Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her.
But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.
Review: Read. This. Book.
Long review: Read. This. Book.
Because I said so.
Longer review: Okay. I am aware that my powers of persuasion are a bit... rusty. So I've decided to explain myself. *cracks knuckles* Folks, Ashline Wilde is my BFFAE (Best Friend Forever And Ever). Maybe it's her bluntness, or her wit, but something about her feels real to me. Not that I know any Polynesian volcano goddesses. Which makes me sad. Because that would be awesome.
*sigh*
On the surface, Ashline is that girl you don't want to mess with (see above: Polynesian. Volcano. Goddess). The girl that could call you out on your flaws without any remorse whatsoever. But guess what? That's only the surface. To me, author Knight did an amazing job layering Ashline's personality, making her go from I-think-this-sucks-and-I-will-let-you-know, to Holy-crap-I'm-terrified-and-I-need-your-help. There's an honesty in her choices (and her mistakes) that made me connect with her.
Also, she plays tennis. A sport that has mocked my motor skills since forever. So yeah. Ashline is my hero.
As for the rest of the book, it. Doesn't. Disappoint. There's a healthy dose of action, which I appreciated. Mythologies from all around the world, which rocked (#culturaldiversityFTW). And, of course, romance. Ashline's love interest is not a guy you usually find in other YA books (he's a bit older than her, and absolutely loves nature), and that's one reason why I liked him. The chemistry between them is off the charts, and seeing them banter back and forth always put a smile on my face.
In sum, this book reeks of awesome.
Don't believe me? Well, go see for yourself when Wildefire hits bookshelves on July 26th!
I'm surprised by this review, honestly, because I couldn't get through the first chapter.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to like it, because a Polynesian volcano goddess is certainly not average fare in YA, but the writing was irritating.
I've heard good things about this book, and I LOVE the unique mythology behind it. It's in my TBR stack at goodreads. Thanks for the awesome review!
ReplyDeleteYeah! I love a book that has a MC that isn't a typical WASP.
ReplyDeleteSounds good!
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read this book for a while. Can't wait to get it in my greedy little fingers. I love how you had the short review, long review (which was short) and then the longer review. It made me laugh. Thanks for the post. Can't wait to read this book. And Karsten Knight is a hottie. Reading a cool book written by a hottie is pretty great!
ReplyDelete