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darquedreamer's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This one burned like a wildfire. With the same intensity, fast pace, and excitability. It was tense, heart pounding, and unrelenting.
So, what could be worse than a car ride with three teenage girls who used to be friends? A car ride with three teenage girls who used to be friends that takes a detour, get lost in the woods, and get trapped by a fast spreading wildfire. Cattiness, teen girl hormones, and dread, oh my.
I know. I know what you're thinking. "Why would I read about three teenage girls trapped in a car together?" Sounds like trapping feral cats in a cage. But, the situation, not only gives entertainment, it gives a feeling of "well, what else could go wrong?", and it gives the story (and characters) a place to go and grow.
So, that's all I'm really going to say about this one (so I don't give too much away). Besides letting you know that it's well worth the read, and I devoured it. It was a unique thrill ride, with fleshed out, arcing characters and a twisty good plot. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thank you SourcebooksFire for the gifted arc!
So, what could be worse than a car ride with three teenage girls who used to be friends? A car ride with three teenage girls who used to be friends that takes a detour, get lost in the woods, and get trapped by a fast spreading wildfire. Cattiness, teen girl hormones, and dread, oh my.
I know. I know what you're thinking. "Why would I read about three teenage girls trapped in a car together?" Sounds like trapping feral cats in a cage. But, the situation, not only gives entertainment, it gives a feeling of "well, what else could go wrong?", and it gives the story (and characters) a place to go and grow.
So, that's all I'm really going to say about this one (so I don't give too much away). Besides letting you know that it's well worth the read, and I devoured it. It was a unique thrill ride, with fleshed out, arcing characters and a twisty good plot. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thank you SourcebooksFire for the gifted arc!
annithebookaholic's review against another edition
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an arc of this book. All opinions are my own.
This was okay. I really liked the survival element and the different obstacles the characters had to go through. The characters themselves were a bit bland and didn't really have well established personalities.
The writing was otherwise fun but some bits of dialog were somewhat unrealistic or flowed in an odd way.
I do feel like the plot was interesting but I was waiting for the revenge element to have a bigger part in the whole story
I would recommend this still to people looking for survival stories or younger YA readers!
This was okay. I really liked the survival element and the different obstacles the characters had to go through. The characters themselves were a bit bland and didn't really have well established personalities.
The writing was otherwise fun but some bits of dialog were somewhat unrealistic or flowed in an odd way.
I do feel like the plot was interesting but I was waiting for the revenge element to have a bigger part in the whole story
I would recommend this still to people looking for survival stories or younger YA readers!
kerasalwaysreading's review
4.0
This was more environmental thriller than anything, providing a terrifying element of risk. But there is also this level of deception on a human level when Lily travels home with two girls who clearly do not have her best interests at heart.
There were levels to this book, and figuring out these girls was like whiplash… one minute you think you can trust them and the next, you’re certain they’re up to no good, but then you just might be able to… and so on. I liked that. It provided a great sense of underlying concern.
Pairing all of that with the approach of these wildfires sweeping through, you get the sense that everyone needs to work together to survive and it was fantastic!
There were levels to this book, and figuring out these girls was like whiplash… one minute you think you can trust them and the next, you’re certain they’re up to no good, but then you just might be able to… and so on. I liked that. It provided a great sense of underlying concern.
Pairing all of that with the approach of these wildfires sweeping through, you get the sense that everyone needs to work together to survive and it was fantastic!
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a great thriller, I just wanted to know what was going on, and it was such a great read!
sarahberry_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Don't ever accept a ride from ex-best friends.
Lily, Natasha, and Elke used to be best friends, but a middle school incident turned them into enemies. When Lily is forced to accept a ride with them to get home to her mom, no one is thrilled with the arrangement. Natasha and Elke never forgave Lily for what she did and want a little payback.
I requested this because I love a good revenge plot, but that ended up playing a very small role. At first, I thought the revenge Natasha and Elke played out was not as devious as I wanted. When I learned why they wanted revenge, the prank immediately was too much. Middle school sucks for everyone, but the sheer hatred they had for Lily was overboard. As more of the story came out, I was on Lily's side, except for one detail. It was silly and childish, and the punishment did not fit the crime.
The revenge arc was short-lived, and most of the book was about the three girls trying to survive the wildfire. It was very descriptive and atmospheric, with the wildfires slowly closing around them. I think the sheer amount of misfortune was overplayed, and Parrack repurposed some plot points from her book Don't Let in the Cold. There was also too much making up and fighting again, interrupting the dramatic atmosphere created.
This will work for younger teens just starting in the YA thriller genre, but anyone with more experience will find it lacking.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Lily, Natasha, and Elke used to be best friends, but a middle school incident turned them into enemies. When Lily is forced to accept a ride with them to get home to her mom, no one is thrilled with the arrangement. Natasha and Elke never forgave Lily for what she did and want a little payback.
I requested this because I love a good revenge plot, but that ended up playing a very small role. At first, I thought the revenge Natasha and Elke played out was not as devious as I wanted. When I learned why they wanted revenge, the prank immediately was too much. Middle school sucks for everyone, but the sheer hatred they had for Lily was overboard. As more of the story came out, I was on Lily's side, except for one detail. It was silly and childish, and the punishment did not fit the crime.
The revenge arc was short-lived, and most of the book was about the three girls trying to survive the wildfire. It was very descriptive and atmospheric, with the wildfires slowly closing around them. I think the sheer amount of misfortune was overplayed, and Parrack repurposed some plot points from her book Don't Let in the Cold. There was also too much making up and fighting again, interrupting the dramatic atmosphere created.
This will work for younger teens just starting in the YA thriller genre, but anyone with more experience will find it lacking.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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