Red-Haired Ash Reads

I have owned this series for years because I am a huge Estep fan but I keep putting it off because it is a YA series. Well, I regret that now. Like the rest of Estep’s series, this was a fascinating and unique world filled with great characters. 

This was a fascinating world with Valkyries, Amazons, Spartans and other magical lineages all learning at this magical academy. The students are all training to fight against the Reapers (followers of Loki and his chaos). These students are basically warriors but we quickly see that not all of them are actually fighting against the Reapers. This was just a very fascinating blend of teenage drama and self doubt, mythology, magic, and action. 

Gwen Frost is struggling with all the recent changes in her life. She is in a magical school filled with magical and rich students who want nothing to do with her. When someone kills a student and steals the Bowl of Tears everything changes for her. Gwen seems to be the only person who is trying to figure out what actually happened. I really liked Gwen. She isn’t rich and spoiled like the other students and is always trying to do the right thing, even when she knows it will have negative consequences. 

This book starts with Gwen struggling with her confidence and depression but by the end we see that start to change. Yes she still isn’t a confident warrior, but the making is there and she is finally starting to shed her grief and live again. Also, she is finally understanding her heritage and embracing what it means to be an Oracle. I also enjoyed her burgeoning friendship with Daphne, who really grew into a great side character, and person, in this. 

Overall, this was very enjoyable and I regret not reading it sooner. I am very interested in seeing Gwen grow into a warrior. I also can’t wait to see how her relationship with Logan works out. 

Trigger Warnings: Gwen’s mother died six months ago. Violence. Death.

---

Goodreads | Amazon

---

Previous books and reviews for the series:

#0.5 First Frost