The Winter Frost (School for Unusual Magic #2)

What worked:
The story is told from various viewpoints which helps the author change between settings. Amethyst and Rose are best friends and they form a closer connection through a Heart Lead spell. Amethyst’s plot heads to the Under Land where she thinks her mother is being held by Frost. Rose promises she’ll watch over Amethyst’s little sisters so she travels to Chicago with her parents. Lav is a friend of the girls and he mostly supports Rose in the story. Different chapters focus on Amethyst, Rose, or Lav allowing readers to know what’s happening in the different worlds.
Amethyst is the main focus of the plot as she tries to locate her missing mother. She’s certain her mom wouldn’t steal the powerful wand so she figures Frost must be behind everything. The story is a bit of a mystery as Amethyst tries to collect information to understand what’s happening. The Land Walkers are in conflict with the Mer people although Amethyst isn’t sure why. To complicate Amethyst’s life, she uncovers a secret early in the book that seems to indicate she has a connection to the Mer world. As a Land Walker, Amethyst doesn’t understand how that’s possible and she becomes angry that her mother has been keeping secrets from her. Readers can follow Amethyst’s myriads of emotions in the chapters that focus on her character.
The conflict between the Saltwater Mer, Freshwater Mer, and the Land Walkers shows there are problems bigger than just Amethyst finding her mother. Her mother isn’t the first Land Walker to go missing but no one knows what’s happened to them. There are stories that Frost is stirring up trouble between the two groups and there’s speculation about why he’s doing it. Adult characters have been secretly trying to deal with the emerging problems but the author keeps readers guessing about what’s going on. Allowing readers to wonder, guess, and make predictions helps to keep them mentally engaged.
What didn’t work as well:
Lav’s relationship with the girls is uncertain as he tries to support Rose and Amethyst while they seem to have issues with him. Readers can read the first book in the series if they need to know more about the disappearance of Amethyst’s mom, the wand, and the headmaster’s daughter. Also, it’s unclear how humans fit into this magical story since they’re not mentioned. Is everyone in the world supposed to be magical? Perhaps I missed a mention of it somewhere but readers may have questions.
The final verdict:
The magic isn’t all that unusual but the civil war between the different factions is interesting. Frost is the obvious antagonist but Amethyst’s internal battle after uncovering the secret is the main conflict. Young readers who enjoy spells and magic will love this book and I recommend you give it a shot.