Fire and Flood (Fire & Flood, #1)

by Victoria Scott

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?

• ISBN10: 0545537460
• ISBN13: 9780545537469
• Publish Date: 25 February 2014 (first published 1 February 2014)
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Imprint: Scholastic Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 305
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

Rereading! :D

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Imagine a mash-up of The Hunger Games, The Amazing Race, and something with kick ass animal sidekicks and you've got Fire & Flood. I was pulled in from the first page and read this in two sittings. That probably could have been one sitting but I went to bed about three-quarters in. I loved this! It's kind of the typical corporation hosting something awful for an amazing prize, and teenagers entering with hopes of winning and dismantling the whole thing from the inside, but I was hooked and amazed! It felt fresh and new and exciting! Plus there's a huge variety of animal companions that range from cute and fluffy to terrifying and fluffy (and feathery and leathery).

Tella's brother is sick and dying, and there's no available cure. Then a mysterious package arrives with a message for Tella telling her to report to a specific location to compete in the Brimstone Bleed, which if she wins, she'll obtain the cure. Her parents freak out, because they know what's going on, but refuse to tell her (or as we learn later, can't tell her). Tella would do anything for her brother so she takes off, and ends up a bit in over her head. She's now in a race to the death through the jungle with whatever mystery animal lives inside this large egg she's carrying. I read straight through this entire jungle leg of the race and was fascinated! Then they got to the desert, and things got intense pretty fast.

My favorite part of Fire & Flood was of course the Pandoras aka the animal companions. They're lab created animals with special abilities. What looks like a pig or a fox or a lion is really something much, much more. Of course, Tella gets the most badass Pandora despite grabbing the last egg that appeared to be damaged. Her KD-8, which she renames Madox, is adorable in his normal state, but then his supped up state...woah! Needless to say, Tella spends a lot of time worrying about her little companion, since the other contenders have their sights on him.

There's really not a lot I can say about Fire & Flood without giving away any surprises and I'm having trouble expressing my love for it. There are several twists and turns sprinkled throughout, including how this race came to be. Just know that I didn't want to put it down--and for the most part didn't--and was completely hooked and engaged the entire time!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[shannonmiz]

Full review here

I honestly contemplated DNFing for awhile. I never DNF. Ever. I have not finished maybe three books in my entire reading history. And I almost did it twice in one week (you'll have to see what the other is later in the week!).

Anyway, here's why: I did not believe a bit of this. I just could not get on board. First of all, no one, and I mean no one steals a car and drives hundreds of miles away to compete in what sounds like the most ridiculous scam known to man. Granted, Tella does question it a bit, which makes her at least have a bit of sense, but it goes out the window in a hurry when she decides to do it anyway. I get the desperation about the sick brother, but a race providing a "cure" complete with instructions given to you via some weird headset? Everyone would pass. Every. Single. Person.

Then, when we got to the actual race, I felt like I was reading about some strange love child that The Hunger Games had with The Testing. I was kind of feeling like I'd read this book before, many times. When I put it down for the night, at exactly 25% (thanks, Kindle!), I seriously wasn't sure I'd pick it back up.

But then.....

I could not put the book down. Could not. Because I needed to know all the things. Immediately. Things started picking up when Tella found some fellow Contenders. There was a lot of running around trying to survive, there were a lot of complicated relationships, there were Pandoras. Now, obviously, I can't go into great detail, because you don't really want me to tell you what happened, right? But suffice it to say, the action picked up and it was like no other book I've read. Gone were the similarities to other books, gone even was my disbelief with Tella going in the first place (though I still don't understand it, I no longer cared. I was just glad she was there, because I could read about it!). Some of my questions were answered, some were not. Maybe some never will be, but I assume quite a few will be. I'll be needing Salt & Stone immediately. Please and thank you. (Wait, next February? No. No. Just no. My poor Book Hangover can't take it!)

Bottom Line:

I want to give this ALL the stars, but I know that isn't really fair. There were some major issues in the beginning for me. But I would absolutely recommend this book, because I loved it, despite my early doubts. I am so, so glad that I gave this a chance!

[Kelly]

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/04/fire-and-flood-by-victoria-scott.html
I'm a fan of Victoria Scott after discovering her Dante Walker series. If you follow her on social media, you'll soon see that she weaves her own fun, sassy and sarcastic personality into her characters, and Fire and Flood is no different. The storyline surrounds a mysterious competition that is reminiscent of The Hunger Games, but rather than a fight to the death, Fire and Flood is a series of survival style races. The competitors, who vary in ages and number in their hundreds, are dropped in a location where it's a race to Base Camp. Each leg of the race is allocated two weeks, with one week of rest in between. Instructions are sent via earpiece and the only assistance competitors will receive is via their chosen Pandora. The only problem is, you have no idea what your Pandora is at the choosing ceremony.

A Pandora is a type of genetically modified animal, that hatch from an egg. From a bear, a lion, even a small fox type creature, but the one thing these animals have in common, that they aren't common at all. Each has a specific element of surprise that will help their human companion within The Race. Tella's Pandora is adorable, adding a softness to the storyline. He's like a playful puppy at times, but is loving and affectionate, traits other Pandora's don't seem to have. Their relationship is unlike any other when Tella names her egg Madox, other competitors choosing to stick to the code that was given to their particular breed of savior. Perhaps that's one of many reasons why Guy softens to the sassy smart mouthed girl.

Guy is your typical young adult male heroine, quiet, moody and mysterious. He holds his cards close to his chest and clearly knows more about The Race than he's willing to share. But thankfully he's not arrogant or chauvinistic, but slowly begins to warm to socialising with other competitors, including Tella. Their relationship blooms to a mutual respect, then to something more. The romance is a slow burning friendship without being overwhelmed by instant love, which is refreshing.

I know it's been compared across a wide range of reviews as a replica of The Hunger Games, and perhaps rightly so. Regardless, I loved it immensely and found myself reading into the early hours of the morning, riveted and unable to put it down.

[Nicole Lynn]

Bah absolutely loved this book! Can't wait for the next one! Review to come!

--
UPDATED: Finally posting my review from the blog!

This review previously appeared on my blog, PopCrunchBoom Books


My Review:


Tella is in the middle of Montana. Home-schooled with no electronics and living in an extremely small town, Tella is bored as hell. Her parents decided to move away (taking her life of friends and entertainment with them) because her brother got sick. Doctor’s can’t determine what’s wrong, so they’ve been dealing with it best they can. Then a small blue present appears on Tella’s bed one day and everything changes. The box contains an electronic message on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed race. The prize? A cure for her brother. So Tella sets out to become a part of the race. Help from a stranger gets her in into the race when he helps her grab an “egg” as the first assignment. This “egg” becomes her assigned Pandora Companion that will help each contender through the 4 phase epic race across jungle, dessert, ocean and mountain. After trailing her “helper” and then joining a group of other contenders, Tella fights to survive and make it through each leg of the race. She’s not the only one fighting for the cure an there can only be one winner. Will she she make it to the end?

A lot of people have been describing this book as a cross between The Hunger Games and the Amazon Race. I can see that, but I think that description limits the story. I think there’s more too it than that combination. Plus where I didn’t really like The Hungers Games (yes I know go ahead and yell at me, but I just didn’t), I really enjoyed this story. I think because this story was more believable to me. Collins didn’t set up the Dystopian world well enough for me to believe that what became of America would actually allow kids to hunt other kids (especially with how rich and egotistical the first & second districts seemed). However, Victoria Scott set up the believably of the race for me. There were no rules except to make it to base camp during each phase of the race. No one had to kill another contender–that was a personal choice. Plus all the contenders were different ages and not just kids or young people. I also got a conspiracy/blackmail feel from the history behind the race and those themes I can believe in especially with the sci-fi twist coming from the Pandora Companions.


Believablity aside, this story had great pacing and lots of action. I was drawn in and couldn’t stop reading. I wanted to see who’d make it, who’d turn against who, and what the Pandora Companions could do. I think the companions (which took on an animal form) were the best addition to this novel. Without their appearance in the novel, I don’t think this story would be half as good as I thought it was. Plus, Tella’s companion was just adorable!

Tella as a character wasn’t your usual survival heroin. She wasn’t a Katniss, but that’s why I like this story. Tella was actually a normal girl. She didn’t have fighter or survival skills. She complained about not looking good and being sacred and even double questioned her participation. However, she genuinely loved her brother and that was at the forefront of her actions. So maybe she wouldn’t have survived without help or without her Pandora Companion, but I like that anyone could survive this race. She also had a kind temperament and deep love for animals which I connected to. She was wanted to win, but she wasn’t overly competitive.

The secondary characters had some stereotypes, but it wasn’t the annoying type placed characters. They had some depth to them to and some surprising qualities I didn’t see coming. They also helped keep the plot moving and interesting. I began to root for them all, except well…the “bad guy” one. That antagonist I wanted to punch really hard.

On a happier note, let’s talk Tell’a love interest. Guy was the typical silent and strong type. You could tell right away that he’d be her love interest, but their relationship developed somewhat slowly. It was an unwanted friendship turned to a romance interest. I enjoyed his character and he definitely had some swoon qualities. He was her white knight for most of the book, but at the end Tella had grown as a character. She had gained strength that can only come from trying to survive (cue Arrow’s storyline! …well sort of :) ). Plus Guy has his own agenda. For most of the book I kept thinking well this going to be a Hunger Games ending where they both come out winners. Nope Scott threw me for a loop! There’s a bit more going on then just winning the cure. (And I’m shutting up now on that. No spoilers from me!)

What I loved most about the novel was Scott’s ability to keep up the suspense and continuing action. Being sucked in like that made me finish so fast. I can’t wait to read the next installment. The twist at the end makes me want to pick up book 2 that much more. Overall, I think Fire & Flood is definitely worth the read. If you’re Hunger Games fan, you might love this or you might hate this novel. It’s hard to say. Since I wasn’t overly attached to the Hunger Games series, I didn’t see any conflicting things with this novel. I loved the journey Scott to me on as a reader. I enjoyed biting my lip in anticipation of whether Tella was going to make or not. I was even starting to worry about the rest of her “circle.” Would the people she was traveling with make it too? The novel left me gulping down the pages and desperately seeking the answers and outcomes I wanted. I’m looking forward for the next book in the series!

*I received an e-book ARC of this novel via NetGalley and Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review. This has not influenced my opinion or thoughts on the review above*

[bookishzelda]

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!!

[lizarodz]

Wow, that was a wild ride! It is not secret that I love Scott’s Collector’s series (*waves at Dante*) and this new series is just as amazing, but in a very different way. I loved Fire & Flood!

Let me first start by telling you that this book can be best described as a mix between “The Hunger Games” (the ‘game’ part) and Pokemon. You’re probably shaking your head in confusion right about now, but have no fear, ‘cause I would never lead you astray. Let me explain a little bit more: There is a game being played with the ultimate prize, The Cure, and the Contenders can only be helped by their engineered animal companions. The plot, as you can see, it’s incredibly good. It is full of action, mystery, trilling adventure, and even romance. That’s why I couldn’t figure out what genre did it fall under (you might have noticed the question mark above.)

On to the characters. Tella is awesome! She’s completely ignorant (as most of the Contenders are) about what the heck is going on. Even though she is uncertain and afraid, she has compassion, loyalty, empathy and not only a desire to live, but to see his brother well. Her family tried to keep this from happening, but it seems there’s like a pact of silence going on. Being on Tella’s mind is a trip! She is snarky, cynical, and very girly; even if she can be that way during the Bleed.

Guy (appropriate name, right?), is good at survival and many other things, except talking that is. Gosh! It felt like talking to Guy was like talking to my oldest son, like forcing the words out with a spoon. BUT, when he does talk, you better listen. He became the default leader of an unlikely group of allies. Guy knows a lot more than anyone else, and thankfully he is sharing that knowledge with Tella. I can’t wait to see how Tella and Guy’s relationship develops next.

I won’t go over all the characters because it will take a while and you will know them soon enough, because I assume that this glorious recommendation will have you running to the store to buy the book. I will, however, tell you that there are a lot of them, good, and bad; crazy and sane; amazing and horrible. The bullies are atrocious, cruel and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of them.

The animals (called Pandoras), are so different. They intend to protect, defend and help their Contenders. The trick is that the Contenders don’t know what they can do or what they are capable off. You would think that would be it more fun, but indeed, it’s quite frustrating. Madox, I’m a big fan of yours! We have quite a diversity of animals and things they can do. Scott has a BIG imagination.

The writing, like always is easy to read, intense, funny and snarky. In summary: Fire & Flood is a trilling book full of awesomeness. I cannot wait for the second book and conclusion to this duology!

Some quotes for you:

“I lean my head back and reinspect my reflection, try to see things in a new light. With curls trimmed close to my head and a roguish green-and-blue feather dangling over my right shoulder, I decide I just might seem like someone who would enter a daring race – and win.”

“…It gets cooler at night, and for some reason, my skin is doing something funky that worsens in the evening…It freaks me out to no end, but I can’t tell what the issue is. I think maybe I’m allergic to walking this much.”

“Okay, I’m going to ask it”, Ransom says. “How much friggin’ farther do you think base camp is from here?”
“Forever,” Levi answers, one hand on his ram’s curled horn. “It’s forever from here. That’s what it feels like anyway.”


About the cover: I guess the title, Fire & Flood, mean the first two environments (desert and rain forest) in the race. The feather might be the one Tella wears on her hair, but is not the right color. The cover though, does little for me.

[violetpeanut]

This was an exciting mix of Survivor, The Amazing Race and The Hunger Games with some pretty cool animals thrown into the mix. I really enjoyed it.

[littleread1]

I really really really wanted to like this book. I was so excited, and a little jealous when a friend of mine got it early. The I got it early and I was pumped! Then ... I read it. And kept reading it. Hoping - no - PRAYING it would get better. And it just ... didn't.

Let me start with the things I liked. Because there were some. And because of those things I will probably read book 2 whenever it comes out. The race itself was interesting. Four different terrains over a course of months. All the racer is given is a Pandora (more on that in a minute) and sent on their way to find base camp by following a set of flags. Super fascinating. And the romance is a slow build, but still there, and I did enjoy it as well. Even though the guy's name IS Guy. His. Name. Is. Guy.

But Tella - the main character, is an idiot. IDIOT. When she gets her invitation to participate in the race for a possible cure for her brother, SHE TAKES THE RECORDING AS TRUTH AND TAKES OFF. There is NO set up, nothing alluded to, some things hinted at that at the end still don't make sense. And she doesn't tell anyone where she is going, or ask any questions. She just takes the message at it's word and just goes.

She gets where she is going, for the Pandora selection (still don't know what that is at this point) and finds the right room, without having directions, without looking around, and knows instinctively that this is the room where the Pandora selection is to take place and the things in here are Pandoras. WHAT?! HOW does she have this knowledge? Was there a sign she saw that we didn't? I just. No.

And once she gets to the actual race part - I'm sorry. I don't know how she didn't die? (Not a direct quote, but my interpretation of something that happened ...) "Oh my gosh, why did he have to see me covered in mud with my hair chopped off? Well I hope he remembers I was the pretty one before I looked like this." Please kill me now.

There were some several bad choices. BAD. And the "twists" I saw coming a mile away. The only thing that surprised me was how the race came into being. But even that didn't really make sense. And can someone tell me when this is taking place? Is it now? I assumed it to be now but there are some technologies that are far beyond what qwe have so maybe it is in the future?

And the end ... without spoiling anything it just ... ends. No cliffhanger, no resolution, it just ... ends. The race isn't even finished. There is not a giant revelation about life, or the people running it, or anything. IT JUST ENDS. Like the end of a chapter and then nothing else.

If you are familiar with ANY of my reviews, you will know it doesn't take much for me to like something. And this sounded like it was right up my alley. So the fact that there are so many things I don't like about Fire & Flood is painful to me. Painful. But I've heard many other people have loved it, so if you think you will, give it a try. You might like it. I just ... didn't.

[Ashley]

Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips

I loooooved Fire & Flood! Honestly, the main thing that pulled me into this book was the "animal companion" aspect. I've always been a crazy fan of things like The Wild Thornberries, Pokémon, and The Golden Compass—TV shows, movies, and books that have some kind of animal companion or "talking to animals" aspect. I just love it! It always makes me want to disappear into that universe and get an animal companion of my own. And Fire & Flood totally had a Pokémon vibe. I ADORED IT!! I want a freaking Pokémon.

So that was by far my favourite part of the story. All of the animals have different abilities and I loved slowly having them revealed!

The book is all about competing in this race across different ecosystems. And damn some of that shit was scary. There were parts of Fire & Flood that had me shaking with disgust. Honestly those parts mostly involved creepy crawlies. And leeches. OH GOD, THE LEECHES!!!!! I think I may have PTSD.

But another part that became scary was how some people were more competitive than others. Some had the "let's band together and help each other out" idea. But others had the "let's kill off the competition" idea. Eeks!

There is a romance in the story. It progresses very slowly over the course of the book. No insta-love! *fist pump* It could be sort of frustrating in that times, but just in that "Oh my god KISS ALREADY" way. But the love interest, Guy, was pretty hot. He was a total wilderness boy scout type, which made him extremely resourceful.. and that's sexy. He was also super mysterious, which could be a little annoying, but it wasn't that bad.

I was kind of hit and miss with Tella though. At first she seemed a bit annoying and stuck up, but I ignored it because I figured it would fade.. and it mostly did, but there were still flashes of her being annoying and materialistic. I just didn't think those parts were necessary and I wish they had been left out because I really wanted to like her all the time (instead of just half the time).

There's no place like Nordstrom, there's no place like Nordstrom.

(Okay, that quote actually did make me chuckle.)

I pray that the orange pack I'm wearing holds Chanel makeup. And a brush. And a mirror.

Really? How about supplies to help you survive?

I have not a spot of makeup on my face.

Everyone looks like shit. No one cares how you look; you're in a race that could cost you your life.

For a moment, I imagine winning the Cure for Cody. On the one hand, after he's better, I could be all quiet-hero and never mention how difficult the race was. People will talk behind my back and say, She's so brave. She never even brings it up, but we know it must have been terrible. That Tella, she's amazing.
On the other hand, I could go for martyr-who-will-never-let-it-go. I could shove it in Cody's face every chance I got. I'd be like, Hey, Cody, enjoying that doughnut? You wouldn't be if I hadn't saved your ass. And, Hey, Cody, nice wedding you're having here. You know what you'd be doing today if I hadn't saved you? Not getting married.

Maybe those are kind of small things, but every time they came up I was just like, Really? Is that necessary? Because other than those little, "OMG I'M NOT WEARING MAKEUP THIS IS HORRIBLE!" snippets, Tella could actually be quite cool. I love how she was so into the animal companions (like I would be!) and really cared for hers. And she kind of just wanted to be friends with all the other competitors, which is probably how I'd be too! Haha.

Overall I really enjoyed this book! THE ANIMALS! SO FREAKING CUTE! OH MYGOD!! But also it was exciting and creepy (THE FUCKING LEECHES!!) and even a bit romantic. I definitely can't wait to read the second book!