[Review] Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Title: Ice Like Fire
Author: Sara Raasch
Series: Snow Like Ashes #2
Publisher: Blazer + Bray
Published: Oct 2015
ISBN:  9780062286956
Pages: 479



It's been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring's king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria's lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm's secrets, Meira plans on using the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But casn she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari-leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell's growing oppresion. When Meira leaves to search for security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom-and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

Five enemies.

I had a hard time remembering who and what they're doing in the first book as much as Meira had a hard time being a Queen. She never had been prepared to be a Princess let alone a Queen, and a Queen of a fallen kingdom no less. She never expected to deal with politics, all she ever learned was fighting, being a soldier, taking back the broken conduit to Mather. She was scared now that the fate of her people is left in her decisions. But she has to learn, she is a Queen now.

He leaves. Just like that. No final good-bye, no last, lingering glance.

I always ship for Mather and Meira. It's not that I hate Theron -well I didn't, I do now- it's just that ever since I read the first book and reading their banters, interactions and such, I always want them to be together. I think it has something to do with the first one get my approval is the first one I will ship with the main character. But I do love Mather, I really do. And now I'm broken. Because Meira choose Theron. And I hate Theron.

“It’s a weapon we have, and we need all the weapons we can get.”

The first half of the book has me shaken with fury. Fury of Noam, of Theron, of Sir William. I still don't understand how Meira or Sir William let Noam do whatever he wishs to do. Me in a mocked voice : "Open mine here! open mine there! I banned Winterians this! I banned Winterians that!" Gah!

“They need to work through what happened. They need to understand what happened—”

It's a bit sad that Mather just got a bit part of the book, I wish to see him more. Anyway, I'm kinda annoyed with The Children of Thaw at first, I mean they were acting like a jerk to Mather. But I am glad it's all been worked out.

Magic is all about choice.

Okay let's be honest. This book is boring. There I said it. It's not only the first half, but almost all the chapters. BUT, the last two chapter are blast! And I mean it. Yes, searching the key to open the chasm didn't full with adventures and yes politics bore me to tears but the last two chapters are what makes me want to read the next book. My point is I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, AT ALL. I know royalties could be deceiving but I didn't think they will go to the dark side of the road. Especially him, whose-name-I-won't-say-for-the-sake-of-spoiler-free-review. And I kinda confused at the end, about the montains, did I miss something?

"Horrible things have happened to us, are still happening to us, will happen every day for the rest of our lives, probably. What defines us is not our ability to never let them break us—what defines us is not letting them own us. We are the Thaw, and we will not be defeated by memories or evil men."