Trial By Fire

Trial By Fire
The Worldwalker Trilogy Book One
Written by Josephine Angelini
Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic
Published September 1st 2014
384 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
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★★★★
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 cruelest 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 savior of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?
Lily has never felt quite herself. Since developing life threatening allergies, Lily understands that she'll never experience life without abandon. Caring for her mother who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, Lily experiences moments of elevated body temperature in a rare disorder that still remains undiagnosed. When an incident leaves Lily heartbroken, she fears the whispers may be a manifestation of schizophrenia and following in her mother's footsteps. But the whispers aren't a figment of her imagination as she wakes in Salem, summoned by the Lady of Salem despite her feeble health and spirit.

In her own world, Lily is a frail and pallid girl but now Lily is tenacious and capable, although desperate to return to her mother. Lily has been brought to this world by the Lady of Salem, Lillian is more than her namesake, she's conquered towns, villages and governs Salem with malice and cruelty and expects Lily to carry on her legacy.

In a world fuelled by Lillian, Lily joins forces with Rowan, Lillian's former Mechanic and the love who once shared her bed. Rowan is out for revenge and reluctantly offers to cultivate Lily's power and avenge the deaths of his community, the Outlanders who are at the mercy of Lillian's genocide.

My Thoughts

Trial By Fire was a wonderful blend of fantasy with the element of atmospheric interdimensional travel, driven by an intense romance and the plight of one girl to save a world that is not her own. Lily was a sickly child, often hospitalised with severe allergies and a constant fever in which she was ostracised by her peers. All except Tristan. For Lily, their friendship consists of watching Tristan's female conquests while seeing her peers enjoy the life Lily so desperately covets. Until the parameters of their friendship begin to change and will leave Lily grief stricken.

Tristan was little more than a pretentious womaniser while his friendship with Lily felt dubious and unrealistic. Lily may not have shared the quintessential teen experience but she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and refused to allow Tristan to hurt her again.

Lily's heartbreak is palpable as Lillian summons the teen to her realm in an archival Salem, a world where the brutal monarch decrees the Thirteen Cities whilst looking for an heir to her empire. In Lillian's world, Lily is no longer a delicate girl, but infused with a power to rival her namesake. Leaving behind her sister and ailing mother, Lily is desperate to return home believing Lillian's world is merely a hallucination. She's frightened but refused to accept the gravity of the situation until she stumbles across Rowan.

Rowan exudes power. Lillian's former mechanic feels an attraction to Lily as he watches her stumble through the city streets, believing she is his Lillian. With animosity flowing through his veins, it soon becomes apparent that Lily is her own and not the Monarch that had sent his father to death. Rowan is the only character who is not apparent in both worlds, he is an original and perhaps why both Lillian and Lily are drawn to his prowess.

Rowan is a Native American who's Outlander community faces decimation, both from the engineered monsters known as the Woven and Lillian's genocide. Lily is no ordinary girl, she's a Witch yet to realise her own destiny and the reason why Lillian summoned her to her barren world. With Rowan's guidance, Lily begins to discover her artistry and emerges as a potential source to confront Lillian and end her reign over the Thirteen Cities. The chemistry between Rowan and Lily smoulders but learning his history with Lillian, the romance felt as though Lily was merely a substitute for the Lillian Rowan had once fallen in love with. Lily struggles with her feelings for Rowan, still in love with Tristan believing her feelings for her former best friend being unrequited. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, the romance was awkward and dubious at best.

The world building was incredibly vivid, I loved the landscape of Lillian's world and the comparisons between both dimensions of Salem. I enjoyed Lily's character development from a sickly and bland girl who most likely would have been an isolated adult driven by the responsibility of caring for her mentally ill mother, to the strong and determined young woman who was torn between her family and becoming the conductor who was entrusted to contend with the ever increasing hostile Lillian.

Josephine Angelini is a wonderful storyteller who is able to immerse and engage readers. Although the romance was loathsome at times, Lily's character development and the vivid world building will leave readers enthralled until the final page. One of the few traditional paranormal romances I've thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended.

32 comments

  1. Oh! I love story with good character development. :D thank you Kelly :D

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    1. I really hope you enjoy this one too Hana, would love to see what you think of it.

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed it! I read this earlier this year, and didn't really enjoyed it. The romance played quite a big part in this book, and I just didn't like it. Some explanations in this book also a bit too science-y for me :D This is a really detailed review Kelly!

    Tasya // The Literary Huntress

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    1. Thanks Tasya and I know what you mean. I loved the storyline, but the romance felt incredibly awkward, especially seeing Rowan was in love with Lillian and then Lily. It felt like he couldn't have one, so settled for the other.

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  3. I've heard good things about this book and it's on my Kindle for some reason I still haven't read it and I wish I could say why. Your review is reminding what an error on my part that is. This sounds really interesting, Angelini's writing is good and I want to read this one. It's annoying the romance felt forced with Lily almost seeming like a placeholder in a romance she shouldn't have been part of and then being in love with an undeserving best friend. It all sounds a bit ridiculous, but a bad romance can't ruin a good book.

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    1. My thoughts exactly Becky. While I didn't enjoy the romance, the storyline overall was really engaging and I binged read the entire series in a matter of days. I'd love to see what you think of it.

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  4. I was wondering why the plot sounded familiar. I didn't realize this was a re-title. It sounded good right up to your mention of the loathsome romance. Ugh. Way to ruin the experience!

    Great review, Kelley!

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    1. Sadly, the romance plays a big part in the storyline but the storyline itself was so incredibly entertaining. They're nice, quick reads too Joy.

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  5. I do want to read more books that deal with witches, and anything that mentions Salem immediately has my attention. Thanks for sharing! This one sounds like it was really well done. :)

    -Lauren

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    1. It was so superbly entertaining Lauren, and nice quick reads too. Would love to see what you make out of the romance.

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  6. I thought this sounded familiar. I checked on Goodreads and saw the other cover I'm used to. I've had it on my wishlist for awhile and forgot about it. Now I remember why I wanted to read it.

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    1. I love the new covers Christy, they're really eye catching and do the series justice now. Such an entertaining and fun series with lots of heart.

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  7. I haven't heard of this one before. Great review.

    Karen @For What It's Worth

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    1. Thanks Karen, would love to see what you think of it.

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  8. Great review! I really want to read this!

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    1. Thanks Mia. It was such a wonderfully entertaining read and a great series to binge over the weekend too!

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  9. I completely agree Kelly. This was a really entertaining book, but I just wished the romance was a bit less central to the plot. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! <3

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    1. Same Zoe. Have you read book two? The romance isn't overwhelming or the finale either. A series that really improves with each installment.

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  10. I like the sound of the plot :-) just a shame it sounds like the romance is cringe worthy in parts :-( Never the less, it's added to my TBR - I can always count on you to keep bumping up my to read list, thanks Kelly.

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    1. The romance is the only reason I had issues with this one Sarah, without it it would have been impeccable. It's been so long since I've read a series that's purely entertainment and this was a great read.

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  11. The bits about the romance suck, but goodness the rest of this sounds amazingly good! Two versions of the same girl seems like a great opportunity for some good meaty character stuff too? Great review!

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    1. Thanks Verushka, it really was. Even the world building was wonderful and apart from the romance, I really enjoyed it. I breezed through the series, lovely quick reads that are highly entertaining.

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  12. So I read this absolutely AGES AGO and I have like no remembrance of it. XD But I gave it 4-stars??! So apparently I really enjoyed it *nods* And I remember being really pleased Lily had allergies because that's such an underrepresented thing in books. Like, seriously, omg allergies are the bane of humanity. If someone wanted to take over the world, they should just flap dust in everyone's faces. #winning Ahemmmm. ANYWAY! I'm so glad this was a good read for you. :D

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    1. I can't actually remember any other young adult characters who actually suffer from allergies. None. Either books are not taking place in Spring when we're all snivelling snotbags or characters have become that perfect that they have no need for sneezing.

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  13. A book with an amazing world building sounds like my thing! And I think I'm gonna love Lilly she's so badass and her character builds throughout the novel so that sounds beyond hot! 😍
    Haniya
    booknauthors.blogspot.com

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    1. I think you'll absolutely love this one Haniya, it's such a great read and lots of romance too, even if it feels a bit awkward at times. Would love to see what you think of it.

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  14. I am someone that invest a lot in the romance of every book so I think I might pass on this one - even though the world building sounds amazing. Thank you for the balanced review, Kells <3

    -- Aentee at Read at Midnight

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    1. The romance might turn off a lot of readers, as I struggled with it myself. But so happy to report that the focus in both books two and three, the focus on the romance shifts and it becomes more character driven. Such a wonderfully entertaining series if you can move pass the initial romance.

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  15. I've been eyeing this story forever because it always seems to be on Book Outlet. And I'm actually pretty interested, more interested from reading your review! Though I'm not exactly sure how I will take the romance. I've been reading too many books that don't have great romances, so I need to get to a good one some day hahah.

    Awesome review Kelly! I missed them!

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    1. Aww, thank you lovely girl. Just getting back into the swing of things again and have a billion reviews to write.

      If it's out cheap, it's definitely worth grabbing a copy. It's really entertaining, even though the romance is a bit overwhelming at first. But the characters and world building more than make up for the romance. I loved the science fiction elements, really well written and easy to follow too.

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  16. Yeah, the romance was too pronounced in this series for me, although I enjoyed the unique alternate reality and magic vs science aspects in this book. I did like Lily's transformation but I wasn't much a fan of the next book. Great review Kelly!

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  17. Sorry happy you enjoyed this one, the audiobook was realy good too!

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