Today's pick is...
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Published by: Scholastic Press
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 the middle of nowhere 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 electrifying novel grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go.
First off, can we just admire the font on that cover? *drools* Seriously awesome typography there. Bold and beautiful and great coloring. I have no idea what's up with that burning feather, but everything else? Oh, yeah, I'm so ready for this.
Now I know what you're thinking: this book sounds a lot like The Hunger Games. It does, and it was actually sold to the same marketing team that worked on THG. There's not a whole lot of information out there yet about the book, but the fact that the same team is working on this book does make me happy. The book will get lots of attention, and even better, it probably also went through a lot of revision/editing stages. Plus, I've heard a lot of good things about Victoria Scott's Dante Walker series.
And looking at the synopsis... jungle/desert/ocean/mountain races (that name--the Brimstone Bleed!)... genetically engineered animal companion... fast-paced thriller (clock is ticking)... familial importance... mystery sickness... This sounds like a lot of fun. Since Scholastic has taken on some great, big titles that I love (HP, duh, and The Raven Boys), Fire & Flood is definitely one of the great 2014 titles to anticipate.
What are you hoping to read soon? Is there a book you think I should read ASAP? Something you've read recently that you lovelovelove? Have you read Fire & Flood/are you anticipating it?
I am so very excited for this one too. I had no idea that it was snatched up by the same people as The Hunger Games but that's cool because, like you said, it will get a lot of attention. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOMG this sounds *amazing* I think I'm going to have to add it to my TBR. thank you for highlighting it Christina :)
ReplyDeleteCait
Fire & Flood is definitely one of my most anticipated titles! I love when there is an animal sidekick involved like Nero in Blood Red Road. I haven't read Scott's other titles yet but everyone seems to like it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAlise @ Readers in Wonderland
This does sound pretty good. I know some were complaining because the cover reminds them too much of Antigoddess by Kendare Blake, but I have to believe that burning feather has some significance and is therefore warranted. Anyway, I'm excited to read this...I like her Dante Walker books well enough, but this is more my type of read.
ReplyDeleteI actually haven't heard of this book before now, but it really does sound amazing. Just reading that synopsis springs eight hundred questions into my mind like why the cure is won through a race and how the illness happens anyways and what what what?! And it is good knowing that the book is in good hands as well. Thanks for pointing this one out! Hopefully it'll be as good as we're thinking it'll be!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Blood Red Road, but animal companions/sidekicks are definitely kickass. (The only thing I would worry about then is what happens to the genuine female friendships, since at times, there tend to be a lack of those in YA lit.) Thanks for stopping by; you've definitely got my interest peaked about Nero :)
ReplyDeleteRight? I hope the book has a good explanation for the cure being won through the race, like how the Hunger Games had to establish why such cruelty even existed. I do hope it's in good hands, and I hope we'll both enjoy it :). Glad to have introduced you to it (unless, a few months later, you tell me you dislike it, but hopefully that will not happen).
ReplyDeleteIt does really remind me of that cover, and I would assume the burning feather has significance just as it does for Kendare Blake's novel, but I wish there were some sort of guide in the synopsis. Is it paranormal? The reason for the Cure? Brimstone Bleed like Hell? Fallen angel? With dystopian novels, I tend to assume the symbol is some sort of representation of the society, but I'm not sure how the burning feather could be that here. And yeah, I'm with you: this book is much more my thing than the Dante Walker books.
ReplyDeleteI've generally had some good luck with Scholastic's titles in the past, so I'm sure I'll pick this up once its released. I like the sound of it! Although the premise does make me think just a little of The Hunger Games and The Scorpio Races (I guess Scholastic really like that stuff!), I'm definitely curious about seeing how it all unravels. I have to admit, though, The Collector, although quite entertaining, failed to leave much of an impression on me. I hope I enjoy this book slightly more.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even realize the comparison to the Scorpio Races, but you're right! And that makes me even more excited for this one since I loved TSR :D. (And in general, I'd say few paranormal romance novels seem to leave much of an impression, but perhaps that's just for me.) Hopefully this one will be great for the two of us!
ReplyDeleteI love HP and The Raven Boys as well. I have seen this aroung blogosphere a few times, but haven't read the blurb (even now) but your excitement really got to me. Heh. I'm in the need of something awesome like THG and I hope to read this asap when it comes out. Just 7 months to wait. Ha. I'm reading Everbound atm and I can't believe I put this pretty off for so long. I love this world of Everneath. Have you read this series? Jack and Nikki's story is tearing me apart and I'm so sad for Cole. :( I'm only 30% in, but it's off to a good start. I've been havin terrible luck lately with books. Oh, btw, I got myself two books to look forward to tnaks to Lauren at Love Is Not a Love Triangle and Jasprit at The Reader's Den. One is a new book, the other is a sequel to a book I read last summer and loved. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider was sold to me by Lauren. It seems like my kind of a book and Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian is one of my most anticipated sequels of 2013 and Jasprit made me so darn excited. Can't wait!!! What are you waiting to read? :)
ReplyDeleteI knooow, I want something really big. It seems like all the titles I am excited for are still months away, always so far away :O. I've still put off Everbound. I got it from the library - or no, I tried to, but it was checked out everywhere - and I haven't tried since. I heard Everbound is really good, better than Everneath, so I hope you enjoy! The Beginning of Everything has been around everywhere. A lot of bloggers seem to really like that one, and I haven't heard much of Fire with Fire, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless! (though part of me is like... Siiri, our book buying ban! Ahhh!!). I suppose, right now, if I had to choose anything that I *really* wanted to read, it'd be The Dream Thieves.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping that "lush" had to do with drinking! Is that terrible? Haven't heard of this but the cover looks a bit like the Antigoddess one...
ReplyDeleteThere are some who use lush in regard to drinking - LitLush chat on twitter. I sort of mean it in a joking, drunk on books way. Though drinking while reading could certainly be amusing...
ReplyDeleteOoooOooh. Thanks for sharing, Christina. I like the sound of this one. :) I think that having the contestants' drives come from maintaining the life of someone they love rather than themselves is a nice new perspective despite the similarities to THE HUNGER GAMES.
ReplyDelete