Blog Tour Review: White as Frost by Anthea Sharp

I’m pleased to be part of the blog tour for Anthea Sharp’s new fantasy White as Frost! This is the first book in Sharp’s new series The Darkwood Trilogy, and it’s a good one!

About the Book:

Title: White as Frost

Author: Anthea Sharp

Series: The Darkwood Trilogy #1

Page Length: 366

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Publisher: Fiddlehead Press

Genre: YA Fantasy

Synopsis: Two sisters. One enchanted forest. And a hidden destiny that could doom them both…

I didn’t want to come live in the castle beside the Darkwood, and I especially didn’t want to become enemies with my stepsister Neeve. But how could I help it? She has magic, while I’m an ordinary girl. She’s the heir to the throne, while I’m an annoying afterthought since my mother married the king. And Neeve has the ability to master her emotions while I’m a red-haired disaster.

She also has Thorne, the handsome guardian of the forest, who tutors her in the powers that are her heritage. Even though I know he could never be mine, I can’t keep my heart from dreaming of the impossible.

But everything changes, the day I uncover the secrets the castle has been hiding…

From USA Today bestseller Anthea Sharp comes this fantasy fairy-tale weaving elements of Snow White & Rose Red with romance, magic, and dangerous secrets that will destroy a kingdom.

Blog Tour Dates: May 2nd–May 8th

BOOK LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

ANTHEA SHARP is the USA Today bestselling author of the award-winning Feyland series – where a high-tech game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie – and the Darkwood Chronicles, a prequel series to the Darkwood Trilogy, where humans and Dark Elves inhabit a lush fantasy world full of magic and danger. She currently splits her year between sunny Southern California and the novel-inspiring forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Website: https://antheasharp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntheaSharpAuthor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Anthea-Sharp/e/B006HQ2IFQ
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anthea-sharp
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5294897.Anthea_Sharp

My Review:

I’m so pleased to be a part of the blog tour for Anthea Sharp’s new book White as Frost, which follows a girl named Rose as she moves to a new kingdom and learns that everything is not as it seems. As Rose adjusts to her new reality, she also tries to befriend Neeve, the King’s sullen daughter and heir to the throne. When she follows Neeve into the forest, she uncovers a magical and mysterious world she never knew existed. Rose’s curiosity leads her to uncover many secrets in this enchanted forest and in the kingdom, but when a severe illness threatens her life, Rose must journey back to her home for a cure. Danger lurks around every corner, and Rose’s life is in even more jeopardy than it was when her journey began.

The magical elements in the story are unique and interesting, and I really enjoyed the mysteries of the Darkwood and those that inhabit it. They contrast so well with the veiled normalcy of the castle and completely contrast Rose’s home, where magic is shunned unless used by the red priests. I want to learn more about the red priests and the politics surrounding these kingdoms and have a feeling the series will delve more into that in future books.

One of my favorite parts of the story, in addition to the Darkwood, is the sisterly relationship that grows between Neeve and Rose. Neeve and Rose are such opposites. Where Neeve excels, Rose often doesn’t, and where Rose shines, Neeve usually falters. Rose is curious and a bit impulsive. She doesn’t always think things through, where Neeve is grounded and less eager to please. On top of that, Neeve has magic and is heir to the throne, and Rose has no magic and feels like an outcast. I love how they contrast yet compliment each other so well. They almost feel like two halves of a whole. They are typical teen sisters, bickering one moment and faithfully defending each other the next. I love their progression and growth throughout the story as they come of age.

For different reasons, both girls feel a sense of isolation. Rose tries so hard to fit in and is almost overbearing in her enthusiasm. Neeve is more sullen and resigned to the fact that she can’t be where she wants to. They both feel so out of place, and I think this is a feeling that many readers will relate to. We’ve all felt that desire to be accepted, which is what Neeve and Rose want too.

Thorne is an intriguing and enigmatic character, and I want to know everything about him! Though we are introduced to Thorne’s background, as well as his abilities and responsibilities, there is so much more to learn. Hints of potential romances are also intriguing, and I can’t wait to see how they progress in the next book. Neeve is so resistant to love, and Rose is crushing big time on one particular character, but I have a feeling neither will have a smooth-sailing journey.

This is a great first book in The Darkwood Trilogy, and I think readers who like YA fantasy with political intrigue, a hint of romance, and cool supernatural elements will love this story.