Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes Trilogy, #1)

by Sara Raasch

Kate Rudd (Narrator)

A striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self-perfect for fans of Game of Thrones, An Ember in the Ashes and A Court of Thorns and Roses. 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. Training to be a warrior-and desperately in love with her best friend, Winter's future king-she would do anything to help Winter 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-only to find 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.

• ISBN10: 0062345796
• ISBN13: 9780062345790
• Publish Date: 14 October 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: Balzer and Bray
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook (MP3)
• Duration: 10 hours and 56 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[cornerfolds]

I've been on a little bit of a fantasy kick recently so, with a gap in my heart left by the endings of An Ember in the Ashes and Crimson Bound, I went in search of something equally amazing to fill the void. I didn't know a whole lot about Snow Like Ashes other than that I haven't seen many (possibly any) negative reviews in my circle of bookish friends. With a free Audible credit on hand, I decided to give this one a try. I went in with very high expectations and came out, well, a little disappointed.

Snow Like Ashes is a story of eight kingdoms: four Seasons and four Rhythms (more on that later). Meira is a refugee of Winter, having escaped with a handful of others when Spring attacked sixteen years ago. She has been raised alongside Mather, the future king of Winter, and their only goal is to reclaim two halves of a locket that hold all of the kingdom's magic. Of course, Meira is held back where Mather is allowed to go out on dangerous missions and she doesn't like that. In fact, Meira pretty much doesn't like anything from the very beginning of the book and that's kind of my problem with her.

From chapter one Meira goes on and on about how she wants to matter. We're reminded of this over and over (and over and over) throughout the book. Meira wants to MATTER, dammit! While she wants you to think that all she wants is what's best for her people, what she really wants is to do whatever she wants. I hate to tell you, Meira, but that's not how being a soldier works.... She doesn't want to do anything her superiors tell her to do - she does everything her way. She doesn't want to stay at home and let the more skilled soldiers take on the Big Bad. When she is told she must form a marriage alliance for the good of the kingdom, she doesn't want to do that either. And even in the very end when she gets what is arguably exactly what she wants, she finds a way to complain about how maybe she doesn't want to do that either. Meira was whiney and selfish and kind of a brat and I feel terrible for saying so because I know that pretty much everyone loved her and thought she was super amazing!

Mather and Theron are the two love interests (there always have to be at least two, you know!) and both are future kings. Meira has a tough life. Like I've already said, Meira grew up next to Mather, so it's not surprising that they feel romantic attraction towards each other. I actually did like his character a lot more than I liked any of the others. I really sympathized with his situation. It seemed like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place and my heart went out to him. Theron was a little more difficult to wrap my mind around though. Their "romance" seemed a little instalove-y, although it was not at the forefront of the story. The romance overall was just okay. I didn't feel anything strongly for either of the two guys in the way of romance, although if I had to pick one it would probably be Mather, just because they have history together.

The secondary character in Snow Like Ashes were pretty unmemorable, to be honest. Sir is the biggest of these and, while I felt a little twinge for him now and then, he wasn't especially likable. I felt similarly about the Winterians in the work camps.

Angra, the Big Bad, along with Herod, his minion, were... meh. They were largely absent from the story and never really did a whole lot of anything that would make me really too worried about them. A lot was -told- about Angra and the terrible things he did, but not much was shown to me through the events of the story. I feel like he definitely should have been a little more of an imminent threat.

The world building in this book was interesting, I'll give it that. Sara Raasch has definitely tried to create something unique and interesting in the eight kingdoms and their distinctive settings. I enjoy reading their initial descriptions... but that's about as far as it went.

Here's what I feel I've learned about these kingdoms: Winter = cold and snow + white hair, Summer = really hot and uncomfortable, etc. I didn't feel like I was there. I love it when an author is able to transport me into their world and make me feel like I'm experiencing everything right along with the characters. Unfortunately, I didn't get that feeling here.

I also thought the naming of the Season capitals were a little... silly. Jannuari, Abril, Oktuber... I don't buy it. I'm going to be really honest here: at the beginning of the book the author says she wrote the first draft when she was 12. I feel like these names were probably part of the first draft and should have been changed. It was unique, yes, but not necessarily in a good way.

My absolute biggest problem with Snow Like Ashes is the plot. If the story had been super awesome I could have overlooked the silly names of the capitals and maybe even Meira being way too into herself. But the plot ruined it for me.

First and foremost, everything was just dumped on me. Info dumps everywhere. That speaks for itself. More importantly though...

At maybe 20 minutes into this 10+ hour audiobook, when the magic of the conduits was first being explained, I knew what the big twist would be. I hoped I was wrong. I hoped it SO HARD! I mean, I'm usually pretty slow when it comes to figuring these things out. I'm usually completely blindsided! But this one was just so blatantly obvious. She basically tells you what's going to happen in the first couple chapters! But I thought that surely I was wrong. That couldn't be it! But it was. Still, when the big reveal happened at 9 hours in, I thought maybe something else would happen! Something even more HUGE! But no. Nothing really did.

Not only that, but did no one else find it super convenient how these characters just squeak past death over and over and over? Things just keep going right for them even when it shouldn't have. I definitely wasn't on the edge of my seat. Ever. Because I knew no one was going to die.

I wanted to like this so much. I wanted to LOVE it! I even passed up reading Throne of Glass in favor of listening to this first. But, after reading multiple AMAZING fantasies back to back to back, this was a pretty big letdown. I did enjoy Mather and I can appreciate that the world was unique, even if I didn't love it. I'd still recommend it to fans of YA fantasy because this is one of those cases where I am definitely in the minority. Literally all of my Goodreads friends gave it a 4+ rating! Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

[lindsey]

This is a book that I had been looking forward to reading for quite a while. I had very high expectations before I started reading, as it seemed like every review I read had such glowing praise for the book and author. I usually try not to get my hopes up too much when I try a new author, but I admit I was so excited to start Snow Like Ashes. I finally purchased it and added it to my ever-growing TBR pile, and several months passed and I never got around to reading it. I would see it mocking me from the middle of my physical TBR stack, and I would always say, "As soon as I finish this book, I'll start reading you." But then I'd finish that book and promptly start a different book. And so it went. Until finally I found myself in the worst situation for readers everywhere - a reading slump.

It's been a long time since I've found myself in a reading slump, but there was no denying it. I desperately wanted to read, but every time I picked up a book, I just couldn't concentrate, and I could only read a few pages before I would have to put it down again. I tried to blame the books at first. "Maybe this book is just really boring," I'd say. So I'd put that book aside and start a different one. After three attempts, I decided to try one of my all-time favorite books (The Lord of the Rings) to see if it could shake me out of it. While I was able to read it for longer periods of time than the previous three books, I still wasn't out of my slump. I endured the darkness of not reading for two long weeks. And that's when I saw it - Snow Like Ashes, beckoning me to pick it up.

So I did.

And it was glorious and wonderful, and I never wanted to put it down. It exceeded my very high expectations and I was thrilled. I believe it would have become a favorite book on its own, but because it helped pull me out of my reading slump, I will forever be indebted to it and to its lovely author, Sara Raasch. It's definitely going to get a prominent spot on my Favorites Bookshelf.

The main character, Meira, is a young girl, one of a small group of survivors from Winter, who is determined to help restore her kingdom. She doesn't really remember Winter, as it fell sixteen years ago while she was just a baby, but she's heard the stories from the other survivors so many times that their memories feel like her own. Her parents died during Winter's downfall, and she's been raised as an orphan by the few remaining Winterians. Her best friend, Mather, just happens to be the heir to Winter's throne. His parents, the queen and king, also died during Winter's end, but the other survivors have kept him safe in the hopes of one day reclaiming their kingdom. The survivors have had to become soldiers, and for the last sixteen years they've been trying to recover the two pieces of a locket, which makes up Winter's magic conduit. If they can get both pieces, they hope to be able to fight back against Spring, and its evil ruler Angra, and return Winter to its proper place amongst the other Seasons.

I absolutely loved Meira. She is such a strong heroine, but she isn't perfect. She makes mistakes and there are times when she wants to give up, but she doesn't. She's relatable, and that is sometimes hard to find in books. I also really liked Theron, the prince of Cordell. While I'm not normally a fan of love triangles, the one in this book worked. I believe that is because the focus wasn't on the romance - it was on Meira and the quest for Winter. The romance was secondary to the plot, and it wasn't shoved in my face on every other page.

This book is also full of surprising twists and turns, though nothing comes completely out of nowhere. There are subtle hints dropped all the way through, but they're woven into the story so well that I was still completely shocked at the plot twists. My jaw literally dropped a couple of times, and I was so happy not knowing how things would turn out before they happened.

Snow Like Ashes is wonderfully original. It has excellent world-building, a fascinating plot, and well-developed characters. It's fast-paced, with just the right mix of action and dialogue. It's just a fantastic example of high-fantasy storytelling.

This is the book I've been wanting to read for a long time - a book that draws me in and doesn't want to let go, even after I read the final page. I believe this is one that will stick with me for quite a while. I would highly recommend it.

As a bonus, one of my favorite quotes from the book:

Someday we will be more than words in the dark.

[reveriesociety_]

The thing that was the most amazing about this book was Meira. I think I really connected with her, in the sense that it felt like nobody expected much of her, and she wanted to prove everybody what she was capable of. I think that's a very relatable struggle, and since it was her main inner conflict, I loved how it gave a totally fantasy story, that touch of realism.

As for the plot, in terms of getting-your-kingdom-back stories, it could've been better. I was excited to have figured out the plot twist, early in the book, and like with the Orphan Queen, wasn't too upset that this happend. The confirmation just made me happy. However, one thing did bother me. Meira and Theron? They're cute, and make me want them to kiss in front of Mather every few seconds, but it was a bit rushed. It really came out of nowhere XD

[limabean74]

My Review:

So as most of you know I don't review DNF books but since this is a TBR List pick I wanted to at least tell you what happened.

I really, really, really wanted to like this book and I stayed till about 68% but it was just info dump and no story, I kept reading hoping a story would appear but it never did. I can honestly tell you as I type this I already forgot the Main Characters name. Most of the info that was dumped on me I was so confused by because it really was just to much at once. If it was spread throughout the book I think I wouldn't have minded as long as some sort of story was also involved but it just wasn't happening. This book has such amazing reviews it just did not work at all for me.

[divider]
Did you join me during this My TBR List pick? How did you like your book? Link up below and let us know :)

An InLinkz Link-up

[divider]

Hope you have a great day and Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
High fantasy has always been very hit or miss for me. If I pick up the “wrong” fit, I am bored within about three chapters, and I am wanting to toss it aside. When I grab the “right” fit, it can be magical. Luckily, Snow Like Ashes fell into the “right” category for me, even if it wasn’t a complete home run.

From the beginning, Meira’s character pulled me in. I adored her, and find her to be exactly what a protagonist should be. She wasn’t perfect (far from it) but accepted her faults and was constantly trying to overcome them. She was always true to herself, and while she certainly was feisty, she was sympathetic as well.

Now, there is a bit of a love triangle situation, though I am pretty sure it will be more prominent in future books. I know I am in the minority, but I am quite fond of Mather. My only gripe was that I wanted to know more about him, have him be a bit more fleshed out. Theron was a great addition to the story, I just didn’t get a really strong feeling on him either way, he was a little too typical “good guy”. I think reading more about each of them in the future will help decide who I like best. But for now, I am sticking with Mather. The “romance” in the book was very minimal, so the triangle situation didn’t really come into play much.

The world building concept was definitely unique. I enjoyed how the seasons were all represented, and all fighting. But the Rhythms weren’t any better. Basically it was all just a bunch of greedy people only looking out for themselves in quite a few cases. I did enjoy the element of not knowing which kingdoms, if any, would have Winter’s back. And this is such a minor gripe, and I am pretty sure it is just me, but when there is a map of a world… do you want to know what is on the other side of the sea or ocean or mountain as badly as I do? I need to know! (This doesn’t have anything to do with my actual enjoyment or rating of the book, just a minor tangent.)

The plot itself was definitely enjoyable, and full of twists. I did see a few of the twists coming, but there were enough that I didn’t to make it exciting. There was a point in the middle of the book during which it did seem to drag a bit for me, but then it picked right back up and continued to suck me in. The ending wasn’t a huge unbearable cliffhanger, thank goodness, but it did set up the next book very nicely. I found it both refreshing and well done.

Bottom Line: Definitely a win. If you like strong heroines that will win you over, and high fantasy in general, this is not one to miss! I will be looking forward to Ice Like Fire for sure.

[Amber]

Snow Like Ashes was my first read of the Debutathon and it let me down a little bit. It’s not a bad book, but I don’t think it’s a good enough fantasy to stand the heat next to the likes of Throne of Glass or Fire and Thorns.

One thing I really enjoyed about Snow Like Ashes was the world building. I liked the world that Raasch has created with Primoria. The split between the Seasons and the Rhythms and all that was really interesting, as well as the history behind each one. I enjoyed reading about how Spring took over and how Winter had been enslaved. I would have liked to have seen more of the Seasons, particularly Summer and Autumn, because it would have made this world stand out more to me.

Meira is an interesting main character, although I felt like her characterisation was all over the place. One minute she was being a snarky BAMF and then she was sitting back and letting everyone else get shit done. Don’t get me wrong, I liked her, but she doesn’t stand out amongst other female leads, nor is she overly appealing.

There is, of course, a love triangle, although romance is certainly not the main focus of the plot. I can only think of one kissing scene, and very few instances of Meira fawning over the guys in this novel. I don’t care for either romance, so I don’t have a ship. I don’t think Meira has chemistry with anyone, which is a shame because I do like my shipping.

Snow Like Ashes was also ridiculously predictable. If you’re an avid reader, especially of fantasy, you’re likely to figure out what the big twist/reveal is. At least, I did. Very early on.

Overall, Snow Like Ashes is a decent fantasy debut, although Raasch fails to flesh it out enough to satisfy me. I might consider reading the rest of the series when it’s out, although it won’t be high up on my wishlist. It’s a good thing that I like stories about uprisings and slave rebellions!

[Stephanie]

Loved this! In the beginning, I was a little scared Meira was going to annoy me, but she surprised be by doing the complete opposite of what I thought she would do in certain situations. I've always wanted a book where winter was considered good (I love Winter), and I finally got it! This is definitely a great read with a lot of action, some romance, and it actually got quite sad at times. Can't wait for the next book!

[tweetybugshouse]

I love the word building in this story and the concept of 4 kingdoms based around seasons with the balance of rhythms. I really liked that i was caught up in the plot that i was not even second guessing what was right in front of me the whole time. This story has adventure, twist plots, no love triangle but still a romantic element. I also love how we have a nice strong female lead that in reality becomes exactly what she needs to right at the very end. Their was no lagging, no really we are going to go over all of this again, i really loved it.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Five Caffeinated Reasons to Add Snow Like Ashes to your must read list:

• Raasch’s world is incredible, and brilliantly explained. Filled with magic, and kingdoms for each season, we learn of Winters fall, their enslavement and their unyielding fight to recover what was lost. Fans of Throne of Glass will adore Snow Like Ashes.


• Miera, our female protagonist, was orphaned during the war when Winter fell. She longs to be important in efforts to restore Winter to it’s former glory by regaining their magic. She was raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir alongside their king Mathers. Miera is kick-ass, fearless and desires to understand the magic. Miera is clever, plagued by dreams, and cares deeply for others. Despite all she endures there are no moments of pity. She faces each encounter and grows from them. I adored her, connected with her and cannot wait to see how she transforms.


• You don’t mind if the romance is on the back burner. There is no triangle, but there are two suitors. I loved how the author kept this romance on the side. It was an interesting thread and both man are worthy suitors. Despite the fact that this wasn’t the focus, I did choose a fella, and I am looking forward to seeing how it all pans out.


• The novel hooked me from the first page, and the tale slowly built as the author notched up the tension. There is intense action, politics, alliances, betrayals and an evil, ruthless villain to loathe.


• Even though Snow Like Ashes is part of a trilogy it read like a standalone. It has depth, a beginning, middle and end. The ending was well-done, with just enough loose threads to have me eager to return to this world.

Copy received from publisher and full review posted on blog.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[KitsuneBae]

Remember how we are always cautious when we come across books that are marketed as the next blah? Or a book wherein “X book” meets “Y book”? In my case, I usually stay away from books marketed as such because I hate it when publishers capitalize on the success of other books. And most often than not, these “next” books are a total fail and the only recognition they deserve is that they were able to make it to the literary market. In the case of Snow Like Ashes, instead of being wary, I got curious with the blurb. Marketed as “Game of Thrones meets Graceling in this striking fantasy tale of dark magic, dangerous politics, and discovering your true self, from debut author Sara Raasch,” I immediately knew that I have to read the ARC as soon as possible. For those who have been piously following my blog, you already know that Graceling and A Game of Thrones got low ratings from me. So why in the world did I request this book? Am I a masochist? Certainly not. As I’ve said, I was curious and see whether the author has something new to offer to the table. Must I also say that I feel for the author because comparing her work to a book that has made big waves on a global level is a lot of pressure?

Fortunately, Snow Like Ashes delivered to its blurb. Fans may scoff at me for saying this, but I enjoyed this book more than I did with the other two books. As Iwent deeper into the story, it was not hard to identify some of the inspirations taken from the two books but they were not alarming since the plotline of Snow Like Ashes follows a different direction. The world was wholly new and the magical system was innovative.

One of the things that immediately hooked me into the story is how ambitious it is. Other readers might have a hard time grasping what the world of Primoria is all about. There are eight kingdoms that you need to be familiar with. The numerous characters can also be a bit discouraging especially if you’re just at the beginning of the story. But once you get the hang of this book, everything will progress nicely. And before you know it, you’re turning the pages as if there’s no tomorrow.

I love that the author has taken effort in making the magical system distinctive yet easy to understand. Though the magical system was definitely praiseworthy, it was also the reason why some parts of the book got swamped with infodumps. I didn’t mind it that much but it might irk some readers.

I also need to throw this out, the plot moved slowly at the beginning but I felt that it was necessary. I love my fantasy books fully set up and I don’t want to waste my brain powers wondering about things that the author neglected to explain. Deeper into the story, readers will get to see a lot of action as battles between kingdoms are finally starting to brew.

The characters were well fleshed out. I didn’t find it difficult to distinguish who was who. The main character though was something to look out for as she’s not easily likable. I do have a love and hate relationship with her. She’s very insecure and whiny at some moments. There were times that her thoughts are exhaustingly redundant that I can’t help but feel the urge to shake her to her senses. She reminded me of Kaladin and Daenyrys in some ways. But while I wasn’t irritated with the two,Meira is innately skilled in bringing out the worst in me. Despite that, I can’t stop myself from warming up to her whenever she steps up and unleashes the kickass part of her personality.

The romance was definitely swoon worthy and was able to maintain its place on the sidelines. A love triangle almost ruined the whole story but halfway through the book, the first contender was immediately eliminated. And what I got is a beautifully hewn romance between characters that grew up in two different worlds. The feels was definitely there and awaits further development.

Snow Like Ashes ended with a bang. The immediate conflicts were resolved nicely and left sufficient room for the story to expand. In conclusion, it was very unfair for the marketers to promote this book as “A Game of Thrones meets Graceling”book as it should be recognized for its own awesomeness. It just earned a permanent spot on my favorites page.