Blog Tour / Book Review

Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez | Ultimate Blog Tour

Lies Like Wildfire
Author: Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
Pages: 384
Genre: YA | Mystery | Thriller
Publication Date: September 9th 2021

Buy the Book (affiliate link): Amazon UK

Happy Friday everyone! Today is my stop on The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour for Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez. This is a bit of a different mystery/thriller than what I’m used to but I still really enjoyed it and loved how much I got into reading it. I think this is my last blog tour for a while but don’t worry, I have a bunch of book reviews that need writing and posting. So keep an eye out!

Thank you The Write Reads, the publisher and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review and a spot on the blog tour.


Goodreads Synopsis

An intense high-stakes story about five friends and the deadly secret that could send their lives up in flames, perfect for fans of Karen McManus and E. Lockhart.

In Gap Mountain, California, everyone knows about fire season. And no one is more vigilant than 18-year-old Hannah Warner, the sheriff’s daughter and aspiring FBI agent. That is until this summer. When Hannah and her best friends accidentally spark an enormous and deadly wildfire, their instinct is to lie to the police and the fire investigators.

But as the blaze roars through their rural town and towards Yosemite National Park, Hannah’s friends begin to crack and she finds herself going to extreme lengths to protect their secret. Because sometimes good people do bad things. And if there’s one thing people hate, it’s liars.


My Review

Lies Like Wildfires is a very fast-paced thriller full of mystery and outright catastrophe. We are thrown straight into the action when Hannah and her group of friends, nicknamed The Monsters, accidentally start a wildfire in the California woods. All they wanted was to spend their last summer together hanging out and making memories before going their separate ways but what started out as a little fun in the woods, quickly turns into a raging wildfire, leaving nothing but chaos and destruction in its path.

This book really emphasises how out of control small fires can get in areas that are prone to wildfires and it really made me scared for the town of Gap Mountain. The description of the fire and the carnage it left behind was truly terrifying and created an atmosphere that was very realistic. I could imagine the burning buildings, the ashy air and the terror that the evacuees must have been feeling, it made it incredibly hard to put down and just made me want to read on.

Since the whole book is based on lies that just get too out of control, it does make you dislike the characters but I don’t know if this was purposefully done by the author. How are you meant to root for characters that have started a wildfire and created so much devastation to their friends, family and neighbours? I was sat on the edge of my seat wondering if Hannah and her friends would get caught and I actually kind of wanted them to. I did start to feel sorry for the monsters at some points because the will to protect each other is so strong and you can tell they do care a lot about each other. Sometimes it is just shown in the wrong way. Despite all this, it is still a brilliant and thrilling story.

Overall, Lies Like Wildfires is a very enjoyable read that will leave you shocked by all the mayhem and havoc that occurs. With shocking twists and loads of tension, you won’t be able to put the book down as long as you don’t mind a few unlikeable characters!

Rating: 4/5

Rating: 4 out of 5.

About the Author

I received my B.A. in English from the University of California at Berkeley. I’m fascinated by underdogs and power dynamics between groups of people. 

I’m the author of LIES LIKE WILDFIRE, a teen thriller soon-to-be-published by Delacorte Press, and two middle-grade book series, each published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, THE GUARDIAN HERD (a quartet) and RIDERS OF THE REALM (a trilogy). Before this, I self-published a middle-grade fantasy called THE PET WASHER. 

When I’m not writing, you’ll find me galloping my little black mare through the foothills of Sonoma County or teaching free creative writing workshops to kids and adults at various branches of our local library system. 

The Healdsburg Literary Guild selected me as their 2019/2020 Literary Laureate for my work in building literacy in my community. It is an honour I hold dear. I am also the current SCBWI Sonoma County Coordinator and a volunteer on the Sonoma County Library Advisory Board.

I live in Northern California with my husband, three children, and more than my fair share of pets!

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Buy the Book (affiliate link): Amazon UK

Author

clarkellie08@gmail.com
Manchester blogger with a passion for reading, writing and travelling. I always have a book or a cup of tea in my hand.

Comments

Ellie
13 September 2021 at 9:31 am

Amazing review Ellie Mai, so glad you enjoyed it!



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