Blog Tour: Tears of Frost by Bree Barton (Interview+ Giveaway!)

Happy Tuesday and welcome to my stop on the Tears of Frost blog tour!! Today I have an interview with Bree Barton to share with you! Read on and enter to win a print copy of Tears of Frost!

The electric second book in the Heart of Thorns trilogy explores the effects of power in a dark magical kingdom—and the fierce courage it takes to claim your body as your own.

Mia Rose is back from the dead. Her memories are hazy, her body numb—but she won’t stop searching. Her only hope to save the boy she loves and the sister who destroyed her is to find the mother she can never forgive. Pilar is on a hunt of her own. Betrayed by her mother, and plagued by a painful secret, she’s determined to seek out the only person who can exact revenge. All goes according to plan… until she collides with Prince Quin, the boy whose sister she killed.

As Mia, Pilar, and Quin forge dangerous new alliances, they are bewitched by the snow kingdom’s promise of freedom and opportunity. But with the winter solstice drawing near, they must confront the truth beneath the glimmering ice, as lines between friend, foe, and lover vanish like snowflakes on a flame.

Do you have a favorite scene, quote, or moment from Tears of Frost?

There’s a steamy scene about two thirds of the way through the novel that I’m really proud of. I wanted to give power back to a character whose power had been stripped away, and I also wanted it to be honest and awkward and funny and sweet. I’m scared of people’s response to this scene—my mom hasn’t read it yet!—but I hope it feels fresh and authentic.

What is something that we might not know about your main characters?

Whereas HoT stuck close to Mia’s POV, ToF incorporates a second POV in Pilar d’Aqila (and very briefly, a third POV that comes late in the book—no spoilers!). What you might not know about Pilar is that she blames Mia for the way things ended in HEART OF THORNS. And naturally, Mia blames Pilar.

How did you choose the names for your characters?

The name Mia Rose was given to me by my first editor. I liked it, because you can’t help but read yourself into the character: Mi. Mi. Mi. Quin came to me once I started reading more deeply into Welsh and Gaelic mythologies; he was originally named Reyner when the book had more of a German flavor. I was a mentor in a youth writing nonprofit with a woman named Pilar, whom I adored. Other names in ToF came from various places: Freyja is a Norse goddess; Kristoffin was my take on Kris Kringle; I met a man nine years ago named Zai and have been waiting to use his name ever since; etc.

If Mia, Pilar, and Quin were to hang out with characters from other YA books, who would they be and why?

Pilar would totally hang with Ia from IGNITE THE STARS and ECLIPSE THE SKIES by Maura Milan. Visually I think I even had her in mind when I was writing. I like to think Ia and Pilar would meet and initially hate each other—they’re both prickly badasses—then be besties forever. Mia would enjoy Tessa Gray from CLOCKWORK ANGEL. Quin would dig ALL the characters from THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO VICE AND VIRTUE. Obviously. 

What would you do if you spent the day with Mia, Pilar, and Quin? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?

I wouldn’t eat delicious foods with Mia, because that would just be cruel. We’d probably go to the library and flip through medieval anatomy books—Mia’s dream date. Quin and I would hit up a nice restaurant, stuff ourselves with buttery lobster and chocolate raspberry cake and piping hot mugs of butterfel. I think Pilar and I would head to the archery range. She could use some practice. So could I.

What is your current favorite book?

I recently read LESS by Andrew Sean Greer and LOVED it. I was on an airplane, and about twenty pages from the end, tears started streaming down my cheeks… just as the flight attendant rolled up beside me. The poor woman looked terrified. But I was transcendent!

Bree Barton is the author of Heart of Thorns (KT/HarperCollins 2018), the first in a series of fierce feminist fantasy novels. Her books have been published in seven countries and four languages. When she’s not crafting a story, Bree teaches dance and writing to teen girls. You can find her on Instagram @SpeakBreely. She lives in Los Angeles but dreams of the northern lights.

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There are two giveaways for this tour!

Enter here to win signed copies of Heart of Thorns and Tears of Frost by Bree Barton, plus additional swag!

(US Only)

Enter here to win a Tears of Frost Goodies Bundle!

(INT)