Book Review: “Trial By Fire” (Worldwalker #1) by Josephine Angelini

“Trial By Fire” (Worldwalker #1) by Josephine Angelini (2014)

Genre: YA, Fiction, Fantasy

Page Length: 374 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily’s other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can’t hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Trial by Fire” is one of the most amazing books I’ve read and I can definitely say its one of my new top favorites from 2014! Our main protagonist is Lily, a girl with way too many allergies and all sorts of medical problems that make her life hard. She feels like a burden to her family and she’s also an outcast at school. Everything changes when she has an embarrassing incident at the first party she’s actually been able to attend and then she is whisked to alternate universe of her hometown.

So being in a new world full of creatures and strange customs is pretty terrifying, but then your other self (Lillian) tells you.. “Lily, you’re a wizard now”. Okay, so not technically a wizard, but she has potential to become an all-powerful witch. (Get my Harry Potter reference now?) Anyways, the plotline by itself guaranteed to pull any reader in, but the fantasy and magic elements are what make this story a page turner.

I enjoyed Angelini’s writing style, character development and relationships that occur in this book. Though some of the characters like Lillian (alternate Lily), Rowan (Lillian’s head mechanic), Alaric (a kind of leader for s), and even Tristan (alternate Tristan) intentions seem wholehearted and pure, you along with Lily are still unsure of who you can really trust. Lily starts off as naïve in this new Salem, but soon she learns she has  get it together in order to return and to survive in this eat or be eaten world.

I liked the large amounts of action scenes placed throughout the story and the circle of kinship that forms between Rowan, Tristan, Caleb, and Lily. I would go more into detail, but I want to spare you from spoilers. I also liked the sweet romance that starts to bloom between Rowan and Lily. We’ll see what happens next…

Final Verdict:

A fantasy whirlwind of a novel that has romance, fantasy, drama, and lots of action. I promise you won’t be bored. I cannot wait to read the next book in the trilogy and see how Lily’s journey will continue. 5 out of 5 stars!