Bea Reviews A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire

Series: October Daye #14
Read As A Stand Alone: No
Publisher: 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: 
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Blurb from goodreads:

When October is informed that Simon Torquill—legally her father, due to Faerie's archaic marriage traditions—must be invited to her wedding or risk the ceremony throwing the Kingdom in the Mists into political turmoil, she finds herself setting out on a quest she was not yet prepared to undertake for the sake of her future.... and the man who represents her family's past.

My Thoughts:

I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, okay, You want more detail. Sheeeesh.

Umm, what can I say that's not a spoiler. There's death, treachery, friendships, families, reunions. and surprises. We get all of that and more. Poor Toby, her family is soooo effed up. But at least she has her found/made family. They kick her butt when needed, support her, and they love her. Even when she screws up. Maybe most of all when she screws up.

What else? Well, McGuire's writing is top-notch. Tight plotting, rich details, complex characters, the story is pretty damn close to perfect. Details and plot threads from earlier books are brought back, fleshed out, even reimagined. McGuire really doesn't forget a thing. In fact, as Toby reminisced about the past few years, I realized how much I'd forgotten. I need to re-read the entire series. I have a year until the next book, so plenty of time. Toby's reminiscing also brought home just how complex both the world McGuire's created, and all of the characters inhabiting it, are. It was perhaps the characters who made the story for me. I wanted to smack several; cried for several; and found myself having emotions that I never expected. Characters I once loved, I am now upset with, and characters I hated, I am actually liking or feeling sympathetic for. McGuire's characters are never one dimensional and they are never static. Change is a constant in this world.

For the adventure lovers, there's plenty of action with fights and quests. There's also romance, humor, family drama, and lots of world building. There's even a wedding! Toby and Tybalt's wedding? Maaaaybe, maybe not. You'll just have to read and find out. :P

It's hard to talk about the story without giving away spoilers. If you haven't read the preceding books, don't start with this one. This series needs to be read in order. The story moves along the series arc, ties up threads, introduces new ones, and is a hell of a read. Just......go read it.

Some favorite quotes:

I've learned not to be too attached to plans. They never survive contact with reality when I'm around.

"Have a nice date, don't get stabbed!"

Quentin stared at me in obvious disbelief. "You get stabbed like it's the hot new thing, and that's what makes you show some self-preservation?" "I wasn't expecting it!" "Are you usually expecting to get stabbed?" "When we're out in public, yes."

If we're going to measure intelligence based on obedience, we're all going to be very disappointed. (YES! So true ~ Bea)

It seems safer to assume everything in Faerie is fully capable of understanding me and holding a grudge if it decides it wants to.

"Oh, come on," I protested. "I call for help when I need it! I've gotten so much better about that over the past few years. I hardly wind up ambushed and alone at all these days."

"I think Toby's allergic to subtle," said Quentin. "It makes her break out in hives or something. There's not another good explanation for why she is the way she is."