Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

****

From Feiwel & Friends:

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor.  Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan.  But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.  Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles.  Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian... Lily's other self in this alternate universe.  In Josephine Angelini's Trial by Fire, what makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem.  In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.  

As a huge fan of Angelini's Starcrossed Series, I was thrilled that Trial by Fire was just as consuming as Starcrossed.  There are similar themes between Starcrossed and Trial, so if you liked Starcrossed, chances are you will like Trial.  

Lily is weak, she's always been weak and will always be weak, until she is brought to a new realm where her weaknesses make her powerful.  Incredibly powerful.  If only Lily could figure out how to use her power, perhaps she can survive this new realm.

The people in this new realm are versions of the people in her realm - her sister, her best friend and crush Tristan, they are there, but different.  There's also Rowan.  A Mechanic, someone who cares for and assists a Crucible.  Rowan was not only Lilian's Mechanic, they were also deeply in love.  Understandably, Rowan is still reeling from Lilian's betrayal and doesn't want to be Lily's Mechanic, but it's clear that Lily is the only person who may have a chance to stop Lilian's shocking cruelty.  As the two train for war, Rowan learns that having known weakness, Lilian will be an excellent leader and worthy of his trust and love.  

Angelini created rich, imaginative world in Trial, that will leave to you itching for the next installment.  

~Shel

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

 

Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves #3)

By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication Date: May 22, 2012

There is no description for this title yet but I have no doubt it's going to be fantastic!  After reading Trial by Fire, we know the decision Bryn needs to make and I am hoping this book will finish the series by answering all of our unanswered questions and giving Bryn a happy ending.

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

* * * 1/2

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.


Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.


When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process



Every Other Day is the third Jennifer Lynn Barnes book that I have read. Before this, I read Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire (which, by the way, I need to write a review for that..Add that to the To Do List. Check.). Both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

What Jennifer Lynn Barnes is proving time and again is that she knows how to write seriously kick-ass female protagonists. Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire had Bryn. The emotionally strong human female that was trained to give werewolves a run for their money. In Every Other Day we meet Kali. She is a normal human girl every other day of her life. But on the odd days she is something completely different. A hunter of the preternatural, she feels no pain and cannot be killed.

On a human day, Kali notices that a girl at school is being unknowingly and slowly attacked by a preternatural creature. Kali lures the creature into her body in the hopes that she can hold it until she becomes immortal the following day. But things don’t turn out as she hopes and she finds herself racing against the clock to find out more about herself and the person that the creature inside her body has linked her to.

Like other Jennifer Lynn Barnes books, the story does not focus on the relationship between a girl and boy. The focus is on solving the mystery of her past as well as the relationships she builds along the way. And to top it all off, there is non-stop action. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat until you reach a surprise ending that you didn’t quite expect.

Only two things kept me from giving this book 4*’s. First, Kali was a rather morose character. Although kick-ass she is a loner that fought being a leader almost every step of the way. This was necessary for the character and her development but it was a bit frustrating at times. Second, it took a while for the story to grab my attention. Once it did though, watch out because it doesn’t stop. This was a fun read and a nice break from the traditional YA romance that I usually read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you enjoyed Ms. Barnes’ previous books.



~ Nat

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

* * * *

Synopsis taken from author’s website:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.



But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.



But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?



Bryn has the ability to mentally bond with the Pack that has raised her since she was a child. However, she has refused the bond, knowing that if she submits to it, she will be forever attached to the Pack and they will know her every thought and every move. She doesn’t want to lose that privacy. That part of herself that separates herself from the wolves.

When she learns that a boy locked in Callum’s basement might be able to tell her more about her parents’ death, she and Callum seal a deal that will set off a chain of events that will test both Bryn’s personal boundaries and the boundaries of the Pack.

The characters in this book are wonderfully complex. You are constantly wondering what someone’s agenda is. Sometimes it is simple. Other times…not so much. A favorite of mine were Bryn’s friends. Devon, the young metrosexual werewolf that will sometimes break into a show tune. And then there is Lake. The young female werewolf with a shotgun named Matilda. Seriously. Any character that is reminiscent of Jayne and Vera from Firefly, has my undying devotion.

The writing is unique in that the Pack mentality is often put into words. The scenes where the reader see’s the inner workings of a wolf’s thoughts are fascinating. They are simple and succinct. The writing during these moments is purposely primitive allowing you to get inside the Pack bond. This primitiveness also promotes an intensity to the story that would be missing otherwise.

I do warn readers that this book is violent and there are scenes that will seriously make you cringe and wonder how any good will come out of it. Just keep reading and watch the game of chess that is this book play out. You won’t be disappointed.

~ Nat