Frey Book 1 & 2 Reviews, Interview and Giveaway

Date published: December 6, 2011

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First Thoughts:

The cover is so gorgeous, the colors that were picked are just beyond amazing, everything about this cover screams; READ ME. And so with no other encouragement (except for the rain falling outside, creating a deep rhythmic sound) I dug into this book and into a world like no other.

At first it took me a bit to get really into the story, it was interesting enough but it lacked something to really hook me into its grasp. But as soon as a few ideas were introduced and the action really picked up I couldn’t put the book down. The characters and description were just too enticing. The plot was at times a bit disorienting; I didn’t know what was happening but soon along the line the author came up and explained the reason for the disorientation; and I loved it! It was so nice not to be able to guess the ending; to know what the resolution was (well at least part of the resolution). The pace of the series was fast, there was more action than non-action so for any of those adrenaline junkies out there, and this book is for you! The characters themselves were full of personality, though few made any transformations; the only transformation Frey made was physically and not character rise (I have a hunch all her blooming will be done in book 2). I really enjoyed the description in this book, at times it was so beautiful, the words she chose to just describe the simplest of things was amazing; not every author chooses to do that. Her writing itself is easy on the eyes; it doesn’t take much to draw you in. I just love the way she writes, she has her own style; her own flare and I love it! Some issues I had with this book is the fact that the main character “Frey” was so out of it; literally. She became so weak, always having to rely on others but at times we were shown her fire within and even it frightened me; I just wished we could have seen more of it. But I’m hoping the explanation of her “episodes” in this book will all become worth it and clear in the next one. As for the dialogue, it seemed to both fit the setting and characters; I didn’t find it cheesy or fake. The story itself is so creative; it’s like the author has taken a mundane theory and turned it upside down; made us see the same thing in a whole new spear of lights. This is definitely a book to be taken into consideration; it’s better if you find time to read this book in one sitting because once you start it’s hard to stop. The ending is spectacular, it left me stunned and wanting more and the more you the read this the more you want to keep reading; to get to know the characters and unravel the many mysteries behind this story.

Goodreads Summary:

Unaware she’s been bound from using magic; Frey leads a small, miserable life in the village where she’s sent after the death of her mother. But a tiny spark starts a fury of changes and she finds herself running from everything she’s ever known.

Hunted by council for practicing dark magic, she is certain she’s been wrongfully accused. She flees, and is forced to rely on strangers for protection. But the farther she strays from home, the more her magic and forgotten memories return and she begins to suspect all is not as it seems.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to any fan of elves and fantasy; the world this author has whipped up is pretty darn cool. I would also recommend this to anyone who enjoys books with a mystery that isn’t easily solved. I wouldn’t however recommend this book to anyone who finds it hard to like books with slow beginnings; though it isn’t slow in the fact of action, more in the connection of the reader to character. I also wouldn’t recommend this to readers who don’t enjoy books with a more artistic stroke; the author is very creative in her ideas and description. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to finally be able to read the next book in the series (here’s to hoping all my concerns and thoughts get answered). I enjoyed the time I spent on this book and hope to see more from the author in future books to come.

Published: December 6, 2012

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First Thoughts:

The cover is so enticing and gorgeous and though I’ve been taught time after time to never judge a book by its cover this time it was hard not to. And yes I picked this book up solely on the purpose on wanting to continue the story of Frey I also most likely would have given this book a try based solely on the cover (tsk tsk to me; I know).

The beginning of this book picks right up where the last one left off, I wasn’t left with any blanks and I was happy to account that all my characters were ready for action. The plot of this book definitely was complicated and filled with action and suspense. There were so many mysteries that needed solving and at one point near the end I was worried the author wouldn’t be able to clear everything up (this book as I had heard was supposed to be the conclusion to the story) but I wasn’t disappointed. All major conflicts were solved and neatly tidied up. Though I will admit I felt the ending needed to be longer; I felt that it was somewhat rushed and it would have been amazing to see more of how Frey dealt with her responsibilities and how she adjusted accordingly. But perhaps that’s just me nick-picking; I mean we can’t always have what we want can we? The characters themselves were just as awesome in this book as they were in “Frey”. Each of them brought value to the story; they each had a little something that was essential to the book as a whole. I felt that more transformations took place in this book; even the minor characters changed a bit and became more of who they were meant to be. And Frey, well she didn’t make a dramatic transformation but she did make one, she definitely became who she was meant to be but I feel she has more to go and us as the reader can only assume that with time she will surely become that beautiful butterfly. The writing itself is just as unique in this book as it was in the first one. The author did a great job on morphing the scenes to where they blended in an orderly fashion, the way she chose to write this story can be difficult but she did a great job on smoothing things over and putting everything in great order. The author is very knowledgeable in the fact that she knows her characters world; she understands them and knows every little back story that is essential to the characters themselves. She also did a great job on explaining Frey’s major weakness in the first book. I just couldn’t connect all the way with Frey because of how weak and fragile she was but in the book all is revealed and when I look back it all makes sense; every last bit. As for the description in this book it was just as beautiful and lacked nothing; it was very beautiful and evenly distributed that I found no faults in that department. This was an overall fun series and story.

Goodreads Summary:

After revealing her own dark past, Frey is forced to join with a group of strangers whose pasts seem to intertwine with her own. She struggles to regain her memories, her full power, only to find there is more danger on the other side. And now, there is no turning back.

Last thoughts:

I would recommend this to fans of “Frey” this is definitely a book you won’t want to miss, all is revealed in this book. I would also recommend this to fans of paranormal and fantasy; it deals with unique powers, fairies (though just a tiny bit), elves, and humans. This book just has so much to offer to fans of the broader category; YA/Teens. I wouldn’t however recommend this book if you didn’t take a liking to the first book; if you didn’t enjoy the first book odds are you won’t like this one. Also I wouldn’t recommend this to readers who don’t enjoy stories centered on several stories; there are a lot of stories/subplots scattered throughout this book. But overall I enjoyed the series and thought that the author answered almost all the questions a reader could take from this book and I am more than willing to read anything else this writer might have in store for us.

Interview with author Melissa Wright:

What inspired you to start writing the “Frey” Series?

Loving a good story. I wrote Frey to entertain myself and a friend, to have a way to include all of the great characters, fantasy men, and magical plots we loved into one narrative. I didn’t start out with the intention of publishing and I think that’s made it all more fun.

If there is one thing you could change about any of your two books what would it be?

Some readers give up on Frey in the first book, assuming she’s weak because she tends to faint and get confused. I wish I could have given them a little more faith in her, a little more direction.

Was it at any time hard for you to keep track of all of the stories within your books?

I didn’t have that issue in the first book, but during Pieces of Eight, I actually had to re-read Frey to be sure I wasn’t crossing any stories or characters. I won’t give away too many plot details, but for some reason I kept writing father instead of grandfather for the relationship of Asher, which changes a lot.

What is your beverage of choice while writing?

Diet soda. I know water is healthier, but I like the fizzies while I’m typing.

How long did it take on average to write “Frey” and “Pieces of Eight”?

Frey only took about three months to write, but much, much longer to edit. I learned a lot from that process, so Pieces of Eight was completed in about six months and needed very little revision.

What was your favorite part of writing these two books?

I love bringing the story to life, creating the characters, the funny little things that only I get when I read it, I love the actual writing. Editing, however, is another story.

Did the characters ever take control of their own story?

Absolutely. Frey was my first novel and I had no idea how the story could take off and practically write itself. Especially Freya. It seemed like she had no direction, she had no clue, but she would sometimes surprise me, the real her would sneak out and take hold.

While writing, do you prefer silence or music?

I prefer silence while I’m actually typing, but music does influence and inspire me quite a bit.

What should we expect from the 3rd book in this series?

Frey is back. Finally. But, even though she has her memories and her power, you might have guessed there are some other things going on in the background of the first books that will affect her rule, Fannie trying to kill her for the throne, Junnie forming a new council, those darn pesky fairies, not to mention she’s bound to Chevelle.

What was the hardest thing you had to do during the whole process of writing and getting it published?

Wait. In order to revise, I had to take a break from the story and come back with fresh eyes, even though I was so excited to publish. And then, waiting for readers to finish, waiting to hear what they thought. The waiting was agony.

Who is your number one fan?

That’s really hard to pick, I have the most excited, the most supportive, the proudest, the most helpful, but each of those can be grouped together: my family.

The covers of “The Frey” and “Pieces of eight” are gorgeous who came up with them?

The covers were designed by Robin Ludwig Designs, LLC. I knew the feel I wanted and I think she did a wonderful job, they are so beautiful.

Are you working on something outside of this series?

I’ve completed a few short stories and a novella I may publish this year that are completely different from Frey. I also have a full length urban fantasy planned, which I’ve been making notes on while writing this series.

Are there any scenes from either of these books you took out but wished you’d kept?

I did cut quite a bit from the beginning of Frey, mostly detailing the day to day life she’d been stumbling through and the village. I wanted the reader to see the place she was (mentally and physically) so they could understand the vast difference between the light elves and the dark. However, it did slow down the action quite a bit and I didn’t want to lose the reader right off.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring authors

Write.