Frost

Frost by Wendy Delsol (Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2011). Reviewed from Kindle ARC provided by publisher via netgalley.com.

In Stork, Katla moves from California to Minnesota and discovers she's part of a mystical union of women (aka Storks) with special soul-gathering and -dispersing powers. She also meets and falls in love with Jack, a descendent of Jack Frost, gifted with his own weather-controlling powers. Now that's a power couple. As Frost begins, Katla wishes for a white Christmas and Jack overdoes it with a snow storm so powerful it attracts the attention of world-renowned (and drop-dead gorgeous) climatologist Brigid Fonnkana, who expeditiously arrives from Greenland and installs herself in the lab of Katla's mother's fiance, Stanley. More dauntingly, Jack quickly becomes wrapped up in the research as well and seems to be pulling away from Kat in favor of Brigid. Soon, Jack is spending less and less time with Kat and more and more time in the lab--with Brigid. Then he gets invited to go on a special expedition to the North Pole with Brigid and a select group of researchers. In the meantime, Kat feels jealous of Brigid but is also wrapped up in her own activities, like dancing in the school production of The Snow Queen, helping her bed-ridden, pregnant mother, and heading the Storks while the usual leader, Hulda, is mysteriously ill. Still, she feels there's something off about Brigid's attention to Jack, and she ends up heading to Iceland with her grandfather while Jack becomes lost with Brigid in the frigid north.

Frost continues the excellent blending of Norse legends, magic, fairy tales, and romance established in Stork. The frigid landscape forms the perfect backdrop for the story, and the ordinary venues such as Kat's grandfather's store and the high school play make the extraordinary scenes of Iceland and beyond all the more amazing. Kat is a lively, engaging heroine with an authentic teen voice and a lot of pluck. Whether she's worrying about her guy, dissing Brigid, or fretting over her outfit, Kat is funny, real, and likable. The story delivers excitement and adventure as well as some mystery as Katla uses her powers to rescue Jack from the clutches of evil. Recommended for ages 12 & up.