Los Angeles, California - Present Day

After their last, somewhat disastrous, adventure, Princess Meredith NicEssus and her guards barely managed to escape from Faerie by the skin of their teeth. Unfortunately, even with magic, they can't outrun trouble. When Taranis, King of the Seelie Court, accuses three of Merry's men of raping one of his subjects, it smacks of political maneuverings. But when he takes it to the human court of law, Merry knows something else is going on, but what?

There is very little I can truly say about this sixth book in the series without giving away some major, and I do mean major, plot points. Suffice it to say that A LICK OF FROST moves the story forward tremendously. The action takes place about a month after the end of the previous book, MISTRAL'S KISS, with Merry and her men being questioned about the charges leveled against them by Taranis. Fans of the series will remember that Taranis has been incredibly keen to get Merry to his court, and it looks as if he's not above trying a new tactic. Unfortunately, it's one that could send the Faerie courts to war against each other and most likely get them kicked out of the United States. But, no one ever said Taranis was sane, now did they?

As you can tell by the title, one of Meredith's favorite men, Killing Frost, plays a key role in this installment. Fans of the series will get a glimpse of who he was before he became Sidhe and how and why the transformation took place. His tale exemplifies the key theme of this book...evolution. But change does not come without sacrifice, and Merry will lose a lover and readers a favorite. If there is a turning point in this series, this is it. While there is still plenty of action, wondrous magic, and sizzling sex, there is an introspective quality to this book that instills a sense of quiet waiting. Something big is coming -- something big arrives in this book too, never fear -- and I am fairly quivering to see what happens next (write faster LKH!).

Life has returned to Faerie, but not as anyone expected. When the gods play among us, Fate itself is up for grabs. Will the outcome unite the courts or send them to war? Check out A LICK OF FROST to find out.

Kathy Samuels