ARC Review: Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: ARC, 313 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Series: Fire & Flood, #2

Pre-order Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

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What would you do to save someone you love?

In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for
support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

 *I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

*The quotes shown below were taken from an advance reader's copy and is subject to change.*

My Review:

   I was currently reading another book but sadly, I could not stop thinking about starting Salt & Stone. It was mocking me to drop that book and start it. And that's exactly what I did. And it was not a let down, I'm glad that I left that other book because it was not satisfying to me and this definitely did.

   If you thought Fire & Flood was good, then you won't want to miss this!! Our beloved heroes return and the stakes are set even higher as the contenders fight for the cure for their loved ones.

   "Guy jerks me out of the way before I'm pulverized by the Pandora stampede, and then we follow them inside."

  It's so action packed and the contenders are pitied against one another. Things take a turn for the worse when Tella, and her group of friends reach the ocean portion of the Brimstone Bleed race. And all I kept guessing was, "are there going to be sharks?!"

   It had me laughing and giggling, and it just gave me so many emotions. The thing is that no other book has made me show my emotions out loud. So that was a first and it made me enjoy the book all the more. It was just a thrilling ride that I didn't want to end. Maybe that's why it took me like 5 days to finish it. I kept putting it down because I didn't want it to be over. Slowly torturing myself because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next.

   I enjoyed watching Tella grow and develop more into a survivor. She is not the same girl she was before because now she is learning to stand up on her own. And she wants the others, especially Guy, to know that she can be independent.

   Guy just continues to surprise me. And I think I'm officially in love. I liked him in the first book but now I'm in love. It's just the things he says that make me swoon. And we get to see him shirtless!! Oh god, I really enjoyed those scenes. And I loved the scenes between Tella and Guy. Their romance is just so intense. And I loved watching them grow together.

   We also get to meet new characters. And I was not happy with them. One was a crabby old man, then a little girl that I thought was a brat, and the third guy, I couldn't figure him out.

   What I love the most about Salt & Stone is that I can totally relate to Tella. She cares so much about the Pandoras like I love animals. And we both want to save them all. We both don't like it when they are not treated with respect. Maybe we should meet so we can go and save all the animals in the world!!

   There were quite some devastating scenes that were hard for me to get through. Not because it was bad but because it was just so upsetting to witness. But alas, this is a dystopian and it's not going to be a cheery and happy read. But that's what makes the book realistic and true to it's genre.

   As soon is it hits store, you have to get it. Trust me, this is something you won't want to miss out on. Not many sequels are as successful as the first. But Salt & Stone surpasses it!! I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed it that much.

   "You didn't take into account that I would hold you in my mind. That I would focus so wholly on the feel of your skin against mine, that it was as if my body moved through the water on its own."

4 Stars: A Great Read!

*Thank you so much to Scholastic for giving me the chance to read this early on.*