Review: The Secret Fire by C.J. Daugherty & Carina Rozenfeld

Title: The Secret Fire.
Series: The Alchemist Chronicles, #1
Author: C.J. Daugherty & Carina Rozenfeld.
Publication Date: September 10th, 2015.
Publisher: Atom.
Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult.
Format: Paperback, 424 pages.
Source: Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:

A battle against fate.
A race against time.

Taylor Montclair is a regular girl from the quiet backwater of Woodbury, England. Sacha Winters is a darkly mysterious boy from the City of Lights - Paris, France.

While Taylor is focused on her dream of attending Oxford University, school couldn't be further from Sacha's mind.. Sacha know exactly when he's going to die. He's done it before.

On the appointed day, Sacha's time will run out. And his death will fulfil an ancient destiny that could unleash chaos and catastrophe. Taylor is the only person who can save him. Neither of them know that yet. They haven't even met.

Hundreds of miles and a body of water separate them. Deadly forces will stop at nothing to keep them apart. They have eight weeks to find each other and unravel an ancient web of mystery and danger.

The clock starts now.

 

Review

Where should I start with this book? From the very first chapter of The Secret Fire, I was completely and utterly hooked. The Secret Fire is told in the dual perspective of the male and female main characters, and as I've said a hundred times before, I love books written that way. I love how invested you can get into both characters lives, and see how they interact with each other. The paranormal aspects in The Secret Fire are also really unique and fantastically done and the whole feel of the book seems really authentic and it’s beautifully written. You also switch between the Paris and England settings in The Secret Fire and at first I thought this would be a bit confusing, but it’s actually very easy to follow and keep up with.

Taylor is the female protagonist in The Secret Fire and at first I wasn't sure whether I liked her character or not. She seemed a little too reserved for my liking, but as I got further into the book you can see her character develop. She doesn't change completely, but becomes more open and you start to realise that her character isn't as uptight as she seems. One of the only problems I actually had with this book was that I thought Taylor’s character was a little bit too perfect and predictable, and although I did like her character, it irked me a little bit at how common her characteristics were. She’s a great character, don’t get me wrong, but she seemed a lot like a carbon copy of every female nerdy character in YA literature out there. There wasn't anything, aside from the paranormal aspects, that really set her apart from other characters out there - but oh well!

Sacha is the male protagonist and I adored his character! Sure he was a little immature, but I loved his snarky and sarcastic nature and the deep affection he has for his family. I also loved Sacha’s sense of humour; some of the things he came out with throughout the book had me really chuckling to myself. You could definitely tell that Sacha used humour as a defence mechanism, but I actually really liked that about him. I loved the relationship between Sacha and Taylor, their friendship develops quite quickly, and there isn't a hint of insta-love as the chemistry between the two of them builds slowly. I do wish however that there was a little bit more romance involved, I feel like there was this big build up to something and nothing really came of it in this book which was a shame, but hopefully in the next book there will be more. Mostly I just loved how their relationship wasn't the main focus of the story, but worked alongside it and intertwined with the story beautifully.

Overall, I thought The Secret Fire was an absolutely brilliant novel! If you’re looking for a fast-paced, action-packed novel filled with humour, mystery, adventure, unique paranormal aspects and so much more, I’d definitely recommend picking up this book. C.J. Daugherty and Carina Rozenfeld write together so wonderfully and seamlessly and between the two of them they've created a nearly flawless and amazing book that’ll have anyone on the edge of their seat. It’s impossible not to get drawn into The Secret Fire and be dragged along for the ride with the characters, trust me; you’ll be dying to find out what happens next! I really can’t wait for the release of the second book in this series, because I know it’s going to be incredible – it’s just a shame there isn't any information on it yet. Lastly, I just want to say a BIG thank you to C.J. Daugherty and Carina Rozenfeld for writing such a unique and fantastic book, please write more together!

Quotes

'This is how things have been as long as anyone can remember,' she'd said the day she told him of his fate. 'The family has tried everything to save the boys but each time... they die.'
Her eyes had been filled with a grief so stark, it had shaken him.
They'd been sitting on the sofa in the living room,, Sacha remembered. The same sofa that was there now, soft, brown and sagging a little in the middle. It had been his sixteenth birthday. That year she'd given him a computer game he really wanted. And a death sentence. - Page 150.

He chuckled. 'And you're just some English girl with a leaf in your hair.'
'There's a leaf in my hair?' Reaching up, she felt for the object.
'Here. Let me.' Leaning towards here, Sacha pulled the leaf from a curl carefully. Her hair felt incredibly soft beneath his fingertips. The last rays of the setting sun made each individual gold strand glitter.
'Here.' He held up the incriminating flora so she could see.
She looked self-conscious. 'My hair is so hopeless. You can probably find other things in there. Lost watches. The Bermuda Triangle. The missing link.' - Page 190.

'No, no, no,' she said, frustrated. 'I just wanted one candle. Just one.'
An odd sound from the end of the bench made her look up. Louisa was shaking with laughter.
Taylor's cheeks reddened. 'It's not funny.'
'I don't even,' Louisa gasped, hands clutching her sides, 'have any idea how you did that. You set the air on fire.'
'It was an accident,' Taylor said, but she found herself giggling, too. 'Just a tiny accident.' - Page 295.

Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Summoning.
Series: Darkest Powers Trilogy, #1.
Author: Kelley Armstrong.
Publication Date: January 1st, 2010.
Publisher: Atom.
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult.
Format: Paperback, 392 pages.
Source: Bought.
My Rating:

All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager – the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be the same again. Soon the ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she’s admitted to a group home for disturbed kids.

At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients – charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire – Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual ‘problem kid’ behaviour. And they’re about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home...

 

Review

Chloe is just your average teenager until the day she first starts her period - that same day she starts seeing ghosts. She ends up running and screaming through her high school and is admitted to Lyle House, a group home for disturbed kids. Lyle House isn't your usual group home, and the other kids aren't your usual disturbed kids either. When she gets to know the other teenagers in Lyle House, she ends up discovering that they too - have special powers - and that she, herself, isn't crazy or a 'Schizophrenic' like the Doctors are telling her she is. Chloe is special, she's what Simon and Derek call a Necromancer, a person who can summon and contact the dead. As the trio try to figure out the mysteries of Lyle House, they discover that no one is who they seem and they find themselves wanting to escape as quickly as possible.

I have to say, I was a little sceptical of the plot of this book, generally because of the whole 'psychiatric home/hospital' part. This is because in so many books and movies, they portray them in such stupid and ridiculous ways, and in real life, they aren't actually like that (I know from experience). However, once I'd started reading this book I was totally hooked.

Chloe's character is really interesting, she's just like your average teenage girl, but not overly dramatised like a lot of female characters I've read. I think she's pretty young and naive at times, even for her age, but she can be mature when it comes down to it. She told the story in the way a film producer would (her goal for her future) and I found it really refreshing. Simon's character annoyed me a little bit, sure he was sweet and kind and caring, but he seemed too kind - sort of in a degrading way. I'm sure this wasn't the way his character was supposed to come off, but it's the way I feel.

As for Derek, he was my second favourite character (after Chloe). He's a gruff and very unsociable guy, but obviously cares a lot for his brother, Simon and he doesn't seem to care about anything or anyone else. I know his character is a little rough around the edges, but I thought the way he was portrayed was great and right from the beginning I was rooting for Chloe and him to get together. The other characters weren't as well described, however we know that Tori, is a spoilt, rude, mean and obnoxious girl who is desperately seeking her mother's approval. As for Liz and Rae, they seemed pretty similar to me, and weren't as focused on in the book as the other characters so I can't really give an opinion.

The plot is very well thought out, flowing smoothly from chapter to chapter and leaving you wanting more at the end of it. The twists and turns of this book are great, and I couldn't put it down. The plot is also so different from everything else I've read and really original - it holds its own and doesn't seem to sway much from the main storyline like many books I've read in the past. Overall I thought It was an amazing book and honestly, I can't wait to read it again!

Quotes

If I was crazy, would I know it? That's what being crazy was, wasn't it? You thought you were fine.
Everyone else knew better. Maybe I was crazy. - Page 34.

Dr. Jill said it was just a matter of taking my meds and learning to cope. If it was that easy why were there people wandering the streets talking to themselves? Crazy-eyed homeless people shouting at thin air? Seeing people who weren't there. Hearing voices that didn't exist.
Schizo. Just like me. - Page 70.

"Then if we run, it'll look suspicious."
"It's three-thirty in the morning. We're going to look suspicious anyway."
He looked at the car for a moment.
"Fine. But any sign of trouble? Follow my lead."
"Yes, sir." - Page 350.