Book Review: Frost by Marianna Baer

Title:  Frost

Author:  Marianna Baer

Publisher:  Balzer & Bray

Publish Date:  9/13/11

Source:  Around The World ARC Tours

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school begins with a shock: Frost House, her cozy dorm of close friends, has been assigned an unexpected roommate: confrontational, eccentric Celeste Lazar. But while Leena’s anxiety about a threat to her sanctuary proves valid, it becomes less and less clear whether the threat lies with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind, or within the very nature of Frost House itself. Mysterious happenings in the dorm, an intense triangle between Leena, Celeste, and Celeste’s brother, and the reawakening of childhood fears, all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. Frost is the story of a haunting. As to whether the demons are supernatural or psychological . . . well, which answer would let you sleep at night?

My Thoughts:  This book was a great ghost story!  I loved the haunted house aspect of it and read it quickly because I had to see how it ended!

Leena goes to Barcroft, a private boarding school.  The end of her junior year she finds Frost House, an little Victorian charmer that has been converted to a small dorm for boys.  Leena instantly falls in love with it and convinces the Dean of students to let her and her 2 friends live in it for their senior year.

Leena moves in the first day of school with Vivian and Abby and has a surprise.  There is a very handsome boy in her room unpacking.  She quickly finds out that David is the eccentric Celeste's brother.  Celeste is an artsy type that Leena thinks has a bipolar personality.  Leena is not thrilled at the prospect of rooming with Celeste but she deals with it. 

Celeste immediately decides she does not like the room she has to share with Leena and especially doesn't like the large walk-in closet.  She claims it smells like something dead.  Leena is surprised because she feels a sense of comfort and home in the closet.  Then, weird things start to happen to Celeste.  Pictures fall off the wall and vases break for no apparent reason.  Celeste also swears someone is watching her.  After David and Leena hook up, Celeste moves out of the bedroom into a smaller room.  Leena isn't sure if it is because she hooked up with David or if it is something more but she is happy to have the bedroom and closet all to herself.

This book is creepy and mysterious. There are many different explanations for things thrown around in the book and so I never quite knew what I thought was really happening.  At first, I was a little disappointed what I thought was the end explanation but once again, the author surprised me and while most people believed the reasonable explanation, Leena, Celeste and even Vivian still had questions. 

I read this book in 2 days and loved the fact that it kept me riveted the whole time.  I love a good, honest ghost story and this fit the bill!  I look forward to reading more from this author!