Trial by Fire - Josephine Angelini

Trial by Fire
By: Josephine Angelini
Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy
Hardcover: 374 pages
Published: September 2, 2014
By: Feiwel & Friends
Rated: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

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.

I forgot how great an author Miss Josephine Angelini really is. I fell in love with her Starcrossed Series, but I haven't read anything from her since. This book was wonderful in all of the ways that count. The world building was phenomenal, especially the alternate worlds where witchcraft is more accepted than science. The alternate world that Lily finds herself in is so backwards in their views, yet the perfect mixture of modern and old world. I felt connected to Lily almost instantly; after reading only the synopsis, I had a haunting inclination that she would be one of those whiny protagonists that are full of self pity. That was not the case at all, thankfully. Lily is a strong, stubborn female character. Tristan's character is more complex, and I thought at the beginning of the story that he would be much more than he turned out to be. I wasn't a big fan of him, but his friendship with Lily always came first, and for that, I don't completely despise him. And then there is Rowan. Sigh. Rowan is my book boyfriend for the week..(: He is a strong character, willing to sacrifice himself and everything he loves to keep Lily safe. This story really did hook me from the beginning and I put off sleep far longer than I should have to read one more chapter. I'm sure all of my readers know exactly what I mean when I say that. The plot line is rather twisted, and there were more than a few surprises thrown in. The underlying meaning behind the story is also something that is important to me. It is not just a tale of witchcraft and alternate worlds, there is a point behind the story that shines through and I found myself falling in love with Miss Angelini's writing style more and more as the story progressed. I recommend this read to everyone and anyone- definitely one of my favorites of the year!

“The people who love you will guide you like bright lights into the other worlds.” -Josephine Angelini

"She didn't have many options. She could pretend to be Lillian and try to escape later, or tell the truth and hope they would let her go. If they knew she wasn't the girl they all seemed to hate, then maybe they would realize that they had no reason to keep her locked up in the first place. 'I'm not Lillian. Please, you have to believe me', Lily begged. She heard Rowan make a scoffing noise and desperately raised her voice to be heard over him. 'I'm a version of Lillian'."- Josephine Angelini

Connect with Josephine Angelini: JosephineAngelini.com; Twitter; Goodreads

Tags: Josephine Angelini, witches, paranormal urban fantasy, book reviews