As my final entry for this week's Friday Reads is one of those ARCs that you cannot believe your good luck on getting a copy! I'm so very thankful that Mac Kids Books took pity on me on Twitter and allowed me to get an eARC of this one!
Since it's an ARC it's also part of my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge, but not of ARC August since I read this one a while back, totally skipping on my review pile! ;)
Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Trial By Fire is one of those quite awaited books for this year since I loved Josephine Angelini's other series (Starcrossed). When I saw that I had missed it being a read it now on NetGalley, I conmiserated with fellow bloggers on Twitter and was immensely lucky to be given a chance to read it by the publisher, so a big thank you to Mac Kids & Feiwell 6 Friends!
As I started reading the book I was a bit confused at first, cause I was expecting witches and burning and for some reason I thought it'd be historical fiction paranormal, but what happens is that we meet Lily Proctor, a girl that is allergic at almost everything and that's having the hardest time ever trying to have a normal as possible life. We see her as a recluse with a best friend that she has a crush on and that has been jumping from girl to girl for the longest time. So far all very contemporary (and a very confused Pili) but things change quickly with betrayal and hurt and Lily finds herself in a very different place altogether.
This is when the real book started for me, even if everything that happened before made sense as the book progressed and some of the things that happened and the people she had in her life were relevant and I'm sure will continue to be so in the rest of the series, once Lily finds herself in a different Salem is when the book really takes off!
The world building of this one simply blown me away, I loved the concept of multiverses and how this world and Salem had the same players and so many things were similar to our world but also essentially completely different. Science and magic as different ways to achieve (more or less) the same thing. How witches hold their magic as their tool and form of control, cause as much as they do a service to the population they also can hold them hostages to those comforts. Quite a good commentary in itself to positions of service and power and the corruption of the best of intentions.
Lily coming to a different Earth where there's another Lillian already and having to deal with the purpose that her other self set on, learning that she's much more here than just a feeble girl allergic to the world and dealing with a whole new version of the people she had in her life... Learning and finding herself powerful and dealing with the temptation of imposing her own will on others was a very interesting journey to read, and seeing how she would fight to remain herself even with all the changes around her made me like Lily a whole lot.
As far as the romance in this book it was a lil on the complicated side, with Rowan being the one that has to help, but with a lot of baggage from his past and his relationship with Lillian. The way the relationship progresses in fits and starts and how they get connected was a bit painful but had me very much rooting for them to get together.
The book has everything, magic, science, enviromental concerns, political intrigue, rebellions, abuse of power, multiverses and one hell of an ending that surely leaves you begging for the next book! Damn those cliffhangers! Very well deserved 4 stars to this one!
View all my reviews
Since it's an ARC it's also part of my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge, but not of ARC August since I read this one a while back, totally skipping on my review pile! ;)
Trial by Fire by Josephine AngeliniMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Trial By Fire is one of those quite awaited books for this year since I loved Josephine Angelini's other series (Starcrossed). When I saw that I had missed it being a read it now on NetGalley, I conmiserated with fellow bloggers on Twitter and was immensely lucky to be given a chance to read it by the publisher, so a big thank you to Mac Kids & Feiwell 6 Friends!
As I started reading the book I was a bit confused at first, cause I was expecting witches and burning and for some reason I thought it'd be historical fiction paranormal, but what happens is that we meet Lily Proctor, a girl that is allergic at almost everything and that's having the hardest time ever trying to have a normal as possible life. We see her as a recluse with a best friend that she has a crush on and that has been jumping from girl to girl for the longest time. So far all very contemporary (and a very confused Pili) but things change quickly with betrayal and hurt and Lily finds herself in a very different place altogether.
This is when the real book started for me, even if everything that happened before made sense as the book progressed and some of the things that happened and the people she had in her life were relevant and I'm sure will continue to be so in the rest of the series, once Lily finds herself in a different Salem is when the book really takes off!
The world building of this one simply blown me away, I loved the concept of multiverses and how this world and Salem had the same players and so many things were similar to our world but also essentially completely different. Science and magic as different ways to achieve (more or less) the same thing. How witches hold their magic as their tool and form of control, cause as much as they do a service to the population they also can hold them hostages to those comforts. Quite a good commentary in itself to positions of service and power and the corruption of the best of intentions.
Lily coming to a different Earth where there's another Lillian already and having to deal with the purpose that her other self set on, learning that she's much more here than just a feeble girl allergic to the world and dealing with a whole new version of the people she had in her life... Learning and finding herself powerful and dealing with the temptation of imposing her own will on others was a very interesting journey to read, and seeing how she would fight to remain herself even with all the changes around her made me like Lily a whole lot.
As far as the romance in this book it was a lil on the complicated side, with Rowan being the one that has to help, but with a lot of baggage from his past and his relationship with Lillian. The way the relationship progresses in fits and starts and how they get connected was a bit painful but had me very much rooting for them to get together.
The book has everything, magic, science, enviromental concerns, political intrigue, rebellions, abuse of power, multiverses and one hell of an ending that surely leaves you begging for the next book! Damn those cliffhangers! Very well deserved 4 stars to this one!
View all my reviews
I have to admit I didn't expect much from this, but I keep seeing wonderful reviews and they make me very happy. It's good that I'm expecting the contemporary beginning, since it's not my favorite at all. But I'll know to wait a bit and look forward to the change in setting.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was a bit thrown back by the contemporary beginning, so a warning would have been good! Cannot wait to hear what you think of this one!
DeleteI second your "damn those cliffhangers" Pili! This one was brutal wasn't it? I'm so glad you were a fan of this one as well, I found the whole premise fascinating and I loved the complexity of the relationship between Rowan and Lily. I can't wait to see how that progresses in the next book. Can it be 2015 and Trial By Fire #2 release day already?
ReplyDeleteYep, the setting of the worlds was amazing! I cannot wait to see what happens after that cliffhanger!! Book 2 now please!! We ought to start a support group to deal with the cliffhangers Jenny!
DeleteHaha Sometimes it pays to complain on Twitter. ;) Other than a pesky cliffhanger, it sounds like this book has everything going for it. My associate reviewer already posted her thoughts on this one, so most likely it's going to be a 'just for me' read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! Josephine Angelini is very talented.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carmel! Yeah, the book is very much worth it being a "me" read! Just be warned of the cliffy!
DeleteI LOVED THIS ONE :D As you know. I do hope the romance doesn't turn out to be any of the love triangle sort. Also. THOSE CLIFFHANGERS. Rawr.
ReplyDeleteExcellent review, Pili!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Oh yeah, I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed for no triangles! NO TRIANGLES PLEAAASEEE!
DeleteI just read the first book in the Starcrossed series and I didn't like it. That's why I've been wanting to read more reviews about this book... And yours sounds great! I didn't know much about this, but since I love multiverses I think I'll give this a try!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review, Pili!
It's very different from Starcrossed in setting and feel, I do hope you'll read it and like it, Lis!
DeleteIf there is anything Angelini is good at it is cliffhangers! And it was on Read Now on Netgalley? Why do I miss all of the best things!
ReplyDeleteLike you, i loved the Starcrossed Trilogy! I hope I like this one just as much. I am glad you liked this one so much considering it was not what you expected at the start!
Thanks for sharing & great review! :D
Alex @ The Shelf Diaries
Thanks Alex! It's was a read now for like the 200/300 first people to request it and then it disappeared! I didn't get in time and was commiserating on Twitter with other bloggy friends and we all got sent direct links from Mac Books via Twitter, that was awesome!
DeleteAw, yay :D I'm happy you liked this book Pili. <3 I loved it a lot, hih. Amazing review :) And aw. I kind of really, really loved Rowan. <3 He was awesome. Sigh. Anyway. I'm crossing all my fingers we will both love book two :D So excited to see what will happen next. Thank you for sharing. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you sweetie! I'm really glad we both loved this one and yeah, hopefully we'll love book two as much or even more! Cannot wait to see what's next!
DeleteI received this book this week and omg, Salem, witches and multi verses, this sounds freaking awesome already and I need to pick it up soon! Lovely review Pili!
ReplyDeleteI do hope you'll read it soon and love it Jeann!! Thank you!
Delete