Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Trial by Fire (Worldwalker Trilogy, #1)

by Josephine Angelini

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and 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 cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

Trial by Fire is a sensational, page-turning adventure from the bestselling author of Starcrossed, Josephine Angelini.

Reviewed by jesstheaudiobookworm on

3 of 5 stars

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3.5
It really bums me out that this book was just "okay" for me overall since it started out so well! Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed series is one of my favorites and I think this book could have been too if it hadn't taken such a drastic (in my opinion) genre turn. It seems like it started out as a scifi/paranormal story (alternate universe), which I was really into, and then took a sharp turn into what ended up being basic fantasy to me (nothing extraordinary). I was hoping there would be more similarities between the two worlds so the reader could compare and contrast, but instead it seemed like Angelini only marketed this book as AU to attract readers when all she really wanted to do was write high fantasy. I was really bored with the "other Salem" which translates into being bored with 75% of the book. I kept hoping it would returned to the original setting, but apparently that's only happening in the sequel, which I may or may not get to (probably won't anytime soon).

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 29 October, 2015: Finished reading
  • 29 October, 2015: Reviewed