This story starts with someone sticking her hand in the fire. Needless to say, don't do this! In FROSTBLOOD, Ruby Otrera is magically gifted and her type of person, known as Firebloods, can't burn. But trouble follows any accusation of witchcraft in her medieval world of the 'Frostblood Saga' series and the King's soldiers come for harmless Ruby. When she lashes out to defend herself and her mother, she is jailed.

Awaiting punishment or execution, Ruby is approached by two strangers, Arcus and Brother Thistle, who want to use her talents. They are another talented type, Frostbloods, and they want to work with her to depose the King. Hurt and heartsick, Ruby decides to agree. She is smuggled to a refuge and starts trying to harness the power of flame.

The cold northerly land is at war, and the people leaving the land to fight means that harvests are not gathered, homes and barns not repaired. Ruby shows us a land fallen on hard times. Soldiers pillaging and burning villages mean little bands of refugees are on the roads. Few of them have reason to like Firebloods, although they have never met any. But Ruby has also learned herbal medicine from her mother, and this may help her barter for shelter.

After a lively start the tale settles in to training, whether magical or physical strength, even weaponry. Ruby also learns more about her inner self, and the antipathy between Frostbloods and Firebloods. The locations are well described with a sense of menace held at bay, and we know it won't be long before Ruby's in trouble again. Clearly the author has put a great deal of time into her world building, with creation myths and a classic battle between opposites. Prejudice and oppression fill the atmosphere around the King, who orders combats and assassinations. But the menace is older and darker than mere mortals, and Ruby's fight becomes about saving her soul as much as her life.

I would class this as fantasy for adults because of the level of violence involved, but mature teens could read it too. If you have played computer game Skyrim you will have a good idea of all that the Ontario author Elly Blake has packed into her exciting dark fantasy book FROSTBLOOD.