Salt & Stone (Fire & Flood, #2)

by Victoria Scott

[Angie]

4.5★

Salt & Stone is a pretty darn great sequel, but it didn't quite measure up to Fire & Flood. Almost though. It picks up immediately where the first book left off. Tella is safely at the rest camp after the second leg of the race. After a week of rejuvenation, it's time to find out where they'll be going next. Tella and the rest of the remaining contenders wake up on a ship in the middle of the ocean, and as always, they have two weeks to reach base camp, or die trying. At this point, Tella and the rest of her group have a plan, and that plan is is going to be tested as they brave the raging ocean. Then after that, the snow covered mountains.

Salt & Stone had the possibility to fall into the repetitive trap simply based on the nature of the plot. Thankfully, it didn't! Of course, the set up remains the same: people thrown into harsh conditions and must survive, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and then do it again somewhere else. But each ecosystem brings its own challenges, both physical and mental. Tella has grown use to working as part of a group, but she's also constantly reminding herself that this is a race and she must be able to think about what's best for her too.

I really liked how Tella has grown and changed since the first book. There are times where the girl who packed purple nail polish for the race comes out to say hi, but for the most part, she's an all new Tella. However, she hasn't let the race steal her humanity or sanity. She's still the one who tries to find a way to help others and their Pandoras instead of just herself. Of course, she knows at the end, it's everyone for themselves, but it's mutually beneficial to stick together until that point. I can't even tell you how many times these people would have died if not for one of their team mates or their trusty animal companion.

Speaking of the animals, the Pandoras continue to be my favorite part of this series! Madox is even more adorable than ever, and there were a few times when I wanted to cry because of what was happening to him. Then there were other times where I had to laugh out loud, because that little fox has a huge personality! We're introduced to some other fun animals, and get to learn more about the ones we've already met. However, there were two chapters I had to skip, because I just couldn't handle it. I understand why they were there, but it's just not what I want to read.

Salt & Stone was really great! But that ending! What?! Why?! Did he really?! But that can't mean what I think it means?! Poor Tella! But now that the race is over, I wonder what's going to happen in the next book. I worry it's going to turn into the typical trying to take down the system type of Dystopian. I mean, I know that's kind of what it's been building to, but the race gave it this extra excitement. I just hope the author works her magic and makes the finale stand out!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.