Natasha "Nat" Kestral wants only to find the Blue, a mysterious world untainted by pollution and prejudice. Ryan "Wes" Wesson may be just the help she needs to find her way there. Wes leads a small group of hungry, desperate mercenaries willing to take certain jobs. However, Nat hides a secret that could make her a target...she is marked and therefore has powers that many fear, so lenses must hide the unusual color of her eyes.

New Vegas is a harsh, FROZEN world where danger is just an eye blink away. Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston do a marvelous job at crafting a world that is bleak and seemingly hopeless... and then showing readers that light can still thrive even in the midst of darkness. I love the vividness and starkness of the world as it contrasts so sharply with the idea of the Blue. I thoroughly enjoyed the depth of the mythology behind the Blue but hope to learn more about the Remaining States of America as well in future books.

Nat and Wes are entertaining characters, both with their own set of morals and ethics in a world without them. I also like the way both characters respond to the prejudice that is inherent in their world. Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston create believable characters, the kind of characters you can cheer for even when it seems all odds are against them.

FROZEN is the first book in a new series, Heart of Dread, that promises to be exhilarating! Be forewarned, however, that there are cliffhangers ahead as the excitement is only just beginning in book one. I eagerly await book two in this series!