Win a copy of Frostfire

idden deep in the heart of a snow-covered wilderness lies the secret kingdom of the Kanin-a magical realm as beautiful as it is treacherous...Bryn Aven has never fit into Kanin society. Her blond hair and blue eyes set her apart as an outsider-a half-blood unable to hold a respectable rank. But she's determined to prove herself as a loyal protector of the kingdom she loves. Her dream is to become a member of the King's elite guard, and she's not going to let anything stand in her way...not even her growing feelings for her boss, Ridley Dresden. A relationship between them is strictly forbidden, but Bryn can't fight her attraction to him. And she's beginning to think he feels it too. Meanwhile, there's an attack on the kingdom-one that will test Bryn's strength like never before. Finally, she has the chance to confront Konstantin Black, the traitor who tried to kill her father years ago. It's up to Bryn to put a stop to him before he strikes again. But is she willing to risk everything to protect a kingdom that doesn't accept her for who she really is? And when her mission brings her closer to Ridley, will she be able to deny her heart?

Published by Macmillan Publishers RRP $19.99
Review by Esther.
I feel that this review will be a bit of a double sell. Both of the novel itself, but also of the wider genre. I'll try not to make it too long, or over sell it - but I'll tell you up front this is one of my top summer reads.
Let's start with the genre issue - Young Adult - or YA as it's commonly referred to - is NOT just for Young Adults. My passion for YA literature was sparked at University when it made up some of the Children's Literature paper I was studying. YA fiction is for people who love a fast paced book, or for readers who struggle as ‘grown ups' to find something that hooks them quick enough. You just need to look at the success of Twilight and Harry Potter amongst adults to know that YA is as interesting (and as valid) as crime, thriller and romance novels. So, if you've never picked one up - do it! Read them - they're great and (generally un-put-down-able); and, if you're wanting suggestion - drop me or the Eldernet Gazette editor a line and I'll send you some great YA reads.
So this YA book falls in the Fantasy sub-genre and is set in the same world as her previous Trylle series (more about that later). The first thing that you need to get your head around is the fact that the stunning cover girl of the novel is a troll. Yip TROLL...but not as we know them. She is less than popular with her own people and also lacks some key troll skills, but she is driven and passionate and this novel (the first in a series) introduces us to her world of ‘tracking'. Bryn, the female protagonist, is believable and both somehow human and troll-like. She is the kind of strong, kick-arse female that you'd want your daughter to be - but she's also vulnerable, and teen-dumb which is endearing and frustrating.
I don't want to give too much away in my review, but I simply could not put this book down - I was hooked from the first pages and when I finished the novel I then proceeded to read the whole Trylle trilogy in the next few days. It too was fantastic and I was hooked. Hocking is great YA author and if you love fantasy you should absolutely get this book - and if you haven't got her others, get them too!
To go into the draw to win a copy of this book CLICK HERE Draw closes 18th Feb 2015.