us as the reader away from the "forbidden love" and the mystery.
What happened to Emma's mother? Who is Moira? Of what importance is One-Eyed Joe to this tale? Of what significance is Greymalkin blood? What of Daphne and Cormac and Sophie? And what of the bodies of murdered girls?
The world that Harvey created is rather mysterious and mystical and wonderous. There are so many possiblities and directions that this book could've been taken, so many that the next book can take. I'm still stuck in this daze of magic that somehow I was tricked into. It's safe to say that I love this book.
Emma (Lovegrove) Day is the daughter of an insane mother, Theodora (Lovegrove) Day, and Lord Alphonse Day, a man of few words and even fewer emotional capabilities. As such, she's often left alone to her own devices and to the devices of her two cousins. You can imagine the kinds of trouble they get into, especially as young women during the eighteen hundreds. But when strange things run afoul and hidden things they never knew are revealed, what are three growing witches to do?
Emma is a confident, rebellious, not at all soft kind of debutante. When I read the book, I expected something completely different when I learned that the three cousins were debutantes. None of them were as I expected. Emma curses like a sailer and has her own rather opinionated mind about the world; she studies the stars. Gretchen is a cross between a tomboy (as close as an upstanding member of society can get to being one, at least) and a bookworm; she'd rather hide out in a library then dance the night away. And Penelope is, perhaps, the most flirtatious of the trio; she consistantly and amusingly quotes Shakespearian curses at the most opportune of times, and comes from a family who wants her to make her own decisions about marrige and life.
It's hard not to fall in love with their mischevious natures when all the rest of their world seems dangerous and clouted by stern officials, and even sterner rules.
Cormac Fairfax is the love interest of Emma Day. As stated as before, their love is one that is forbidden, and often one that is denied. Where as Emma begins to believe that she is being played with, Cormac just wants to find a way to save his family name, and a way to protect Emma from... the Order. The Keepers. The Greybeards. Their love wasn't one that kept getting thrown back at us, in our faces, again and again. It wasn't the kind of obnoxious love you find in Twilight or the kind of lusty love you find in The Notebook. It was soft and sweet, heated in a way that's soft and wonderful, fluffy. It didn't distract.
So their emotions for each other are a little confusing. Not for us, but for them. You have to remember, this takes place in a society where such things as Greymalkin murders makes everyone suspicious, especially of the young adult witches who are only just coming into their powers. Even more so when one of their mothers practiced a powerful magic against them. The only problem revolving around that aspect is that no one remembers what exactly happened, or why.
With so many questions to be answered, and so many mysteries to be solved, is it any wonder that it's so easy to fall in love with such a book as this? I'm anticipating the next book in the series, not with a dreadful, "Oh my gosh, it needs to come out NOW" kind of need, but with the same gentle, persistant hand that guided me into loving this book in the first place do I find myself waiting for the next book.
This wasn't a fast-paced novel, nor was it slow. Like the three little bears, the three bowls of porridge, and the three beds, this book was just right.
This book was told from multiple POVs, and each character was well developed. The history the author gave us to think about was just enough to sate the appetite, but I'm interested in finding out more of the Harvey's witching world. Filled with gargoyles, familiars, shape-shifters, witches, goblins and ghosts and ghouls, I wonder what Harvey will come up with next?
Like I stated before, this book was soft and warm, urgent. While it was hard to put down, I didn't feel a need to keep reading continuously or conisistantly. Well, I did, but just not a need need. It was like I needed to keep reading, but it wouldn't be a life or death situation for me if I stopped reading. Believe it or not, this does happen with some of the books that I read. As such, this book is rated as a four out of five. I love it, but I'm not completely in love with it. I need to read the book, but I don't need it. I've thoroughly enjoyed the book, but it doesn't make me want to read it again. Not immediately, anyway.
So I'll recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and supernatural books; mysteries. There's romance here, sure, but it's not enough to be considered a romance I think. There were certain ideas in this book that remind me of old story kinds of witch books and tales, filled with goblins and ghouls and ghosts (oh my).
I really liked this book, so if you want to read it, I recommend it.
Thanks for reading! And leave a comment on what you think. Or follow my blog. Whatever works. I'm just trying to share the love~ ^^ Thanks again!
The manner of which Harvey's writing style is soft, feather-like. It's not overly dramatic, the murders that take place within the book aren't incredibly gory, there aren't any disturbing kinds of aspects that might otherwise distract us from the world that Harvey creates. I say that her style is soft because it doesn't force us to fall in love with the book. Like a gentle fingertip, it presses us in the back of our minds onwards towards this wonderfully elusive world of witches and magic and ghosts. Like a gentle finger, it seductively entices us in a dare to wander towards Harvey's words in almost a haze. Reading this book, I completely lost myself.
I wasn't distracted by any unimportant facts that might've existed in the book. There wasn't any kind of emotional rollercoaster that some books take you on. It didn't make me feel angry about something that happened, or about the characters themselves. I really can't think of any other way to describe this book other than soft. As with any "witchy" types of books, there were dark facets about this novel. And yet, it wasn't of the disturbing, horrific, gruesome or grim kind. Had the dark details--the deaths, the ghosts, the madness of a witch losing her familiar, even the iron nails and their properties--been written in any other way, perhaps by any other hand, this book would lose its illusions of gentle guidance. Instead, we'd be drawn in by the dark and disturbing, which would've distracted us as the reader away from the "forbidden love" and the mystery.
What happened to Emma's mother? Who is Moira? Of what importance is One-Eyed Joe to this tale? Of what significance is Greymalkin blood? What of Daphne and Cormac and Sophie? And what of the bodies of murdered girls?
The world that Harvey created is rather mysterious and mystical and wonderous. There are so many possiblities and directions that this book could've been taken, so many that the next book can take. I'm still stuck in this daze of magic that somehow I was tricked into. It's safe to say that I love this book.
Emma (Lovegrove) Day is the daughter of an insane mother, Theodora (Lovegrove) Day, and Lord Alphonse Day, a man of few words and even fewer emotional capabilities. As such, she's often left alone to her own devices and to the devices of her two cousins. You can imagine the kinds of trouble they get into, especially as young women during the eighteen hundreds. But when strange things run afoul and hidden things they never knew are revealed, what are three growing witches to do?
Emma is a confident, rebellious, not at all soft kind of debutante. When I read the book, I expected something completely different when I learned that the three cousins were debutantes. None of them were as I expected. Emma curses like a sailer and has her own rather opinionated mind about the world; she studies the stars. Gretchen is a cross between a tomboy (as close as an upstanding member of society can get to being one, at least) and a bookworm; she'd rather hide out in a library then dance the night away. And Penelope is, perhaps, the most flirtatious of the trio; she consistantly and amusingly quotes Shakespearian curses at the most opportune of times, and comes from a family who wants her to make her own decisions about marrige and life.
It's hard not to fall in love with their mischevious natures when all the rest of their world seems dangerous and clouted by stern officials, and even sterner rules.
Cormac Fairfax is the love interest of Emma Day. As stated as before, their love is one that is forbidden, and often one that is denied. Where as Emma begins to believe that she is being played with, Cormac just wants to find a way to save his family name, and a way to protect Emma from... the Order. The Keepers. The Greybeards. Their love wasn't one that kept getting thrown back at us, in our faces, again and again. It wasn't the kind of obnoxious love you find in Twilight or the kind of lusty love you find in The Notebook. It was soft and sweet, heated in a way that's soft and wonderful, fluffy. It didn't distract.
So their emotions for each other are a little confusing. Not for us, but for them. You have to remember, this takes place in a society where such things as Greymalkin murders makes everyone suspicious, especially of the young adult witches who are only just coming into their powers. Even more so when one of their mothers practiced a powerful magic against them. The only problem revolving around that aspect is that no one remembers what exactly happened, or why.
With so many questions to be answered, and so many mysteries to be solved, is it any wonder that it's so easy to fall in love with such a book as this? I'm anticipating the next book in the series, not with a dreadful, "Oh my gosh, it needs to come out NOW" kind of need, but with the same gentle, persistant hand that guided me into loving this book in the first place do I find myself waiting for the next book.
This wasn't a fast-paced novel, nor was it slow. Like the three little bears, the three bowls of porridge, and the three beds, this book was just right.
This book was told from multiple POVs, and each character was well developed. The history the author gave us to think about was just enough to sate the appetite, but I'm interested in finding out more of the Harvey's witching world. Filled with gargoyles, familiars, shape-shifters, witches, goblins and ghosts and ghouls, I wonder what Harvey will come up with next?
Like I stated before, this book was soft and warm, urgent. While it was hard to put down, I didn't feel a need to keep reading continuously or conisistantly. Well, I did, but just not a need need. It was like I needed to keep reading, but it wouldn't be a life or death situation for me if I stopped reading. Believe it or not, this does happen with some of the books that I read. As such, this book is rated as a four out of five. I love it, but I'm not completely in love with it. I need to read the book, but I don't need it. I've thoroughly enjoyed the book, but it doesn't make me want to read it again. Not immediately, anyway.
So I'll recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and supernatural books; mysteries. There's romance here, sure, but it's not enough to be considered a romance I think. There were certain ideas in this book that remind me of old story kinds of witch books and tales, filled with goblins and ghouls and ghosts (oh my).
I really liked this book, so if you want to read it, I recommend it.
Thanks for reading! And leave a comment on what you think. Or follow my blog. Whatever works. I'm just trying to share the love~ ^^ Thanks again!
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