She’s a huntress: Sol d’Hillerod is sent on a desperate mission through a treacherous winter pass. She carries with her the only hope of her village’s survival, and she will do whatever she must to keep her world from burning.
He’s a monster: Lieutenant Kelan Birke has spent his whole life fighting for his freedom and his soul. As his control slips, and the war rages on, he knows it won’t be … and the war rages on, he knows it won’t be long before he loses himself entirely to the fire that flows through his veins.
Sol and Kelan are enemies in an age-old war, forced to depend on each other to survive a perilous journey through the mountains. As fire melts the ice in Sol’s heart, she questions everything she’s been taught to believe, and Kelan becomes more desperate to fight the flames that consume him. Together they discover that their struggle will have repercussions for both sides of this burning war.
This stunning debut is perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Sarah J. Maas.
Series Order:
#0 Firefrost
#.5 Flamecursed Novella (available free at camillelongley.com)
#1 Flameskin
#2 Flamesword
#3 Fireflight
more
I enjoyed reading this book. The story is well written, fast-paced, and compelling that it keeps you glued from page to page until the end. The world, the characters, and the story itself is well developed.
Sol and Kelan started as enemies then companions then friends and then to more than friends. The romance was a bit untimely for me but I guess that’s where the plot will course eventually. Love does conquer all. I liked how the main characters complement each other. I loved how the main characters had a happy ending after all the sufferings and persecutions they’ve been through.
I do hope that the author would make a sequel novella just to give us something to read as to what happened to them on the island. I’m delighted to read this debut novel and I would surely check out the future works of the author.
I’m thankful to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of this debut novel.
If you love action-packed, magical, and romance novel, I would recommend this book to you!
I was provided an Advanced Reader Copy by the publisher #BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for an honest review.
Firefrost by Camille Longley was an extremely engaging story; I couldn’t put the book down. Longley has developed very likable characters, both the good guys and the bad, whose life situations make you yearn for a better, more understanding world. This first installment can be read as a stand alone but appears to be an introduction in to the world she has built.
Sol is a huntress tasked with leading her party across the treacherous mountain pass. She relies on this job to feed her family who live in a small village on the mountain. Sol must be wary of the Flameskin army, a race who can use fire as a means of weaponry, healing, and strength.
Kelan is a Flameskin who has been fighting his human nature. He refused to let the fire consume him and his mind. He fears what he can become.
Sol and Kelan are two individuals on separate sides of an intense war. They are thrown together and must learn to work with one another in order to survive. Can Sol overcome her distrust for what Kelan is? Can Kelan overcome his inner demons and save himself?
Thank you to Netgalley and BooksgoSocial for my eARC in return for my honest review.
Firefrost by Camille Longley is an excellently written fantasy novel. Focussing on Sol d’Hillerod, a huntress struggling to feed her family in the wake of her father’s death the previous winter; and Lieutenant Kelan Burke, a ’flameskin’ the enemies of Sol’s kind. Each chapter of the story is written from the perspective of one of the two, alternating as their tale unfolds.
I found it interesting seeing how the two see their same world and the historical incidents that have indirectly impacted on their lives. Despite their differences, the two are also incredibly similar in their views and reasoning for what they do. They both feel loyalty to their families and endeavour to honour those who are no longer with them in their actions; for Sol, it is her father, that has her following in his footsteps as a hunter an provider for the less fortunate and Kelan it is the loss of his mother that has him fighting against his inevitable fate.
Firefrost has several storylines running linear with one another, the tale of seeing through inbuilt presumptions is the main one but there is also a love story between the two. Their love reminded me initially of Shakespeare’s tragedy; Romeo and Juliet as I have previously said, Sol and Kelan are enemies by default of their birth and the hatred they both feel for one another’s kind. Inevitably, they are forced to realise that whilst there is indeed justification for their prejudices, the two are not the same as those they have previously encountered.
Time spent together allows the two to see each other clearly though of course being young, mistakes and presumptions hinder them both but unlike Romeo and Juliet? They are stronger together than apart and refuse to allow others to come between them.
Longley’s tale of how Flameskins were initially created is an interesting one and I would enjoy knowing more about it than what insight we are given in Firefrost. I don’t want to tell you the story, it’s so well done that it’s worth learning for yourself but I imagine you too will want to know more. I have a feeling there is so much more than what we (and our two protagonists) are told. I can easily see from the story, just why there is such fear for Flameskins and why those who have encountered them react the way they do. Fear of the unknown after all breeds distrust and further fear and we often destroy those that we do not understand.
That problematic human trait is seen in those villagers who have been Sol’s friends and family when they initially meet Kelan and seeing Sol’s desperation to show those she loves that Kelan isn’t like the others was heartbreaking to read. You can fully relate to her fury and fear that they cannot see what she sees in him, and I found myself cheering her on as she fought for what she believes in.
Her emotional growth along with Kelan’s is refreshing and I enjoyed reading their story unfold – especially when things were extremely hard for them both. Longley doesn’t make it easy for the two of them both in their survival physically and emotionally – so often in other books what is supposed to be ’gritty’ is far from it and it lacks a realism that is still a necessity for a fantasy novel.
Not in Firefrost.
Sol maybe a huntress and Kelan may have fire in his fingertips but winter is their enemy and they struggle to survive. There’s nothing in their traps to eat, and Kelan is afraid that fire will inevitably consume him as he’s running out of time to still be himself – everything that could go wrong for them, does and everyone who could possibly come between them? Does.
Firefrost is a wonderful story and an excellent introduction to this series and I am really glad I read this first book. I am certain the series will be a firm favourite and for those as the ’blurb’ says who enjoys the tales of Maas and Tahir. Camille Longley’s name definitely belongs alongside these fan favourites and I’m sure there will be many more tales from the mountains and forests of this new fantasy world.