A review by megsbookishtwins
Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

4.0

I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley

“Funny how quickly the mind moves, but how slowly time does when you’re in pain.”

Lily Proctor has grown up allergic to most of the things around her. It leaver her at a disadvantage. She can't enjoy life, or do the things that most people take for granted. She seems to be getting worse and she knows soon that she will be unable to do anything she wants and is determined to go to her first high school party. However, she is humiliated and hurt in front of her whole class and she tells the voice in her head to take her away. Then she is in a different Salem, and there is another Lily. This Salem is one that is run by magic and powerful women called Crucibles. Lily is weak in one world, but strong in another.

I had no idea what to expect when I went into this. But I saw so many good ratings and reviews and I saw it on netgalley and I was so happy when I got accepted. I've only read one of Angelini's books, which is Starcrossed, which I loved, but I have been meaning to get around to reading the rest of the series, but I think after reading this, I most likely will. Josephine Angelini is such a good writer. She has a simple style of writing, but she creates such good characters, and the world building is excellent.

The concept of the magic and the witches is very unique and original, and I think it is one of the main reasons I loved this book so much. So much thought has been put into the world, and and the magic element of the book. It makes it seem, to a sense, realistic, as Angelini bases it on science. She doesn't make the world unrecognisable, but suggests that it just took a different path.

For a moment I thought Lily was going to fall for the other Salems Tristan despite what happened in her Salem, but thankfully it wasn't like that. She called him out on his bullshit and she told him to his face, and I loved that about her. The romance was so addictive. It was one of those romances that makes your heart ache at thinking they may be separated or something bad may happen. He was so thoughful and protective of her, yet he trusted her and let her make her own decisions, even if he believed it would kill her. I liked that he respected her that way.

Overall, Trial by Fire is a must for fantasy fans!