Book Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

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Snow Like Ashes
Snow Like Ashes #1
Author: Sara Raasch
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: October 14th 2014
Review Source: Balzer + Bray

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

A different kind of story. I've noticed many comparisons have been drawn though I find Smoke Like Ashes very unique, this story is enthralling from the very beginning.
Meira is such a strong female character yet much of the young girl in her still shows, which I think what makes her stand out. She loves her Kingdom and her people but even though she understands what's at stake you still see her inner struggles with love, authority, and proving herself. She can be a little whinny at times but who isn't at that age, especially when you've had everything taken from you, including her parents and her home.
Meira is sometimes reckless but I think its is mostly fueled by her need to contribute to the cause and prove herself and feel needed in some way.

There was a war and Winter succumbed to Spring, now only a few refugees are all that's left, the rest were murdered or slaved by Spring, their only hope now lays on them finding the conduit and putting it back together and even then things won't really be a walk in the park.
Snow Like Ashes is the perfect combination of battle and magic.
Spring is now ruling because of its powerful magic and they wont stop until they have destroyed what's left of winter.

Meira will go searching for the conduit and she will find more than she ever imagined she would. Secrets and lies that will change everything forever.
The world building is nothing short of fantastic. Sarah created a really intricate and rich world with big and smaller kingdoms, all after the same source of magic.

Once we see Meira make decisions on her own, even when it goes against what Sir, the head of her camp, has instructed her to do, it is clear that she should not be underestimated.
Meira is brave, determined, stubborn (sometimes), yet smart and a strategist, it is taking all those risks that will lead her to discover truths about herself she not only hadn't any clue about but may be almost to much to face.

Moving on to the love story, because who doesn't like a bit (or a lot) of romance.
The first thing I have to say is that the love story it's kind of happening in the background while Meira kicked some Spring butt!
There are two boys, Mather and Theron, so in case you are wondering, yes, there is a love triangle. I thought Sarah did a great job with it though, probably because it doesn't overshadow the real problems and struggles in the story.
I can very much see how people may be torn when choosing one boy over the other.
In my opinion I think Meira's heart is swaying one way by the end but which way will be for you to find out, and I can't wait to see if that will change in the next book.
Both Mather and Theron are brave and loyal to their kingdoms and very much in love with Meira, so as I was saying, making it hard to root for just one of them. I have to confess that I enjoy a well played love triangle.

There are a couple twists along the way that I didn't see coming and make the story go a complete different direction.
I very much enjoyed this book! A very well thought plot, a phenomenal world, an amazing heroine, a super swoony love story, magic, lies and secrets and a mission to save a kingdom.. it was...well almost impossible to put down.

I look forward to reading the second book in this trilogy set up for release in 2015.