Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott 
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Format: ARC, 320 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Series: Fire & Flood #1
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Description from Goodreads:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Victoria Scott's Dante Walker books are some of my favorites. Goodness knows Dante's my boy. So after reading the first two Dante books, I kind of figured that Victoria Scott's next book would be fantastic. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, since Fire & Flood seemed so different--and it totally IS. But still, I was excited. So excited.

And goodness gracious, y'all. Now that I've read it, I can say that this book is not only fantastic, it is fan-FREAKING-tastic and I love it so much. 

It was my favorite book of 2013, even though it doesn't come out until this February. It's now on my all-time favorites shelf on Goodreads. I have so many happy feelings for this book, I'm not even sure where to begin explaining it.

Oh, wait. I do. TELLA. I swear, I've loved that girl since she pointed at her reflection and said "I hate your face." Tella is awesome. She's outgoing and kind and funny and I adored being in her head throughout this story. She is definitely not the type of person anyone would ever expect to be in a race such as the Brimstone Bleed, and I admire her for entering the race anyway. She loves her brother that much, and I get that. I like that a lot. And as the race goes on, she gets better. Stronger. She's still herself, but she does what she has to do. All of that leaves me with all kinds of happy feelings for our MC.

And then there's Guy Chambers. Who is someone to side-eye for a bit of the beginning of the book, but then we get to know him and OH GOODNESS. He is hot on a stick. And he's so flipping cool. He smart and strong and pretty darn mysterious, but not in an annoying way. It's just the way he is. He's quiet and more focused. Kind of stern. But as we get to know him better, those things endeared him to me even more to the point where he's one of my favorite book boys. Ever.

The Pandoras are some of my favorite things. I want so bad for them to be real, so I can have one. Or three. It was so cool to wonder what Tella's Pandora would be, and then he turned out to be such a sweetheart. I'm quite fond of adorable little Madox. I am also a fan of M-4 and AK-7. Some kickass Pandoras right there. (All the Pandoras are actually awesome. But I can't help but have favorites ;)) 

As a whole, the story flowed well. Around the beginning, there were small parts where I'd get bored, but then something would happen to dissipate that pretty quick. Victoria Scott's writing does a darn good job of keeping me in the story, even when I shouldn't be. You know, like when I should be sleeping or something... This book was so worth the loss of that sleep, though. 

The romance between Tella and Guy wasn't a huge focus in this book, but it was THERE. And it was THERE enough that I feel all kinds of happy about it. They had moments. Their own little moments to be them and get closer and grow fond of one another. They don't rush into anything by any means, and they are cute as all get out as a couple. I love the contrast of Tella being all talkative and bubbly and Guy being all quiet and serious. They're such opposites yet so perfect. 

Overall, Fire and Flood is one of my absolute favorite books. Victoria Scott has written a fantastic, compelling story with a main character I admire, a love interest I love, and a premise that completely drew me in. Contenders racing to save someone they love? Heck yeah, I'm reading that. Now where is book 2? ;)

Final Sneak Peek at FIRE & FLOOD by Victoria Scott!

Today, Victoria Scott sent the final sneak peek of Fire & Flood to those of us in the V Mafia. I am all kinds of excited to share this with you, just like I'm all kinds of excited for everybody to read this awesome book! And we're only three weeks away from the book releasing into the world where ALL OF THE PEOPLE CAN READ IT! I legit cannot wait! *flails*

Final Sneak Peek at FIRE & FLOOD 

“If you are hearing this message, then you have successfully completed the Pandora Selection Process. It also means you are now at the official starting line.”

Around me, Contenders whoop with excitement. Seriously? They’re about to plunge into a wild jungle, and that brings them happiness? Once again, I realize how out of my league I am. I don’t even have a change of clothes, for crying out loud.

“As you may have realized, you are on the outskirts of a rain forest. This will be the jungle part of the course. You will have two weeks to arrive at the jungle’s base camp. You will find this base camp by following the path of blue flags.”

Contestants glance around, immediately looking for the first blue flag. As for me, I’m watching the taillights of the semi and having a massive coronary.

“If you are the first to encounter a blue flag, you may remove it, but you may not remove the stake it is attached to. Doing so will result in immediate disqualification.”

I wonder why anyone would want to remove the flag to begin with. No one else seems concerned by this.

“While the Cure will be awarded to a single winner at the end of the last ecosystem, we will bestow a smaller prize for each leg of the race. The prize for the jungle portion will be monetary.” The woman pauses dramatically. “I’d like to officially welcome you to the Brimstone Bleed. May the bravest Contender win.”

That’s it? That’s all she’s going to say? Because it seriously sounds like she’s wrapping up. So why aren’t I running after the trucks? Why am I not chasing after my only way out of this jungle like my life depends on it? I know the answer — though I wish I didn’t. Cody would do this for me. I am his only hope. I have to believe his cure exists. My only other option is to return home and watch my brother die. If I could even get back home.

I glance around frantically, looking for someone to tell me what to do. The Contenders have formed a long line, the kind you see at the start of a marathon. A few yards down from where I stand — I see him. My throat tightens when I realize his cold blue eyes are locked on me. It’s the guy from the Pandora Selection Process. The serial killer–looking dude who I thought was going to kidney punch me. He glares in my direction like he might take this opportunity to finish what he never started. I raise my hand in a small wave, hoping it says something like: See? Look how friendly I am!

He lifts his own enormous hand. For a moment, I brighten. I think maybe that — even though it looks like he hates every fiber of my being — he’s going to wave back. But he doesn’t. He holds up two fingers — his pointer and his middle — places them under his eyes, and then points in front of us.

Oh no, he didn’t. I think he basically just told me to pay attention. I’m still processing this when the woman’s voice rings in my ear.

“Go!”

 


Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott 
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Series: Fire & Flood #1

Description from Goodreads:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

WHAT DID YOU THINK?!?!?! Are you as excited as I am? Because I am pretty darn pumped right now. WOOT! :)

 

New Things!

Hello, lovelies! This is going to be a super short post. It's pretty much just a quick update. Because I have...three? Three. Yeah. Three. New things to share with you!

1. I have a new Twitter handle! I don't know if you follow me on Twitter, but if you do (or if you want to) my new Twitter handle is @jessbooklover. I've had it set as @makesmeworse12 for a while now, and it was really just an inside joke. Since I use Twitter for more bookish bloggy things now, I thought it should be a little less random. So...yeah. Here's a new link to my Twitter page!

2. I now have a Facebook page! Yeah, I didn't have one before. Well. I did. For ME. But not for my blog. Nothing for Just a Booklover. But now I made one! Because I just figured it was about time. Here is a link to the Facebook page for Just a Booklover!

3. I'm going to do Monthly Re-Reads! I'll do a whole post on this next week sometime, but I'm telling you now--I'm going to re-read one book a month. And then post about it. And POSSIBLY give a copy of that book away. I'm still undecided on the giveaway thing. Maybe I'll give away some. We'll see. But there definitely WILL be a monthly re-read, but I'll start in February, because I just thought of it this month. I'll make up for it, though. I'll tell you HOW in that post I told you about where I'll explain the montly re-read thing and how it'll go. Okay? Okay.

So that's it:
Twitter handle, Facebook page, and monthly re-reads. I'm very excited about all three of these things. WOOT!

Oh, and two heads up of the FIRE & FLOOD variety. Because I can.

Victoria Scott's doing a preorder giveaway that she explained in THIS POST. Plus, there's this handy dandy graphic to explain eeeeveeerryyyythaaaaang.

It's pretty simple. Preorder FIRE & FLOOD (which you seriously should do, because this book is fan-freaking-tastic). Email the proof of that to Victoria Scott (victoria [at] victoriascottya [dot] com). And then you a button and a chance to win a $25 Book Depository gift card.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

And if you live in Dallas...or near Dallas...or, you know, in Texas in general...the FIRE & FLOOD release party will be in Dallas on March 1st! Victoria did a post about it HERE and here's the invite:

Okay, now I'm actually done this time. Have a great Thursday, lovelies!

First Excerpt of FIRE & FLOOD by Victoria Scott!

All members of the V Mafia (and the awesome people who signed up to help with this) got a super cool email yesterday with the VERY FIRST EXCERPT OF FIRE & FLOOD inside! Obviously I'm going to share it with you. I mean, come on. Of course I'm showing you the awesome. You need this in your life.

I can't even explain to you how much I adore Fire & Flood. It's a seriously kickass book, I can tell you that. So much cool stuff, and the Pandoras are some of my favorite things ever. Which means I did such a happy dance when THIS excerpt landed in my inbox...eeep!

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott--Excerpt #1

 

I drove across the US of A, left my family without an explanation, and now I’m either too late or there was never anything here to begin with. F my life. Rearing back, I kick the door as hard as I can. Then I wrap both hands around the door handles and release a noise like a wild banshee as I pull back.

The doors swing open.

I’m not sure whether to celebrate or freak out. I decide to do neither and slip inside. As I walk around the inside of the museum, listening to the sound of my footsteps echo off the walls, I imagine I am moments from death. It’s sad, I think, that this is all it takes to break my sanity.

Two curling flights of stairs bow out from the first-floor lobby, and red and white tiles cover the floors. There are gilded picture frames everywhere. So many that I think the placement of the frames — and not their contents — is the real art. Everything, absolutely everything, smells like wax. I mosey up to an abandoned reception desk and leaf through the glossy pamphlets littering the surface. I hold one of the pamphlets up to my nose. Yep, wax.

I glance around, having no idea what to look for. Will there be a sign like at school registration? Students with last names A–K this way?

On my left, I notice a long hallway dotted with doors on either side. Nothing looks particularly unusual. But when I glance to my right, I spot something. There’s a door at the end of the corridor that has a sliver of light glowing beneath it. I’m sure it’s just an administration office, one where someone forgot to flip the switch. But I’ve got nothing better to go on, so I head toward it.

I pause outside the door, wondering if I’m about to get busted for B&E. Then I turn the handle and find myself at the top of another winding staircase.

You’ve got to be kidding me. What is this, Dracula’s bachelor pad?

I’ve watched a lot of scary movies, and I’ve learned nothing good is ever at the bottom of a winding staircase. Pulling in a breath and preparing myself to be eaten alive, I head down. My shoes are loud against the steps. So loud, I imagine they are intentionally trying to get me killed.

 

When I reach the final few stairs, I ready myself to look around the bend. My heart is racing, and I secretly pray the worst I encounter is an angry janitor with a wax addiction. I turn the bend — and my eyes nearly pop from my skull.

The enormous room is perfectly circular, dotted with candles to light the space. Surrounding the walls are rows and rows of dark, rich mahogany bookshelves. A large round table stands in the center of the red-and-white-tiled floor. The room is spectacular, but what it holds is so jarring, my ears ring.

Across every shelf, every spot on the table, every tile on the floor — are small sculptures of hands. And in a few of those hands — the ones still performing their duty — are eggs. There are only nine eggs left, it seems. For a moment, I imagine how amazing it would have been to see each hand holding an egg, but it’s enough just to see these nine.

The eggs seem to dance in the candle flame, and as I move closer, I realize why. The surfaces of the eggs are almost iridescent, their colors changing depending on how you look at them. They are different sizes, too; some as big as a basketball, others as small as a peach.

I don’t need the device in my pocket to tell me what my gut already knows.

This is the Pandora Selection Process.

~~~

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic

Description from Goodreads:
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?


*flails* What'd you think?!

♥Jessica(:

Cover Reveal: FIRE & FLOOD by Victoria Scott!

 

Yesterday, all of us lucky ducks in the V Mafia got a super exciting email. Personally, I squealed. I'm going to assume that by the title of this post you already know what was in that email, so I'm just going to show you THE SUPER FANTASTIC COVER TO FIRE & FLOOD THAT I LOVE SO MUCH.

 

Okay?

 

Okay.

 

 

Expected Publication: March 2014

Publisher: Scholastic

 

Description from Goodreads:

In a perilous race across the world, having the best Pandora can be the difference between life and death.

Sixteen-year-old Tella Holloway isn’t happy. Her mother rushed them out of Boston and into a craptastic house nestled in Middle of Nowhere, Montana. To make matters worse, Tella’s brother is sick, and though a dozen doctors can’t determine the cause, her mother is sure Montana’s “fresh air” will help. Now Tella spends her days being homeschooled, and uses her imagination as entertainment.

But when a small blue box appears on her bed, Tella’s world is rocked. Inside the strange package she finds a white ear bud—and after she fits it into place and touches its blinking button—an unknown voice fills her head. Tella is invited to join the Brimstone Bleed, a race across four ecosystems: desert, sea, mountains, jungle. The voice in Tella’s ear explains she has 48 hours to retrieve her Pandora, an animal genetically designed to help her win.

Tella has never been the sporty type; she’s more a cheerleader than an athlete. But despite her mother’s warnings, she’s determined to compete in the race. And she’ll do anything to win, because if Tella is the Brimstone Bleed victor, she'll be granted a specific gift—the cure to save her brother’s life.

FIRE & FLOOD is a teen thriller set in modern day.

 

Now tell me:

What do you think? Do you LOVE it?

Because I love the crap out of this cover. Can you imagine holding that in your hands and seeing it on your shelf and just...AHHHHHHHH!

I was already unbelievably excited about this book (Victoria Scott is one of my favorite people EVER), but now...I'm just...I can't stop smiling, you know? EEEEEEEEEP!

 

Seriously, though. I'd like to know what you think!

 

♥Jessica(: