Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy, #1)

by Jennifer Estep

[Angie]

I was super excited to finally read Touch of Frost, but sadly, it just did not work for me. I love "special" school settings, so I was eager to learn about Mythos Academy. I had thought it was for the children of the gods, but it's really for all kinds of supposedly myth based races: Spartans, Amazon, Valkyrie, Ninjas, etc. That was pretty awesome. Of course, our narrator, Gwen, is special among the special, as she's a Gypsy. She can touch objects and people and see memories and feel emotions attached to them. It's this ability that helps her figure out what happened when one of her classmates turns up dead in the library and an ancient relic is stolen.

Touch of Frost and I didn't really get off to the best start. The opening chapter is really silly and totally high school drama. It did serve its purpose of introducing us to Gwen's power, since we get to see her in action. And we learn her place in the social heirarchy: she's at the bottom. No surprise there. But it's not the kind of first impression that bodes well for the rest of the book.

There is one issue I had that isn't specific to Touch of Frost, but is something I've noted about the author's other series as well. There is a lot of repetition, and I actually think it's worse than it was in her Elemental Assassin series. Gwen reminds us that she's a Gypsy, and that she has a Gypsy power, and that the Gypsy power is called psychometry. She tells us at least once per chapter. It's not really something readers are likely to forget, but thanks for the reminder. Gwen also constantly mentions that she's a nobody and has no friends. All the time. We get it, you're a loser! It started to seem more like a self-fulfilling prophecy than anything else with the way she obsessed over her lack of friends.

Another problem that I had with Gwen was her absolutely hate of rich people. Of course, she goes to an elite boarding school, and all of the kids come from wealthy families. Except for Gwen, obviously. In the first chapter, she talks about Daphne's Dooney & Burke purse like it was made from elephant tusks and panda fur. It's a D&B, it's not that expensive, especially since the way Gwen talks about these kids, she can certainly afford a $2,000 bag rather than a $200 one. Even I have a couple, and I'm not rich. At all. Basically, anything the rich kids do or own is stupid, because she can't afford it. Jealous much? Just be happy with what you do have! She's much better off than a lot of people, but she's so bitter about having to work in the library to offset her tuition costs, while the other kids can match their cellphones and backpacks to their outfits.

Gwen also has some preoccupation with sluts and whores. Everyone who is having more sex than her (she's a virgin, obviously) is a slut (girls) or a whore (guys). Much like with her reminder about being a Gypsy and having no friends, at least once a chapter she's calling one girl a slut or saying she's slutty. Yes, this girl is promiscuous, and yes she is doing something horrible to her supposed best friend, but it's really none of Gwen's business. I really should have counted how many times Gwen used slut/slutty/whore, because it's a ridiculous amount. Twice, she also uses the same line about how if they stuck their tongue further into their partners mouth it would come out the back of their head. Nice visual.

My final problem with Gwen was that she doesn't believe in myths and magic. Just let that sink in for a moment. She goes to a school full of the children of myths and they all have magic. Heck, she has magic! But she doesn't believe in it? That seemed like a failed attempt to make Gwen even more special and thinking for herself or whatever. I mean, really?! You can know everything about an object from touching it, and yet you don't believe in magic?

The plot of Touch of Frost was pretty good in the beginning. No one seems to be concerned about the death of Jasmine or the disappearance of an important artifact, but Gwen has a bad feeling (Gypsy power! psychometry! no friends!), so she investigates for herself. Of course, there's a twist at the end. I did not see it coming, and thought it was pretty good, at least until the villain started talking. Yes, there's a huge monologue where they spill all of their secrets (and then tells Gwen not to tell anyone, what?!). Their motivation was so stupid. Like, I cannot even believe this all happened at all. Seriously?! Like, really?! You went through all of that because of that!? Yes, it sucked, but come on! You're nuts.

Clearly, Touch of Frost was not the book for me. I wanted to love it, I really did, and thought I would. But Gwen is not someone I particularly want to read about. Maybe I'll read the next book to see if she's learn anything, but it won't be anytime soon. If ever.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.