Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Since I do not sell products on my blog, my Black Friday deal is an extra November review! Happy reading!Title: Snow Like Ashes
Author: Sara Raasch
Pages: 416
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publish Date: October 14, 2014
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Synopsis: A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.
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.
This was the one book that I read for the HoHoHoRAT, and I deeply enjoyed it.
Cover: If I’m being honest, this is not the first time I’ve picked up Snow Like Ashes. It’s the second because I did not get into it before it was due. The cover was the reason I picked it up both times. It’s not your typical cover. I love the ying-yang symbol with spring and winter inside. It’s so pretty. I just recently learned what the symbol meant. There’s good and bad in everything. That statement proves true for this novel.
Characters: I didn’t love Meira, but I didn’t hate her either. She’s incredibly tough and strong, but I didn’t really connect with her. She was a great character, I just don’t have a lot of thoughts on her.
I felt as if Mather was thrown into the mix. It seemed as if he was pulled into the story when the author needed him for a plot line. His character wasn’t very deep though he was a nice addition sometimes.
I feel as if the characters are the weakest point of Snow Like Ashes. They have great potential, but they fell short.
Plot: The plot of Snow Like Ashes was mind-blowing. Using seasons as countries/territories? Brilliant! The places pictured were described with so much detail, I want to go there! I loved pitting Winter against Spring with just a dash of magic. It was a very interesting read.
Ending: Great ending to a great book. I don’t have a lot to gush about, but it was a nice ending. I think the Winterians (I hope I spelled that correctly) needed a bit of happiness in their lives.
Overall: I enjoyed Snow Like Ashes. I liked it enough that I want to read the next one. I feel bad that I don’t have a lot to say about it, but I’m a bit burnt out at the moment. If you like a bit of fantasy, pick up Snow Like Ashes.
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