I am just like so many times lamenting about how to rate this... I think it's around 2.5Stars. So not quite good but way better than ok. Hence I am rounding it up. I wouldn't have wavered in the first half. But the second half sadly highlighted my problems with the book. Let's first talk about the world building. It's my favorite part of the book. I like the mythology Blake built around the Frostblood Saga. We given little bits as the story unfolds, forming an interesting background to the storyline. The reader gets thrown into the deep end at the beginning of the book, but one gets to discover a world of elemental magic, beasts of different origins, characters driven by power and idealism. While I am not completely wowed by the world building, I did like it. It is your classic high fantasy set up for sure and has loads of potential. I am a little divided when it comes to character building. I liked Ruby well enough. I get where she was coming from and in the first half of the novel I could relate to her. BUT then she felt just like the rest of the entire cast a little to formulaic. Too thought through and too scripted. The story line is where my biggest issue lies. It was completely predictable. I mean completely. I knew where this is going from the beginning. I could have told you each twist and turn a mile ahead. Despite that I rather enjoyed the first half. I found myself caught up in Ruby's struggles, in her growing friendships with the people around her. I even quite enjoyed the romance, however cliche it might be. The second part however, while there was way more action, the whole thing felt even more predictable. I knew exactly where Blake was going next. The big revelations had me yawning. Not only that I found myself rather annoyed with the weird unnecessary love-triangle. I just wondered why Blake had to go there? Couldn't she keep that cliche out? Now I feel like I should mention that I have read a lot of fantasy books in my life. I've been reading epic fantasy since I was 9 years old after all. Which means, I have a lot to compare to. But also that I have a lot of expectations. I have a feeling that readers who haven't read half as many might enjoy this more than I did. So while I like the first half and I enjoyed the action scenes, I found myself wondering if I am going to read the next novel. At the end of this one, I didn't feel the urge to read the next. Yet... for the first time since I started the series, I am not sure where Blake is going to take this next.. and it has me wondering.. Guess I'll be reading Fireblood after all.

Maybe I had to high expectations? I dunno. The cover is uhm... nice, the blurb is enticing.. and then I got a whole bunch of cliche The writing style is not particularly nice and I couldn't care less about the characters. The storyline though is beyond predictable and a lot of been there and done that, I got really bored. Pitty. I think the blurb sounds still bloody good. And the cover... well I am a cover slut after all ;)

This is so well written. Let me tell you! Brilliant. I was sure I wasn't going to fall for the Stockholm Syndrome love affair.. BUT I so so did. I adore Reid. Completely fell for him. Really like Grace as well. Love their chemistry and totally got their attraction and all that. The thing that however didn't work for me: the last bit of the story line. There is this huge build up. Then the reckoning is supposedly happening.. and it was just meh. Somehow it just fizzled out. *warning! There might be some minor spoilers after this* I mean what was she thinking walking through the front door knowing what Sullivan had planned? But even worse the reaction of her father, and well actually I would have been fine with that sorta. Except that then they just decided to go another way - the end. Also the sudden big love declarations felt too rushed. It was too much. The end felt too convenient and rushed. Still bloody brilliantly written. I can't wait for the next novel!!

To be honest, I think I am so not the target audience of this book.
I have a feeling that this would be much more liked by guys than by girls.
I am not a girly girl and in fact I love dude books quite often. I simply quite often used to think that's such a dude thing to say.
I mean Taco is your happy go lucky teen- who behaves as horny and stupid as many teens do. Half the time he was behaving like an utter child most of the time he was totally ignorate. I actually think alot of teens are a bit like - well they think they really grown up but actually are really not, and sadly plenty of them are totally irresponsible.
I don't particularly mind him, but I just couldn't relate.

I also couldn't relate to the humor half the time.

Which brings me to the marketing of this. I really think it is misleading.
Actually: Very misleading. I kinda expected something funny, cute & fluffy- it was not that.
I'm not sure what the cover has to do with the book?

I would love to know what guys think of this!

A Walk in the Sun did touch me deeply.
A story about loss and moving on. Yet also story about love and new beginnings.
This is not a cute & fluffy, nor is it exciting and fun.
It is a slow paced story that examines first love, coming of age and dealing with loss. And also in the end the reality of fear and new beginnings. It's beautiful.

My favorite part about this is definitely the way Zink managed to actually convey these themes. And also her descriptions of the farm and the life surrounding it. It's so far removed from all the glitz and glam, all the melodramas and excitement. I felt the solitude of the location and I could vividly imagine the way it feels being there.

The plot was slow, at times a wee bit too slow for me. I kept switching between the other books I was reading, which was for said reason. But also because this isn't a light read. It's not complicated or heavy. But I felt it needed my complete attention. I read at the ocean or first thing on my balcony on sunrise. Somehow it felt appropriate to, it enhanced the beautiful setting, the slow pace and it made me appreciate the beauty of the book more.

The character building was done extremely well. In fact this it totally character driven. There are a interesting side casts. And then there are the two MCs. The story is told in third person in alternating POVs. I think I would have prefered a first person narration. This is such a personal book, I felt like the third person was keeping me at an arm's lengths. Bodhi and Rose are both interesting and alone. But also somehow wise beyond their years. I loved their love for farming but also could relate to their yearning for traveling. They seem at opposites to each other in the beginning, but slowly as they get to know each other their similarities become apparent.

The romance was ok. I loved the slow burn of it. But I am not sure how I felt about their insta-connection...Then there is Will. He felt kinda planted in, well at least the issues with him. Somehow in compare to the story, it was like Zink decided she wanted to throw in some drama. In my opinion it was superfluous- in fact at times it was a bit annoying.


It's a book for someone who is looking for something beautiful, touching and romantic.