Review: Followed by Frost

Followed by Frost by Charlie Holmberg
☆☆☆☆
Fantasy — Young Adult — Fairy Tale Retellings

Sadly, this is my first book by Charlie, one of many talented local authors. The writing is excellent—it hardly matters what the book is about because just the writing made it good.

It’s about Smitha, a vain and selfish 17-year-old, who ends up cursed to be always freezing cold. As she brings snow and cold wherever she goes, she spends a lot of time in exile. The core of the book is seeing Smitha transform as she learns to use her curse for good and to become completely selfless.

The pacing is right on, the characters and world-building are well done, and it’s easy to become swept up in the story. I mean, I felt extra cold while reading it, and I was emotionally invested in the characters.