Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott #BookReview #FireandFlood Release Day

Title: Fire & Flood
Author: Victoria Scott
Series: Fire & Flood #1
Published: February 25th 2014 by Scholastic Press
Genres:  YA, Sci-Fi
Source: Arc


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?

I felt like Fire and Flood by Victorica Scott is a little bit like taking The Amazing Race and throwing in some Digimons. Then tossing them on the island that Survivor was filmed on. It’s crazy awesome. I kept having dreams about being in the Brimestone Bleed myself and let me tell you that got exhausting. I know a book has really wiggled it’s way into my brain when I start doing that. I think the most interesting part is that Tella knows nothing about it. Never heard of it and it appears she is the only one who is in the dark. Why were her parents hiding it from here and how did the gamemakers find her to be a contestant and conviently know she need a cure that heals all? Lots and lots of questions. We get glimpses and peeks throughout the book and I found that the plot developments were paced really well. There were one or two things that I totally didn’t see coming which gave me that Crapballs did that just happen moments. I couldn’t stop reading, I had to know what was going down next. I love that. I love when a book catches me like that. It doesn’t have to be at the beginning it can be at the middle like this one did. I really enjoyed this story and being the race is supposed to take place across three terrains and we cover two I was kind of wondering how the next book was going to go but by the end we get it. I am so excited...

I loved Tella for many reasons. She often made me laugh because she did certain things that are things I totally do. Giving people nicknames, naming her Pandora (I haven’t done this but I would), talking to herself then thinking she’s crazy for talking to herself. Yep so I totally related with Tella in that respect. I could picture us being friends. The other thing I really liked about Tella is that she is a little vain. Even though it’s necessarily considered a great characteristic but it is so refreshing to have an MC that doesn’t do the I’m beautiful in my sweats and don’t know it. She likes to dress up and look cute and hates her hair because it’s too curly just like a normal teenage girl. I am that girl that walks around in t-shirt, jeans and never wears make-up. My two best friends however wouldn’t leave the house without looking anything less then 110%, I’m often attacked with a make-up brush when I’m not looking. In fact my one friend works for cooperate at Sephora. I have to say though if Andrea, Lauren and I were dropped into the Brimestone Bleed I would bet my life on the two of them to win. They are not the girls that go camping or trekking through the woods but they are smart, fiercely loyal and would go UFC fight style on your ass with their stilettos if you mess with them. They’ve got sass and they’ve got fire which is how I see Tella. She’s such a different MC and I love her for that, I love Victoria Scott for that.

Guy had me when he was so noisy in the morning. No one who knows how to survive in a jungle is loud in the morning. I was on to you Guy and you made me crush on you. I also loved the flaws of Guy. He has a mangled ear, he’s got some crazy spiked hair and Tella might suspect he is a serial killer. Of course if it were me in the Jungle, that would be the dude that I would follow. As we get to know him through the book we see some softer sides to him. I like how protective he becomes of the group in that nonchalant way.

Guy and Tella have a complicated romance. They might be attracted to each other but you have to remember the end game. Always remember there is an endgame. They both want the same thing and they both have someone to save. I think Guy tries his best to keep Tella at a slight distance but not effectively. I actually really liked their story because it was a quiet one. They weren’t going to stand on top of a mountain and scream that they like each other. By the end of the book, you get it. You have a deep connection with them and you really understand the complications.

Overall I loved this book. The characters, the plot and the pacing. So I say go pick it up today!!