Blog Tour: Embers in a Dark Frost by Kelly Keaton - Review + Giveaway

Thanks so much to GCReading Blog Tours & Good Choice Reading

Embers in a Dark Frost by Kelly Keaton
Publication Date: November 8, 2012
Format: Kindle ebook*
Rating: 5/5
Get it: Amazon || B&N || Smashwords

The Fire Breathers have come. The Underworld calls. A choice must be made…

With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost....

But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness.

My Review

Embers in a Dark Frost was one seductive and enticing book! Kelly Keaton created a dark and delicious novel I had no trouble devouring. Complete with magic, romance, and mythology, Embers in a Dark Frost gives you a whole new world to fall in love with. 



The world in this book was complex and intricate, basically a learning experience where you figure things out as the story moves along. Keaton had the perfect balance of magic and power within this book that surrounded different houses with different elemental powers. Innis Fail was a mysterious, dark, and beautiful world that enraptured me. I loved that Keaton explained the ways of Innis Fail and the falling out between that world and Eire, the human world. She explained the war that has been raging on and the deterioration of Innis Fail without its light. Each new place that the protagonists find themselves in is throughly explored and described with great detail. 



Deira was a beautiful and strong character. She was different among her kind because she was a halfling with human blood and red hair. While this made her stand out, people looked down on her. Even Deira’s family shunned her, made her into a servant. In the beginning, I could feel Deira’s sadness and loneliness. All she really wanted was to be accepted and to be loved, but she didn’t get that from her people at all. Being a servant most of her life didn’t put out the spark of life in Deira’s eyes though. She had a mind of her own and was even a little defiant. She didn’t know much about herself or her capabilities, but within her was a quiet strength waiting to come out. She was someone who endured so much hardship, but was still hoping for more. Before she went off on a journey to find the light of Innis Fail, I saw Deira as someone who was determined and had a good heart. What I love about Deira was how she did the right thing even when she was confused, scared, and had doubts. She wasn’t selfish and even in her dilemma and all that she went through, she saw the good. Deira was capable of compassion, sympathy, and understanding. For me, Deira was a true heroine even in her times of hesitation.


The romance in Embers in a Dark Frost was steamy and sexy. I absolutely loved Deira and Balen together. They had such great intense chemistry that was so apparent the moment they met. I loved how the romance didn't overpower the storyline of the book, but it was still an important part, especially for Deira’s growth. I really thought that Balen gave Deira the strength, the courage, the acceptance and the love she needed. And Balen was just wonderful. He was brave, loyal and intimidating. He was also rugged and exuded this immense power and superiority, but he was alluring all the same. I was in awe at Balen’s honor and sacrifice. He was willing to give up everything for the sake of Innis Fail and his people.  He always had true and good intentions, even when it seemed like he had a million secrets. For me, Balen was the best of the best. Formidable, magnificent, and the perfect match for Deira. 

I must say that Kelly Keaton had me spellbound. What she created in Embers in a Dark Frost seriously made me a fan for life. Her writing was timeless and able to transport you into an imaginable world that had a life of its own. She had a way with words that brought in a sense of the past that was elegant and sophisticated. There’s a prophecy, a foretelling that drives the story, giving it a great pace, and pushes Deira and Balen through their adventure. What was so great was the amount of tension, twists and surprises within this book along with the heartbreak and tragedy that becomes unforgettable. This story wasn’t just a romance or about saving a world, but it was also about finding and believing yourself and doing the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing really is.


Overall, Embers in a Dark Frost was one delectable read that was rich, otherworldly and   completely wondrous. I’m dying to get my hands on the next book!

*Thanks to GCReading Blog Tours and Kelly Keaton for providing a review copy

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More About the Author: 

Kelly is a multi-published author with six novels currently in print. She writes the YA series, Gods & Monsters (Simon & Schuster), and the Charlie Madigan series (Pocket Books), which are written as Kelly Gay. She is a two-time RITA nominee, an ARRA nominee, a Goodreads Choice Award finalist, and has landed on the Southern Independent Bookseller's Alliance's Book Awards Long List and their Okra Picks List. Kelly is also a three-time Golden Heart Finalist and a recipient of North Carolina Arts Council's fellowship grant in Literature.

On the personal side, Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. She likes pre-Raphaelite art, moonlight on snow, and RPGs. She lives in North Carolina with her family, one Great Dane, and two incredibly hairy cats.

Connect with Kelly Keaton:

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