Wildefire

This review is also on my blog at: http://abnormallyparanormal.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-wildefire-by-karsten-kni...

Wildefire is a pretty wild(e) ride—a great story replete with everything you need to have a satisfying read. The world-building feels complete, the characters are well-developed and interesting, the plot has enough going for it to keep it moving along at a good pace, and it manages to shock you a bit here and there—not to mention the megawatt shock of the cliffhangery, plot-twisting conclusion! Whoa… Didn't see that coming.

Ashline Wilde is a Polynesian teenager who was adopted by white Jewish New Yorkers at a young age along with her older sister, Eve. Both of these young ladies are temperamental to say the least, show more but Ash is inclined towards remorse and guilt in a way that seems to evade Eve. Eve does something so severe to show her love for Ash, it only makes Ash terrified of her, and Ash ends up transferring to a private high school in Northern California just to escape the trauma. Eve is constantly on the run, popping in and out of Ash's life like a ghost she can't fully escape.

Ash ends up meeting other kids with abilities like herself at her new school, which sounds implausible, but the way it's written is completely believable. They all find they have a 'Professor X,' if you will, a ring leader who understands their purpose better than they do, individually, and Ash is informed that she and her unusual friends are all reincarnated gods and goddesses of myth and folklore from all over the world. Pretty darn cool if you ask me.

The complication arises from, who else but Eve, the unscrupulous older sister who reminds me of an evil Kim Kardashian—always beautiful, glamorous, and a total diva. She's a fun character who actually does seem genuinely interested in turning Ash to the dark side so they can be together, but Ash will have none of that. She just wants to be as normal a teenager as possible, sans the crazy sister, and this seems to be the prevailing sentiment with most of her gang of supernatural friends.

But, Ash realizes she needs to watch out for the quiet ones, the friends who don't stand out, nor seem suspicious. She needs to remember this because it's those people who will turn on her, providing a good amount of the shock factor in the story. Of course, I won't spoil who any of these traitorous people are, or who really is just playing the part of a friend to her. You'll just have to read it to find out for yourself.

Some of the most enjoyable aspects of the novel are, for one, the very funny narrative voice, which doesn't surprise me, since I've been watching Karsten Knight's vlogs since a year before this book was published. He's hysterical and I was very happy to find the story written with his delectable sense of humor. The other aspect I love is the origin story of the universe and the concept of The Cloak. They are very odd, mysterious beings that Ash encounters a few frightening times, and I still don't know what to make of them. Good? Bad? Neutral? I just don't know yet, but I look forward to finding out in future installments. show less

Despite what all the negative reviews say about the opener to this book, I loved it! Who doesn’t love a good girl smack down?!

In Wildefire, we follow Ashline from her home in upstate New York to Northern California. After witnessing her sister, Eve, electrocute a classmate Ashline decides it’s time to get as far away from home and her sister as possible. At her new school Ashline is drawn to a group of students by weird events. As the story unfolds, we learn what these students have in common with each other and how they all ended up at the same small boarding school...

For Ashline, the drama never seems to end. The sister she tried so hard to get away from keeps showing up and screwing with her school life. Plus she has to deal with show more the daily school/boy drama. Not to mention the creepy weird monsters in the forest.

I liked the Knight’s take on mythology. I don’t know much about Polynesian mythology, but after reading this book I so want to go out and learn more! I am very picky about the way authors treat mythology and I thought Knight did a great job.

I absolutely loved and hated how this book ended! I loved it because Knight wrote a totally awesome cliffhanger making me want to read the next book. I hated it because I am now dying to read a book that is not out yet and won’t be out for some time!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and am salivating at the chance to read Embers & Echoes! show less

Things aren’t going so well for Ashline Wilde. Her boyfriend cheated on her, the girl he cheated with is now dead and Ashline’s estranged sister, Eve is to blame. After all this goes down, Ash transfers to a boarding school deep in the California redwoods, hoping to put it all behind her. Things seem to be going well, until she and four other school mates witness an attempted kidnapping. The events that follow completely turn Ash’s world upside down. See, she’s a reincarnated Polynesian volcano goddess, and people are looking for her and the five other reincarnated gods that also attend her school. To make matters worse she somehow managed to burn her new park ranger/college boyfriend during a makeout session, and her show more storm-brewing sister just popped up, ready to raise hell again.

Karsten Knight’s Wildefire is a perfectly paced, action-packed thrill-ride that I couldn’t put down. Let me point out that while the teens in the book all have powers because they are reincarnated gods and godesses, I couldn’t help but be reminded a little of the X-Men (which is in no way a bad thing). I love me some super heroes, especially a group of super heroes banding together in all kinds of kick assedness. Though Knight takes you through the expected (and necessary set-up), I never felt like there was too much backstory. The dialogue is snappy, witty and realistic, the action is vividly written and the characters are believable (and ethnically diverse). Everything was expertly paced, and the ending will smack you upside the head like one of Eve’s lightening bolts. This is a fun, exciting read that anyone who likes action/adventure, mythology and a little romance will thoroughly enjoy.

(Review based on an early review copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster GalleyGrab) show less

Summary: Ashline Wilde has never quite fit in. She's adopted, she's the only Polynesian girl in her suburban NYC school, and her older sister Eve is unpredictable, violent, and destructive... or at least she was before she skipped town. When Eve comes back, she causes enough havoc that Ashline is forced to change schools: she enrolls at an elite private boarding school located in the northern California forest. Life seems to be better at Blackwood Academy: Ash is a star tennis player, she gets to flirt with the cute young local forest ranger, and she's even making friends. But it turns out that some of her classmates are more than they appear, and that Ash might be one of them... and that they're not as safe at Blackwood as they might show more think.

Review: This book has a great premise: kind of American Gods for the teenage set; narrower in scope but with the gods' power amped up, and set at a boarding school. And we all know how I feel about boarding schools, not to mention world mythology and gods interacting with mortals. So, this book had a lot going for it, and in some ways it lived up to that potential, but it also had a few major flaws. First off, it's got an extremely slow start: Ashline doesn't realize what she is until almost halfway through, and she doesn't realize who she is until 3/4th of the way through... two facts that are both given away to the reader by the back cover copy. I also didn't really connect with the characters; Ashline seems sort of brash and blustery throughout, and she effectively kept me at arm's distance, which is not what you want in a protagonist.

But my biggest problem was the writing. I didn't notice it at first. When you're reading fast, it's easy to gloss over some of the oddities of Knight's prose, and early on in the book, I was reading fast: it's big type, geared for YA, and I was excited to get to the meat of the story. What I noticed first was that some of the dialogue didn't sound quite like real people talk... not overtly wrong, just a little off. When I slowed down, however, I realized that it wasn't just the dialogue - it was the prose, too. There are just enough odd word choices, strange phrasings, and minor factual inaccuracies that I couldn't read it without wondering about the editing process. For example, talking about the "tar blackness" of the forest, two people who had never "demonstrated much like for each other", or a single person that "flocked to" a light - those and many other similar turns of phrase just didn't sit right in my ear, and at times majorly distracted me from the story.

The good news is that in the back half of the book, once the plot really gets its legs under it and takes off, the writing stopped being nearly so distracting. Whether it actually improved, or whether I just stopped noticing because I was (once again) reading quickly, I couldn't say, but by then I was so caught up in the story that I didn't much care. Knight throws some really effective curveballs at the reader along the way; a few of which I saw coming (because I knew the mythology), and a few of which caught me completely by surprise... including one on the last page that was a game-changer, and a good enough hook that I'll almost certainly be reading the sequel, despite the issues I had with the prose. 3 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Tough one. It's got too many issues to recommend putting it at the top of your list, but if you like world mythology, the story's good enough to be worth giving it a shot. show less

Wildefire is a great debut and the beginning of a new series that I have really high hopes for. I was drawn into this story and fascinated by it's characters from the beginning. This first book really concentrates on letting us get to know Ash and her new friends at school. The thick of the action doesn't really start up until the last half of the book---you literally don't even get into Ash discovering which goddess she is until very near the end. As it goes with some series, the first book is all about introduction and building the story. If I didn't know it was a series, I might have been disappointed---but the stage has been set, I know the juicy bits are coming! And just the story of Ash and her friends discovering their powers, show more Ash dealing with her scary sister (understatement!), of course, a little romance on the side, was enough to keep me intrigued through this first installment.

Not in a long time have I come across a villain that was so easy to hate. Eve was diabolical, heartless, and violent from the very beginning---and it made it even worse that she was Ash's sister. In the few instances that are put in try to give the reader pause on whether she really is as evil as she seems, I just kept thinking she was faking it, that she was reeling Ash in just to bite her head off again. There is some really heavy violence in this one, from all sides, so be prepared!
The dialogue in this book is so funny. Everything that comes out of Ash's mouth, and most of her friends' mouths, for that matter is dripping with sarcasm and witty comebacks. However, there were, at times, SO much sarcasm that it felt a little overdone and forced. After all, I don't think anyone can realistically be ready with the perfect zingers all the time. Still, it was hilarious and entertaining to read.

The ending is heart-stopping! If I had any doubt about how much I enjoyed this one, the ending blew that all away. My reaction was literally this: "What??? NOOOO!"

After that, all I could think was getting to the next book in this series! show less

Oh, how do I describe this book without giving anything away? The first thing that pops into my mind is the word epic. That's truly what this book is. As soon as I opened Wildefire and started to read, I remembered why I love books so much. Karsten Knight has written a gem. It will draw you in, and dig its claws into you until the very end. Best part? You'll love every minute of it.

Ashline and her sister Eve are the best example of sisters at odds that I have ever seen. There is so much depth to their characters. The reader is treated to seeing the delicate balance that lies between these two. Ashline's love for her sister is truly apparent, as is Eve's, however they also ooze tension in their interactions. The inner battle between show more these two feelings is palpable and delicious. Can feelings be delicious? I think so. When you can drink them off the page because they are so strong, yes, I'd say so. Mixed in with all of this are the petty, and violent moods of goddesses. This I appreciated so much! Ah, to be a god.

Lest you think that this whole book revolves around these two (which I would completely be okay with) I'll assure you that you will also be treated to other reincarnated gods as well! From the typical surfer boy character, down to the tall, dark and handsome character, each one of Ashline's entourage has a vivid and unique personality! I fell in love with every single one of them. Each of these characters brings something unique to the table, and Ashline flourishes with their friendship. I'm going to have to admit that she kind of stole the show for me though. Ashline is amazing!

Story wise, Wildefire is executed perfectly. The book is written in third-person, which I usually tend to shy away from. However being in Ashline's head was never once uncomfortable or awkward. Quite the opposite actually! I enjoyed seeing her inner thoughts and memories so much that I honestly didn't notice the third-person aspect for most of the book. It was as though once I was in her head, nothing else mattered. All that my own mind was concentrated on was what Ashline would do next. This girl is damaged to be sure, but her ability to take that and turn it into perseverance and fantastically witty sarcasm made me bond with her.

The ending is a killer cliffhanger. I'll warn you now. Most of the overall story is wrapped up and I honestly didn't see the very end coming at all. When I got to the last page, my jaw dropped open and I seriously momentarily debated on throwing the book against the wall. Not because I didn't love it! Rather I am now completely frustrated that I will now have to wait to see what happens next. Knight has my heart as a reader. It's true!

I'll end here because if I gush anymore you might all drown in my love for this book. Fresh, fun and unique, Wildefire is an epic ride! If you haven't yet added this to your reading list you need to do it now. Seriously. Once again I'll state that this book reminded me why I love reading in the first place. A great storyline, vivid characters, and so many twists that your draw will drop. That's what you'll find in Wildefire. I want more. show less

Hmm. I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give this.

On the one hand: What a relief to have a strong main female character no one would describe as "feisty." Ever notice that only harmless creatures are described as feisty? Lions are not feisty unless they're cubs. Ditto bears. Men are *never* feisty. Women and girls? Feisty all the time.

STOP it. If a woman's tough, strong, angry, determined, stubborn, or just plain enjoys kicking ass for the mere sake of it, say so.

There are a lot of not-feisty women in Wildefire. At least two of them think that kicking ass is a fine way to pass a dull afternoon. Several others don't enjoy the task in and of itself, but are quite able to do so when it's called for. Their various supernatural show more talents are creatively developed.

Okay, and then there's the blind girl. Look, I'm not even blind and *I'm* sick of blind girls who are beautiful and have mystical psychic powers. Oh, and musical talents. Seriously. Can we please have an irritable, non-blonde, cute but not gorgeous blind girl *with short hair* who can't carry a note in a bucket and has, I don't know, ninja skills or something?

Also: there is now an official moratorium on really really skinny girls who can eat anything and/or all the time and Never. Gain. Weight!

Back to the story. This book was a fun, lively read. There was a little too much smirking and a few too many adverbs, but I can live with that. It did bother me that the writer seems more worried at times about creating interesting writing rather than writing an interesting story. "Ignoring the first yawn of soreness in her legs from the morning's workout" is a great phrase. "The rain died to a whimper" isn't. It stops the reader cold. "Wait -- rain doesn't whimper! Does it? Sure, whimpering's quiet; but a whimper is a whiny little noise. Rain can settle down to a hush, but there's nothing hushed about whimpering." (opens up laptop and crowdsources the question to 512 Facebook friends: "Have you ever heard rain whimpering? Click 'like' if you have. Comment 'huh???' if you haven't.") And boom, you've lost your reader because you wanted your words to be exciting. It's the *story* that should excite. Excellent phrases are just a bonus. The Hunger Games trilogy encompasses some of the least-quotable prose in history, and it's a killer read.

On the other hand, there was a *lot* of action in this story, and some genuinely surprising surprises. I loved the fight scenes and the creepy supernatural elements. (And the not-so-creepy supernatural elements.) So full three stars for that.

But I considered dropping that to a two-star "It was okay" because the book had one of those not-quite-endings that are becoming all too common.

Agents and publishers love a first book with "series potential." That's fine. So do readers.

Please notice, though, that the word is "potential."

Where is the reader who really *wants* to finish hundreds of pages and then be told, "I hope you don't mind waiting several months to a year to have all the questions I brought up here answered. I'm worried you won't love me if I give you a full, satisfying story now, so -- see ya!"

The first Hunger Games book really could have stood on its own. The first two Gallagher Girls' books certainly could have -- maybe even the first three. Vampire High was awesome all on its own, and then, hey, look! A sequel! More fun! Weetzie Bat is great and then you read Witch Baby and that's fantastic, too.

There's a difference between series *potential* and insisting that readers had better be prepared to commit to several volumes or live in disappointment -- and not telling them that in so many words, but letting them figure it out on their own on the last page. From now on, publishers have to put a warning label on first books that don't actually end. A cliffhanger in the second or third volume is okay, because the reader has clearly and voluntarily decided to come along for the whole ride. But first books? Tell me everything or get out of my library. show less