A Breath of Frost. (The Lovegrove Legacy). Alyxandra Harvey. New York, NY: Walker Books (Distributed in Canada by Penguin Canada), 2014. 482 pp., hardcover & e-book, $19.99 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-8027-3443-3 (hc.), ISBN 978-0-8027-3445-7 (e-book). Subject Headings: Witches-Fiction. Magic-Fiction. Cousins-Fiction. London (England)-History-19th century-Fiction. Great Britain-History-George III, 1760-1820-Fiction. Grades 8-10 / Ages 13-15. Review by Tara Stieglitz. *** /4

excerpt:

She'd barely brushed against it when some kind of dark energy traveled through the fence. She could have sworn that a ghostly hand clamped around her wrist. It seared through her, bruising and burning through her gloves.

It wouldn't let her go.

It pulled until she was slammed painfully against the iron scrollwork.

"Something's got me!" Emma squawked. Gretchen and Penelope tried to drag her away. The push and pull made her bones hurt. She felt some insidious magic traveling up her arms, weakening her. Her visions went gray.

As far as Lady Emma Day knows, she and her two cousins are just regular young ladies attending endless balls and participating in the bland pleasantries of debutante life. Her life is turned upside down when she accidentally breaks a perfume bottle, releasing her bound magical abilities and revealing her family's history of witchcraft. This launches Emma and her cousins, Penelope and Gretchen, on an adventure that involves a tangled history of family secrets, a trio of sinister witches, a mysterious series of gruesome murders, and the handsome Cormac Fairfax, who may or may not be on Emma's side. The young ladies must learn to use their powers, and Emma must unlock the secret of her mother's madness in order to prevent chaos from taking over London.

      A Breath of Frost blends regency romance and urban fantasy to make for a highly enjoyable read. While the plot does lag in the middle, it picks up the pace and ends with suspense. This is the first book in a planned trilogy, and it makes for a good start. A Breath of Frost is an enjoyable read that should please any fan of historical fantasy.

Recommended.

Tara Stieglitz is a librarian at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, AB.

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