Genre: Publication Date: August 20, 2013 Pages: 352 Published By: Putnam Juvenile Website Flicker & Burn on Goodreads T.M. Goeglein's Website My review copy: Purchased
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Synopsis
Sara Jane Rispoli is still searching for her missing family, but instead of fighting off a turncoat uncle and crooked cops, this time she finds herself on the run from creepy beings with red, pulsing eyes and pale white skin chasing her through the streets in ice cream trucks; they can only be described as Ice Cream Creatures. They're terrifying and hell bent on killing her, but they're also a link to her family, a clue to where they might be and who has them. While she battles these new pursuers, she's also discovering more about her own cold fury and more about the Chicago Outfit, how the past misdeeds--old murders and vendettas--might just be connected to her present and the disappearance of her family. But connecting the dots is tough and time-consuming and may finally be the undoing of her relationship with the handsome Max--who's now her boyfriend. But for his own safety, Sara Jane may have to end this relationship before it even really starts. Her pursuers who've shown her her mother's amputated finger and the head of the Chicago Outfit who's just whistled her in for a sit-down make a romance unthinkable. The only thing that matters is finding her family and keeping everyone she loves alive.
(Goodreads)Quotes
Every violent, unspeakable step I take to save them makes me into someone else. I remember the other Sara Jane, but it's no longer completely me, and that's okay.She would've only slowed me down.
Those who bore gold flecks in their eyes conducted electricity "in times of extreme pain or passion," meaning after cold fury had kicked in.
So now I knew how it appeared. I wondered, then, if its purpose was anything other than lethal.
Watching him shuffle away, I realized that he picked the wrong movie analogy. Instead of Gone with the Wind, my life was Jaws, dominated by the frenetic intensity of a great white shark.
Then again, tomorrow really was another day, and at least I'd be there to see it.
My Thoughts
And the Mystery Continues...
These books are like nothing I have ever picked up before. Flicker & Burn was every bit the book Cold Fury was but there was a little something extra to make you question things. Goeglein has magnificently crated this series that pulls you from mystery to action and then dips into the unknown. I can't deny that my curiosity pulls me in and the writing keeps me immersed within the pages. Maybe it is because this series is like nothing I have read before but I chalk it up to the brilliance of the creator.
The plot in this book is all but flawless. There is not a moment that I can recall wanting to put the book down, or wishing that it would pick up. There is something around ever corner waiting to pull you in deeper, making you question what you can or can't believe. Not to mention the world is vivid. There is detail in every scene that allows you to see what the characters see and place yourself in their shoes. This book took us beyond action and adventure, venturing into a possible sci-fi or paranormal, but even then it still feel more real than any of those types of books. It's like dipping your foot in a cool river only to have warm patches wash over you. It's a truly indescribable feeling and yet it is completely welcome.
Sara is no longer the Sara we met in the first book. She has become what she needs to be and is doing things that she could have never imagined, and yet they are now almost a daily reality. This character is honestly willing to do whatever needs to be done in order to save her family, and ensure that no one truly knows what is going on. There is nothing weak about this girl and everything to love about her. I do feel for her, and yet her strength would not allow that if she knew. She is however learning that she can trust other people, but even that comes with a price. It seems that Sara is set to pay for every bit of trust she allows, and when she doesn't pay others do. There is more to lose and less to gain it seems, and yet she never gives up because doing that would mean losing everything.
There are many twists set up in this one, but I felt the most emotion for the romance part. I really wanted things to go well for Sara in this aspect. However, some things are just not meant to be and she is not meant to be with the boy that she wants to be. Truth be told the other guy that is a possible interest isn't an interest. Tyler has great potential to be workable for the future, and yet I just don't think the spark is there that could make it anything real. Although, as a character and the position that he holds I like Tyler. He has common sense but at the same time I can't help but always suspect him for being behind things. This includes when he seems to be ruled out. What I do like about him is that even though he is not a front line character, he stands out every time he graces the pages.
I am anxious to get my hands on the next book in this series. The first two were like a breath of fresh air and are something that I feel the need to experience again. There is no question that overall this series will call to the majority of readers out there. This is the type of book many should pick up without hesitation and the rest will only hesitate until they start the series. Pick this up if you have read Cold Fury and start the series if you are ready for something different, fast paced and packed with action.
About the Author
T.M. Goeglein began his career as a writer of print and television ads for a host of advertising and media companies. As a screenwriter, he created both original scripts and worked as a script doctor for several production companies in Los Angeles. He was an original contributor to the Huffington Post 'Living' section, and continues to write for both the national edition and Huffington Post Chicago. Read T.M. Goeglein's stories on the Huffington Post.
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