cover image Frostblood

Frostblood

Elly Blake. Little, Brown, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-316-27325-1

Seventeen-year-old Ruby Otrera is a Fireblood with a poorly controlled ability to create and control flame, but her kind have been outlawed and persecuted by the cold-wielding Frostbloods, who rule her land. After her true nature is discovered and her mother killed, Ruby is imprisoned, then freed by members of a rebellion seeking to defeat the tyrant Frost King. Ruby hones her skills with the aid of a sullen Frostblood named Arcus, only to be captured again, this time sent to fight as a gladiator for the king’s entertainment. This is a strong debut for Blake, though the overall structure and plot points will be familiar to fans of stories in which a specially skilled young woman is manipulated into overthrowing a corrupt regime, alongside untrustworthy allies and a sexy-yet-mysterious guy. But while the story hits some predictable beats, the overall execution is solid, and as the kickoff to Blake’s Frostblood Saga, it succeeds in laying down intriguing framework for the books to come. Ages 12–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Jan.)