Recommendation Fridays: Fire & Flood Series by Victoria Scott

   I came across Fire & Flood because I loved Victoria Scott's Dante Walker series. It was full of sass and awesome sauce. So when I found out about Fire & Flood I could not have ran to the closest pre-order site to order. My copy may have a different cover than the one they advertise now, either way it's still my precious baby. 

   At this point Victoria Scott has mastered the art of playing with your heart, thus making the series one of the biggest tear-jerkers yet.

   The Fire & Flood series is everything you needed in a epic race, inspiring characters, Animals with powers beyond imagination. Definitely a series you'll need to pick up. 

   

The series would probably be best for people who like the following books:

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Dystopian, Survival

 

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Release Date: January 27th, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Series: Fire & Flood, #1

Format: Paperback, 320 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   Time is slipping away.... 

   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?

Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 24th, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Series: Fire & Flood, #2

Format: Hardcover, 320 pages

Description from GoodReads:

   What would you do to save someone you love? What about risking...everything?

   In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and a terrifying march across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't stop—and in Salt & Stone, Tella will have to face the unseen dangers of the ocean, the breathless cold of a mountain, and the twisted new rules in the race.

   But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you've relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

   The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the beginning of the race there were 122 Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the fourth and final part of the race, just forty-one are left...and only one can win.

Check Out Ohana Reads' Review Here

   What do you think? Will you be picking up the series anytime soon? Let me know!

Book Review: Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 24th, 2015

Read: January 13th-19th, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic

Series: Fire & Flood #2

Format: ARC, 304 pages

Source: Traded

Description from GoodReads:

    What would you do to save someone you love?

    In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

    But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

   The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Review:

   I'm a good horse, but I don't want to race anymore.
   I was first introduced to Victorias Scott when I read her first published book, The Collector. Then I went on to her sequel The Liberator. After the two I needed to get my hands on a copy of Fire & Flood, which is the first book in this series. Since then I've been hooked on her books. When ARCs were first sent out I just knew I had to get one, so I did. I'm so glad I did.
   Salt & Stone was remarkable, it has for sure become my favourite so far out of Victoria's books. Salt & Stone was so much more intense then Fire & Flood, with the world building and most of the characters introduced Victoria didn't have to waste anytime on it. She jumped right into the story, as you probably guessed they started off with Ocean in the third round of the games. I honestly didn't think you could get much out of them being stranded out in the middle of water, but obviously I was wrong.  Out of all the treks the people of the competition had to endure, I think this one might have been my favourite alongside the jungle.
   The Pandoras took a large part in this sequel, they helped their contenders more in this half then they did in the first. They were also a large subject to torture as well, but I won't say much there. Being the animal person I am, Victoria definitely kept playing at my heart from the beginning to the end of Salt & Stone. I need to see what happens to them now!
   Another larger part of Salt & Stone was that I found Tella to have a good character development. Throughout the book she was determined to not need to rely on Guy, where I was proud of her for it I kind of got annoyed every time she brought it up. It was practically all she would talk to Guy about, that's the feel I got anyhow.
   I completely understand why Kirkus gave Salt & Stone a starred review, because I feel the exact same way. I will be marching my way over to the bookstore as soon as the third book in the series releases, I just hope I can wait that long!

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

   "My nipples are frozen." ~ Harper

   "There is the fear of knowing when you're going to die, and then there's the horrifying, hell-on-earth fear of knowing you're about to be torn apart and eaten."  ~ Tella

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Dystopian

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

Salt & Stone

Author: Victoria Scott
Fire & Flood #2

Scholastic Press
Expected: February 24th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

   What would you do to save someone you love?

   In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

   But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

   The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Why I Want It:

   Victoria ended the first book in the series ( Fire & Flood) beautifully, leaving me wanting to know what happens next! I'm dying to know who will win! Or if something snaps and suddenly everything changes? I love Victoria's books starting with her Dante Walker series, everything of hers is gold. Gold I tell you.

Why You Should Want It:

   This series is another set of games that will somewhat resemble The Hunger Games, but let me tell you. The Fire & Flood series gives Hunger Games a run for its money. Fans of action, sci-fi and races will be tripping over their feet for this series! 

   That's my waiting on Wednesday for this week! Will you be picking up Salt & Stone? What are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!

Fire & Flood Final Sneak Peek!

Fire & Flood Final Sneak Peek!

Heyy everyone Stephanie here, so I have some exciting news! Today the lovely Victoria Scott emailed her fabulous VMafia crew (That's Me) the final exclusive sneak peek to Fire & Flood, and I'm so excited to be able to share it with you before Fire & Flood releases on February 25, 2014. EEK! It's going to be such an AMAZING birthday present considering my birthday is two days later, now I'm getting ahead of myself, without further ado the sneak peek!

Final Sneak Peek:

“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!”

isn't it exciting!?! I just can't wait for February 25th! Here's a little bit about Fire & Flood just in case you guys didn't know:)

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Publication: February 25th, 2014

Publisher: Scholastic

Series: Fire & Flood

Description from GoodReads:

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?

Once again I can't wait till February 25th, I hope you guys are just as excited as I am now too:)