#Monday 09/21 Review - Firewalker by Josephine Angelini (Young Adult, Fantasy)

Series: The Worldwalker Trilogy # 2
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages 
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy.

"You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified."

Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good.

Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves.

Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini! 

“Haven’t you learned yet? Someone has to be the villain so everyone else can stay alive.”

Firewalker is the second installment in the Worldwalker Trilogy. If you haven't read Trial by Fire yet, please stop, or continue only if you don't care that there might be slight spoilers in this review. At the end of Trial of Fire, 17-year old Lily Proctor and her lead mechanic, Rowan Fall, jumped back to Lily's world. In the process, Lily arrives back home in pretty bad shape with burns all over her body. One could say that the first third of this book was the slowest since it was mostly spent with Lily recovering, and spending a whole lot of time in Lillian's memories. 

It also doesn't help that Lily, who disappeared for several months without a trace, has the FBI involved in trying to find out where she was all this time and has everyone under scrutiny, including her parents. But, there are several positives. First, her mother Samantha isn't bat shit crazy as previously thought. She really IS seeing what she's seeing. Second, her relationship with her older sister Juliet actually grows after spending time with Lillian's Juliet.  

While Lily is reconnecting with friends like Stuart "Breakfast" Doyle, Una Stone, and Tristen, who will shortly become part of her coven along with Juliet and Rowan, Rowan is teaching them how to be a witches mechanic. On the flip side, Lillian refuses to leave Lily alone. In fact, Lillian takes Lily on a personal journey from the time she was a leader who was all about Social Justice, to becoming someone who goes after scientists with a vengeance. I have to say that I didn't actually mind Lillian's flashbacks nor do I blame her for what she set out to accomplish. 

I liked learning about what turned her around so much that she decided to change her entire philosophy. I dare say that her choices made a whole lot of sense once you realize how awful the fire worlds where that Lillian traveled to, and the possibilities of that happening to her own world or Lily's are unimaginable. Readers should know that the next third of the story is spent returning to Lillian's reality. This time, Lily has Rowan, Tristen, Breakfast and Una along for the ride, while reunited with Caleb, Tristen2, and Juliet2.

As Lily's group returns to Lillian's reality, there are a whole lot of secrets, mistrusts, betrayals, and a journey across no man's land that is fraught with danger, and some mind blowing characters that make up the Woven (The Pack and The Hive). This is a brutal trip and there will be some instances where readers will have some emotional feelings about the loss of certain characters. What's worse is that Angelini leaves readers in a state of suspended animation with yet another back breaking cliffhanger.

The third book in the trilogy is called Traitor's Pyre, and will release September, 2016. 

 **I received this book for free from (Publisher) in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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