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Wildefire
Wildefire
Wildefire
Ebook348 pages5 hours

Wildefire

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this ebook

Every flame begins with a spark.

Blackwood Academy was supposed to be a fresh start for Ashline Wilde. A secluded boarding school deep in the heart of California’s redwood forests, three thousand miles from her old life—it sounded like the new beginning she needed after an act of unspeakable violence left a girl in her hometown dead. But Blackwood is far from the peaceful haven Ashline was searching for. Because terrifying, supernatural beasts roam the forests around campus. Because the murderer from Ashline’s hometown—her own sister—has followed her across the country. Because a group of reincarnated gods and goddesses has been mysteriously summoned to Blackwood...and Ashline’s one of them.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 26, 2011
ISBN9781442421196
Wildefire
Author

Karsten Knight

Karsten Knight has been writing since the age of six, when he completed his first masterpiece: a picture book series about an adventurous worm. In the two decades that have followed, Karsten has worked as a proofreader, a bookseller, and a college admissions counselor before he finally decided that his true calling was to be a volcano goddess biographer. He lives in Boston, and for more information or to watch his video blog, visit KarstenKnightBooks.com.

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Rating: 3.7640187130841123 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh, how do I describe this book without giving anything away? The first thing that pops into my mind is the word epic. That's truly what this book is. As soon as I opened Wildefire and started to read, I remembered why I love books so much. Karsten Knight has written a gem. It will draw you in, and dig its claws into you until the very end. Best part? You'll love every minute of it.

    Ashline and her sister Eve are the best example of sisters at odds that I have ever seen. There is so much depth to their characters. The reader is treated to seeing the delicate balance that lies between these two. Ashline's love for her sister is truly apparent, as is Eve's, however they also ooze tension in their interactions. The inner battle between these two feelings is palpable and delicious. Can feelings be delicious? I think so. When you can drink them off the page because they are so strong, yes, I'd say so. Mixed in with all of this are the petty, and violent moods of goddesses. This I appreciated so much! Ah, to be a god.

    Lest you think that this whole book revolves around these two (which I would completely be okay with) I'll assure you that you will also be treated to other reincarnated gods as well! From the typical surfer boy character, down to the tall, dark and handsome character, each one of Ashline's entourage has a vivid and unique personality! I fell in love with every single one of them. Each of these characters brings something unique to the table, and Ashline flourishes with their friendship. I'm going to have to admit that she kind of stole the show for me though. Ashline is amazing!

    Story wise, Wildefire is executed perfectly. The book is written in third-person, which I usually tend to shy away from. However being in Ashline's head was never once uncomfortable or awkward. Quite the opposite actually! I enjoyed seeing her inner thoughts and memories so much that I honestly didn't notice the third-person aspect for most of the book. It was as though once I was in her head, nothing else mattered. All that my own mind was concentrated on was what Ashline would do next. This girl is damaged to be sure, but her ability to take that and turn it into perseverance and fantastically witty sarcasm made me bond with her.

    The ending is a killer cliffhanger. I'll warn you now. Most of the overall story is wrapped up and I honestly didn't see the very end coming at all. When I got to the last page, my jaw dropped open and I seriously momentarily debated on throwing the book against the wall. Not because I didn't love it! Rather I am now completely frustrated that I will now have to wait to see what happens next. Knight has my heart as a reader. It's true!

    I'll end here because if I gush anymore you might all drown in my love for this book. Fresh, fun and unique, Wildefire is an epic ride! If you haven't yet added this to your reading list you need to do it now. Seriously. Once again I'll state that this book reminded me why I love reading in the first place. A great storyline, vivid characters, and so many twists that your draw will drop. That's what you'll find in Wildefire. I want more.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    luv it!!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a well-written paranormal story with some hints of romance. Ashline Wilde has come across the country to attend a secluded boarding school in Redwood country. She wanted a fresh start after watching her sister call down lightning and kill one of Ashline's schoolmates. But Blackwood Academy isn't quite the refuge she was hoping for. First, she and some friends rescue another student from being kidnapped. Then, they learn that they are not human but are reincarnated gods from a variety of mythologies. Third, her sister Eve isn't nearly as much out of her life as she would like and is determined to do anything and kill anyone to get Ashline to come away with her.Being a YA story, there is a love triangle of sorts. Pete the soccer star and Colt the college student/forest ranger are competing for Ashline's attention. Between battles with mercenaries sent to capture the paranormal kids and Eve creating her own unique kind of chaos, this book is packed with excitement and danger. I really liked the dialog as the kids segue from normal teens with concerns for classes and parties to gods and goddesses learning to use their powers. This is the first book in a trilogy so there are strings left untied. However, it is a complete and engaging story in itself. YA fans of urban fantasy/paranormal romance will enjoy this one.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Whoa!

    Okay, in the beginning I wasn't thrilled with the book but I kept reading in hopes that it would get better. Get better it did! This book portrayed perfectly the fickle and tempestuous nature of many goddesses, and gods as well, in the character of Eve, Ashline's older sister. It also portrayed well the idea that even though you've been reincarnated and being in the dark of your previous lives, you can still do good, or bad, it all has to do with your nature. The rocky ups and downs of teenage life are also shown well in this book. Although what really got me was the last chapter of the book, and without giving it away, all I am going to say is that it shocked me and convinced me to find the next book to read. It was tricky, very tricky, that last chapter.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Sadly, I didn't make it past the first thirty-five pages, but that had little to nothing to do with the story itself. I love the fact that a YA novel features a Polynesian female as its protagonist, and I loved the mythology (let's be honest, Greek mythology is great, but it's a little overdone in YA at this point). I loved the main character's ultra-violent older sister. She struck me as an actual goddess trapped in a human body.

    I even loved that a man had written it. There aren't enough men taking the time to write stories from girls' and women's POV.

    However, I couldn't slog through the writing itself. There were way too many cliches in each paragraph--there were even a few sentences with two completely separate cliches in them. I didn't even know that was possible. Additionally, I felt that even though the story is told through a first person point of view, we still weren't really in the main character's head. Mr. Knight didn't take the time to "earn" his first person POV, to prove to the reader that literally reading the thoughts of his main character, in the "I" form, was necessary.

    Mr. Knight was definitely on the right path with his set up, and even, to a certain extent, the characterization of his cast. The secondary characters felt a little flat, though the two sisters were pretty awesome. I hope this series does well just because of the premise, but I also hope he takes his game to the next level for future installments. I, unfortunately, won't be reading them.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absolutely amazing and breathtaking.

    The writing is fantastically good, and the characters and story are a breath of fresh air: Ashline is kickass, funny as hell with her cutting sarcasm and very strongminded, which pleased me coming from a male author; the way she stoop up to her sister and how she handled all the issues thrown her way was admirable, and I wish more heroines were written like her. The opening scene, where she confronts the girl she caught her boyfriend cheating did it from and I instantly fell in love with her.

    The rest of the story maintained its awesomness and I think I never enjoyed as much a different take on mythology.

    Up until the 90% mark on my e-reader, I was going with a 4-star rating, there were some plotholes that left a bad taste in my mouth and I feared for the disappointement washing over me; but suddenly the events took a 180° spin and I couldn't stop reading or gasping. And what a wicked thing to do Mr. Knight to leave me hanging with that ending, I'm quite sure that I screamed a little and nearly thrashed my kindle with that final revelation. By the end, a "4" seemed insulting and unfair.

    That ending built up my expectations for the second book, let's hope it won't disappoint!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    this book started out absolutely phenomenal, with a main character that was immediately likable (for me, personally) and an admittedly obvious antagonist that perfectly fit the bill of the sibling you're meant to sympathize with in spite of her obvious insanity/flaws -- think Loki and Thor here, no gods or mythology puns intended. it built itself up and unfurled beautifully and naturally, up to a certain point. and then things got a bit clunky and rushed; there was so much action on one page that I quickly felt desensitized towards everything: the violence, the deaths. all of the work put into building up all of the characters seemed to be disregarded toward the end and it left it tasting rather... bland, predictable, emotionless; I'm not sure what the word I'm looking for is. there was instant love abound, with a creepy older man that has no business pursuing a high school girl, but whom apparently can't help himself. a disposable character or two that didn't contribute much more than a gateway for ash's story and the absolutely unnecessary feeling of being third or fifth wheeled that out heroine has to deal with throughout the later portions. the "villains" and "anti heroes" were very much straight out of Disney movies: little to no motive, at least none that was every truly shown, and immediately drastic measures, cliche dialogue, a complete and total lack of remorse that ultimately turned any prior or possible future development on its head. everyone who was bad was almost conveniently so, and the greatest conflict involves the ability to either see both sides, or to at least understand motives and goals behind each.

    in short, this book asked many more questions than it answered, and it was quite contrived.

    however, the story itself was undeniably enjoyable, and the writers talent and passion shines through imminently. the diversity of the main cast would be more than enough to lock this book in at a solid 3 stars for me - a gay man, a Haitian boy, two Polynesian girls, an Egyptian, and a Native American, not to mention the relationships that formed in the book that didn't follow the generic color-coding (ie, pairing two people off together because their skin tones match) or emphasis the fact that a Haitian boy was dating a pretty white girl. I loved the characters, their personalities and the insight offered through Ash's tale was very powerful. I just wish I hadn't felt like a lot of action was jammed together to just get through things, like quite a few unnecessary details were provided in the place of actual development. this book is a solid read though, with good characters and a storyline that's maybe a bit too fast and convenient but undeniably enjoyable nonetheless.

    I'm giving it a much-deserved four stars, and I can't wait to finish the rest of the series and/or see more of the authors work in the future!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    There is too much packed into too few words. The plot advances but lacks depth.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5

    why do people like this so much?

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I can't wait to read the next book! I might have to go buy it tomorrow... That ending was something!

    Overview

    2/5 Stars for the first half. I know, so sad!
    4.5/5 stars for the second. Yay!

    Total: 3.25 Stars

    Review to come!!!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a hodge-podge of mythological beings from different cultures thrown together in a somewhat incoherent story about teens who discover that they are reincarnated gods and goddesses. Someone wants them dead, but they don't know who to trust. There were quite a few confusing subplots, which I imagine the author intends to address in the other novels in the trilogy. However, I am not inclined to finish the series as the writing was mediocre.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Loved it. Very engaging, and hard to put down. And a wonderfully different take on mythology and fascinating to see the use of gods and goddesses from other cultures.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    The main character is ridiculous. She alternates between being a stuck up bitch and a smitten teenager. Make up your mind! Most of her interactions with the other characters lack any kind of "depth" so to speak. She's a horrible main character.
    The writing style.. well this is the most confusing ( and not in a good way ) thing i've read in a long while. On one hand there are all these fancy words the author use to describe what the characters are feeling and seeing and so on and on the other, he slaps a teenage ghetto language like he wants with all his might to make them sound really shallow and stupid.
    The plot.. isn't much of a plot, actually..
    Overall it wasnt a good read. Scribd.. choose your "selects" more carefully.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Wildefire is a YA fantasy about teenage Gods and Goddesses from several different Mythologies who all attend a private school. I loved the opening of the story where the heroine, Ashline, was in the process of kicking the crap out of the girl who her boyfriend cheated with. It immediately made this heroine immensely relate-able, and she continued to be throughout the story. I really enjoyed her assertiveness and "fiery" spirit.
    I actually liked most of the characters, I thought that they were the one thing that kept me invested in this book whereas the plotline really didn't work as well for me. There were several plot lines that were not followed through on so that it left me a bit confused about their relevance to the story. I'm speaking, in particular about the "Cloaks" and also about Ashline's sister Eve and the young girl in their visions. I'm not sure if Wildefire is supposed to be a beginning of a series and these things will be explained as the series progresses. I think that I would have enjoyed Wildefire much more if I would have found the storyline to have been a bit more cohesive. I felt that it was a bit all over the place. I loved the idea of all of the different Gods and Goddesses from different Mythologies being reborn over and over again but the arc of the story was very vague and weak. I would probably read any follow up book with the hope that these things would be addressed because, as I said, I truly like the concept and the characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Last week, I discovered Galley Grab, which I wish I had known about before. When I got my first mystery download link post sign up, Wildefire downloaded. The download pages do not say what book you're getting (although the newsletters do), so I had no idea until it popped up in Adobe Digital Editions. I had heard of Wildefire and thought the premise sounded a bit odd and that I was going to skip it. Since I had downloaded the title already, I decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did.

    Wildefire is a fun and violent romp. For all that Ash is much too quick to use her fists, she is a really awesome heroine. She kicks serious butt, she's sarcastic and she deals with everything on her own terms. She has this crazy but realistic confidence that almost makes me envy her. Ash feels so much like a real person and one that I would not perhaps be friends with, but might admire and enjoy facebook stalking. Plus, it's kind of nice to read a book where there's a girl who's a bit of a juvenile delinquent. There are a lot of reformable, sexy bad boys, but you don't see too many ladies of that ilk.

    Colt, however, I never liked. For one thing, I personally am confused and a bit creeped out by any guy who's too interested when you first meet. Colt, a college student, sees Ash across the bar and leaves the seriously hot girl he's with to pursue her doggedly. After hitting on her in the bar to little avail (since she left to investigate the screams), he shows up at her tennis practice. The fact that she's cute does not make this non-stalkerish. Besides, as much as Ash was feeling it, I did not sense much chemistry between them at all. There conversations almost all dealt with how he thought they should be together. I really hope he either improves or is not THE guy that she will be drama-ing with for the rest of the series.

    The plot was fun and moved along at a really nice pace. Some things definitely have not coalesced yet, like the black monsters with blue flame eyes that are supposedly the 'villains.' I had trouble taking them seriously, because I do not yet know enough about them. The mythology was awesome, since I'm a big ol' mythology nerd, especially since it was a cool way for folks to have awesome powers. In terms of storyline, nothing was really resolved in this book at all. It's clearly going to need another book, which I will most definitely be reading.

    If you're looking for a totally fun, dark, violent book about hot teens with superpowers, you found it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I got mixed feelings about this one.

    The writing was very vivid and it definitely started with a bang that engaged me right from the start. However I don't like being kept in the dark for too long, there were so many questions and so few answers. But I really enjoy mythology, be it Greek, Norse or Roman and I wished there would've been more of that.

    Ashline's character makes an amazing heroine, I absolutely loved that she didn't roll into a ball and sobbed her heart out when things got tough - Nah, she put her big girl panties on and dealt with it. It was refershing to have a main character with a working backbone for once. Oh, and I totally loved her sarcasm. She might be angry and someone might've disliked that but I loved her just the way she was.

    The other characters were equally likable and the dialogue was fun, witty and entertaining - actually even the bad guys had a certain charme.

    I was never quite able to predict where this one was going - one minute I thought "Yep, that's right." and the next minute it was a bit of "What the fuck just happened."

    And to top it off, the book not only started with a bang, it ended with one as well and what a bang that was. I'm serioulsy happy that I have the second installment already on my reader because cliffhangers like that drive me to insanity!

    So while I had some concerns, mainly about to many open questions (I'm really not a patient person) and not enough mythology aspects, I'll hop right to book 2 and hope for my answers and more mythology!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    For as long as I can remember mythology has always fascinated me. Perhaps that is why I am so very involved with weaving tales of my own that could some day go down in history. The way people just clung to that as their religion, the different pantheons that still have so many similarities while remaining vastly different. I have gravitated to the heroic adventures and heartbreaking romances that fill the pages, the troublesom pranksters and the gods/goddesss that are not as well known. I think one of my favorite aspects of this book was the fact that it didn't focus solely on one pantheon, and unlike the stance most mythological books take, it didn't focus on the Greek immortals. I also liked the fact that they said that they were not immortal, but that they lived and died like everyone else. The only difference was that they were brought back each life time. It made me wonder if, like she pondered her self in the book, if we are brought back and if we do find ourselves caught in the same endless cycle of either ruin or success as the life time before. I enjoyed the twists through out the book, the detail that captivated my attention and kept me coming back for more. Mostly, I enjoyed the emotion put behind each of the charcahters and that it wasn't a happy ending, nor a sad ending, it was a bitter sweet. I am deffinatly ready for a sequel and intend to buy this book myself to add to my collection. QuoteS: " There are two types of people in this world Ashline.' the headmistress said. ' Those of us who fear what we cannot control, who sit in the drivers sear of life and take charge of our own fates. And then there are those who fear choise, those so burdend by the mistakes that they've made that they seek solace in what they cannot control knowing that no matter the outcome, at least it wasn't their fault."

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Wildefire is a YA fantasy about teenage Gods and Goddesses from several different Mythologies who all attend a private school. I loved the opening of the story where the heroine, Ashline, was in the process of kicking the crap out of the girl who her boyfriend cheated with. It immediately made this heroine immensely relate-able, and she continued to be throughout the story. I really enjoyed her assertiveness and "fiery" spirit.
    I actually liked most of the characters, I thought that they were the one thing that kept me invested in this book whereas the plotline really didn't work as well for me. There were several plot lines that were not followed through on so that it left me a bit confused about their relevance to the story. I'm speaking, in particular about the "Cloaks" and also about Ashline's sister Eve and the young girl in their visions. I'm not sure if Wildefire is supposed to be a beginning of a series and these things will be explained as the series progresses. I think that I would have enjoyed Wildefire much more if I would have found the storyline to have been a bit more cohesive. I felt that it was a bit all over the place. I loved the idea of all of the different Gods and Goddesses from different Mythologies being reborn over and over again but the arc of the story was very vague and weak. I would probably read any follow up book with the hope that these things would be addressed because, as I said, I truly like the concept and the characters.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Over the past few years, in the wake of the sparkle madness, we’ve seen a wide variety of paranormal mythologies saturate the YA market to the point where much of it has become derivative, overdone and frankly, a little dull. To find something original in the market is always pleasant, so a novel centred around a reincarnated Polynesian goddess was automatically a must read for me. So far, my GoodReads friends have been mixed in their opinions on the novel, so I will have to be the dull one here and fall right in the middle.

    Ashline is a great protagonist. She’s often stubborn and incredibly sarcastic – the banter she shares with her friends is a particular highlight of the book – and makes stupid mistakes, but she also suffers with consequences and has to learn how to mature and figure out what to do with her life and newfound destiny. Her relationship with her friends, family and the culture clash she has known through her whole life made her an often complex but always interesting heroine. This was also an instance where the obligatory romantic element didn’t bother me so much; she and Colt had great chemistry, actually took time to get to know one another and didn’t spend all their time obsessing over one another.

    Aside from Ashline, the supporting cast ranges from good to bad in terms of development. Her group of close friends and fellow gods were especially humorous and their interactions made for some of the best parts of the novel. They actually felt like teenagers, not adults in smaller bodies, and their own personal journeys, while handled a little clumsily (the prose is serviceable but nothing particularly groundbreaking), brought further layers to the mythological elements, another high point in the book. However, I had a strong dislike (and not in the way the author intended) to Eve, Ash’s sister. She was a straight up sociopath with nothing beyond her two dimensional destruction and selfishness. I can understand what Knight’s intentions were with the character, and there are hints of bigger repercussions in her relationship with Ash, but they were overwhelmed by her psychotic behaviour. The moments where she is supposed to develop beyond this felt hollow, making her ultimately an underwhelming antagonist to the story. Another possible antagonist is introduced late into the novel who is even more two dimensional than Eve, complete with Bond villain style exposition of her past, but she’s dropped almost immediately.

    From the first chapter, the book grabs you and is paced to keep you invested in the mystery, rushed ending aside. However, this opening may also put off many readers because of its violence. There is a lot of violence in the novel and it verged dangerously close to being gratuitous for me. I can understand the inherently violent nature of the gods and goddesses, and their struggles to keep control over their strange, burgeoning powers, but the characters often take a disappointingly flippant view of this violence which I found to be grating as the novel progressed. The opening chapter’s fight was a particularly bad example of this – I don’t care how violent or peaceful your neighbourhood is, there is absolutely no way you’d only get one week’s suspension from school for that sort of fight. The fact that this fight takes place over a boy didn’t please me much either. As well as the violent elements, I felt that the group accepted their fates a little too quickly, and seemed to take control of their powers with the same unrealistic speed.

    While I didn’t love “Wildefire” in quite the same way many of my reviewer friends did, it was refreshing to read a paranormal YA with unique mythos, a strong, complex female protagonist and a circle of friends with witty interactions who actually cared about one another and did more than act as plot devices. Now that the first part of the story is told, I hope Karsten Knight can further develop a great story free deserving of that killer cliff-hanger, which will leave you both infuriated and waiting for more.

    3.5/5.

    I received my e-ARC of "Wildefire" from Simon and Schuster's Galley Grab programme.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the first book in the Wildefire series by Knight. The second book is Embers and Echoes and the third in the series is Afterglow, which is scheduled to release in November 2013. This book was an interesting concept but took quite a while to get going.Ashline Wilde gets transferred to a boarding school, Blackwood, after an incident with her sister, Eve, killing one of Ashline’s classmates at her old school. At Blackwood Ashline is looking forward to a new start. However she soon discovers that a number of reincarnated gods and goddesses are also enrolled in Blackwood, and Ashline is one of them. Things start to spin out of control as Eve shows up to make more trouble and a war ensues between the reincarnated Gods and Goddesses.This is a book that I am kind of one the fence with. I really liked some of the ideas behind these kids being reborn Gods and Goddesses and there were some very insightful conversations in the book. However the story took a very long time to get started, pacing was way off. All of the interesting stuff was crammed into the last 100 pages of the book.Ashline is an interesting heroine, she has such an incredibly bad temper that she just can’t control. Given this is the primary aspect of her temperament I bet you can guess what Goddess or element that she is representing. Her temperament was a bit inconsistent; at times she is pretty mellow, then she completely loses it. Still Ashline makes her sister Eve look tame. I didn’t engage with Ashline all that well...she was just to all over the place emotionally for me.Ashline falls for an older college guy who is a park ranger. Right from the beginning I suspected that he would be involved in a twist in the story and he totally was. So that part was pretty predictable.In general the characters were okay but I didn’t really find them all that compelling. They drink, swear, and were stupid a lot. Which I guess teenagers do that stuff...I didn’t really as a teen, but whatever. So I guess just don’t use this book as model for what normal teenagers act like.There were some things I really did like about this story though. The cast of characters comes from very diverse backgrounds; the Goddesses and Gods they are reborn as reflect this. It was very intriguing to learn more about some mythology that is more obscure than that you normally read about. There were Polynesian, Ancient Egyptian, Japanese and even Native American deities present in this story. I thought that was very interesting and very creative.The last problem I had with this book was the pacing. Things don’t really start moving until 300 pages or so into the book. Up to that point the story is about Ashline moving and adjusting to her new school. She does learn about the Godhood of her and her friends, but the scenes where Eve gets involved and Ashline’s powers start to manifest don’t start until very late into the book. I kind of wish the first part of the book had been condensed down and then we could have read more about the exciting parts of the story.Overall this was an okay read. I absolutely loved the presence of more obscure mythology and the idea of Gods being reborn into human bodies and forced to have the same mistakes happen over and over again. I had trouble with the pacing and the characters though; I just didn’t find them all that engaging. Also I would recommend to older young adult because of all the drinking/sex/violence throughout the book. Honestly I wasn’t engaged in the story enough to really want to read the next book in this story, so I probably won’t. It was a cool idea but just wasn’t executed as well as it could have been.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My incoherent "review" (which ends with some BIG spoilers, so you have been warned):

    Wait... what? She's Pele! How cool?

    Poor Rolfe though.

    BUT OMG! THE END! I HAVE TO WAIT HOW LONG? Colt is Kokopelli? Her note said about the trickster! And that is the Hopi god known as the trickster, who also, um gives women babies. Random point. I should have seen that coming, tho I didn;t.

    I'm such a mythology geek and love folklore about gods, so I absolutely LOVED this. I love that it includes non-Greek/Roman ones as well.

    WHEN IS BOOK TWO OUT?

    Maybe I will edit this for coherency later, but at the moment my mind is boggled.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A strong cast of characters and witty banter helps the unique mythos behind Wildefire carry the novel where the plot fails to satisfy. Opening Sentence: Ashline Wilde was a human mood ring. The Review: Ashline Wilde and her sister Eve are reincarnations of an ancient Polynesian goddesses. Like we see a lot in mythology, when gods are happy the world keeps turning, and when they’re not? Someone’s about to bite it. With a violent opening, Wildefire grabs the reader from the get-go. Knight uses the gods and goddesses inherently violent natures to pack in a lot of action. It’s got a X-Men feel to it, with a large and variable cast of characters. The big question of Wildefire is: Why are gods and goddesses from literally any and every culture in history getting pulled into the Nowhere, America? Wildefire’s gigantic cast of deities means we have a lot of ethnic integration going on, which I loved. On the other side of that coin, Stephen King’s ‘Magical Negro’ theory plays itself out. In a few cases I think Knight was worried about stereotypes and tried to do the opposite, resulting in some two-dimensional paragons in lieu of real characters. All the gods get their own backstory, but in the end that just makes it hard to get a feel for the reincarnations we’re currently reading. They all accept their fates a little too quickly in my opinion, but I attribute this to Knight’s careful pacing of the novel. Then I come to Ashline and Eve. Ashline is not a sympathetic heroine. Frankly, there are other characters in the story I would’ve enjoyed reading more of, but I hope Ashline gets fleshed out in the next installments. She’s a strong heroine, for the most part. The only reason I don’t qualify her as a total bada$$ is because of a fight she gets into at school over a guy in the very first chapter. Talk about an overreaction. All the characters just seem to accept how unrestrainably violent they’ve become as they try to control their powers. The fact no one cared began to seriously annoy me. Eve, Ashline’s older sister, is a sociopath. Knight needed a villain, but didn’t bother to really flesh her out beyond the stereotype. Her psychotic behavior overwhelmed just about everything Knight tried to do with her character. She’s selfish and destructive, fixated completely on Ashline. There’s really nothing to her character beyond that, which diminished her overall evil-factor immensely. Knight gave his characters some great chemistry, their witty banter is definitely one of the reasons I kept on reading. They actually care about each other, and their relationships evolve logically throughout the novel. The unique mythos behind Wildefire also brought the story to another level. While I didn’t buy into the plot — a lot of which goes towards explaining the mythos — the book had a lot of strong points that kept me reading. If you liked The Goddess Test by Aimeé Carter, you’ll love Wildefire. Notable Scene: “Okay,” Ash said, and the six beachgoers clumped together once more. “But don’t be surprised when you don’t find what you’re looking for.” “We’ll see,” Serena said with a knowing, ironic half-smile. Her hand darted out with violent certainty and fastened itself around Ashline’s wrist. She plummeted headlong into limbo once again.FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Wildefire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This will not be a full review, because I got about 110 pages in and just couldn't finish it. It came as a huge surprise to me because I normally really like mythology, but this one I just couldn't get into. I skimmed the rest of it and saw the big secret, which is probably the main reason I didn't enjoy it. Even though I had made it 110 pages in, I still had to skim quite a ways until I could get to the actual secret, in which the story is supposed to had been about. Now normally this wouldn't be a problem, but I just felt like the part of the story that I HAD read was full of nothing-ness. I just felt like it could have been cut out. Also, I felt like it was a little bit too unbelievable. Yes I know this is fiction, but still that first chapter.... It went a little over the top. If you're going to do some realistic scenes, please at least make the realistic scene a little realistic....
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The very beginning of Wildfire is an immediate attention grabber. You’re quickly introduced to Ashline and Eve…two sisters, who have a serious bad attitude lol. I didn’t know what to think of this book at first, but based on the beginning I thought it was definitely going to be a five star. However, I am going to be completely honest and say that Wildfire just did not do it for me. There were moments where I was so into the book and then those where I felt like giving up and just putting the book down. First I am going to tell you what I did like about Wildfire, and what kept me wanting to finish the book. 1. Karsten Knight did an excellent job with his characters. The characters in Knight’s book embodied the true essence of being a teenager. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I kept comparing Ashline to someone I know. His characters are very easy to relate to and I quickly fell in love with Ashline. She was very sarcastic, blunt and daring. I laughed so many times at some of the things that came out of her mouth.2. I was very curious to see what would happen to Ashline after everything she went through with her sister and all that she had experienced. The curiosity was killing me. Another thing I wanted to know was what power she had, it was a very big mystery. 3. I really liked Colt. I think it was sweet and hilarious the way he kept finding ways to be around Ashline and ask her out. It really was one of those boy teases girl and runs, but secretly he is in love with her. Now what I did not like about Wildfire was that I felt it did not get into the actual story. It was supposed to be about the gods, her sister coming back and a steamy romance between her and a park ranger. None of that started happening until maybe the last six chapters. I kept reading and waiting for it to get into that story, into what the synopsis described, but none of that happens until near the end. I think the story focused a lot more on other things than what I was expecting. I was slowly losing hope and kept asking when, what the back of the book described was going to happen. If it wasn’t for what I listed above, I probably would have stopped reading somewhere in the middle. Even though Wildfire didn’t completely do it for me, it did get some really great reviews. After all, I am just sharing my honest opinion with you. Will I ever read another book by Karsten Knight? Yes, I would. His writing style was simple and easy, and again if his characters are anything like the ones in Wildfire, I am all for it. 2 out of 5 Stars!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Okay so…this one made me think. Why? I'm pretty sure it was the unexpected twist that occurred in the book. Everything starts out all creepy and magical. Powers discovered, connections to the past made, even a believable history to seduce the most hardened of readers (DEFINITE kudos to the author on all counts mentioned)…but then things took a turn for the…odd. Seriously, the appearance of these beings, or creatures for lack of a better word (and specific avoidance of what they really are so as not to ruin the story), totally threw me for a loop; to my mind, they just didn’t make sense. They weren’t human, they weren’t animal, they weren’t mineral…exactly; I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the enigma they presented…and yet, they were still sinister somehow. That last saving grace is how they didn’t manage to completely obliterate the story or ruin my experience with it. Ashline is a piece of work (though her sister Eve totally gives her a run for her money) but in a good way. She’s had a rough time thanks to events in her past (not purely her fault…), but she’s making the most of the new start at Blackwood Academy…at least until a secret heritage catches up with her and things begin to turn from normal to abbey in the blink of an eye. Yep…otherwise, she’s doing fine (and that last word also describes her park ranger love interest… ^_^). Her new friends aren’t exactly around thanks to a bond cherished since childhood but rather from the combined destinies they share making their interactions something they need to grow into. It’s the age old battle between right and wrong, good and those that would do harm…with a teen god twist. Think Percy Jackson but with multiple ethnic backgrounds and rather than sons/daughters of the gods, reincarnation. It’s an interesting storyline and it certainly keeps you attached to the page as you wait to see just who will survive their next encounter. Oh, wait…didn’t I tell you? Yeah…it seems that there are those (as usual) that know about their continual return to this plain and they aim to stop the cycle once and for all. Needless to say, it adds to the action sequences quite a bit…as do the flashbacks that Ashline has of her barely remembered childhood; considering what she sees though, it may not be such a bad thing that it’s hard to recollect. As you reach the climatic finale, yet another handful of mysteries is revealed…one regarding another child (another sister?) that is connected to both Ashline and Eve for better or worse….needless to say, the search for them is sure to be a focal point in the sequel. Another is about a character in the story that, well…let me put it this way; when all is revealed, you won’t believe your eyes. Lastly, we deal with the group of opposing gods/goddesses that Eve’s been hanging with; they seem to think this reincarnation thing is for the birds and want to live out their immortal lives in the here and now. Wise choice…or fools errand? It remains to be seen but there are two things I know. First, book 2 will be on my radar because the mix of cultures and beliefs in this book gives it enough spice to stand out from the crowd. Second, there’s a battle on the horizon with some remarkable players….this should be a showdown to remember.Recommended for teen readers and above; there’s nothing too graphic nor swear worthy and the romance fans the flames in lieu of igniting the sheets…but younger kiddos may not be so keen on the powers (and their use when in trouble) this group is endowed with. P.S. Be sure to take note of the culture mix in the book…provides for some great extended reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Holy crap did this book have a cliffhanger!!! And because its an ARC, I have to wait EVEN LONGER for the sequel! Karsten Knight is now one of my favorite authors for sure and this book is definitely worth reading, I couldn't put it down!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book easily kept my interest, but never fully engaged me. I think the issue is characterization. The protagonist, Ashline, is the only character that has any development at all. Yet, she spends most of the book reacting to events rather than taking action. And her sister Eve, the nascent villain, is just the "bad girl" on a motorcycle who wreaks havoc. No motivation; no depth; no reason to hate her.The premise is good - a bunch of teenagers learn they are reincarnated gods. Even better, the group runs the gamut of Pantheons. Our heroine is Polynesian, her friends range from Hawaiian to Egyptian and in between. I loved the diversity, and even the setting of a private boarding school. However, that pretty much sums up ALL of the world-building, and the plot was barely existent. The dreams Ahsline has of a little girl being experimented on were intriguing, but too much of the rest felt contrived. The teens all had some experience that had them readily accept they were reincarnated gods. Okay. What didn't mesh was that they also readily accepted that the mysterious "Jack" is a good guy and should be followed, via his surrogate Serena who is blind and can't see him, and Eve alternately accepts that the mysterious "Blink" is the one who should be followed because he knows they are all in danger from The Cloak. The Cloak - a, once again, "mysterious" menace that no-one knows anything about. This book needed some serious fleshing out, most importantly with the characters:**MINOR SPOILER** When one of the teens is killed toward the end, I couldn't muster any feeling over the event. We never got to know the person beyond a name and a few facts, so why care?Though the book was somewhat disappointing in the execution, the ending did leave me wanting to know what happens. And I want to know the motivation behind Jack and Blink. I will probably read the next book; I just won't be in a hurry.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wildefire kept me up all night with it's strong power of never making me put the book down. In the words of the genius behind the story, Karsten Knight, "Wildefire--disrupting sleep schedules across America" (let the record show that I'm not in America). Wildefire was unique, action-packed, and full of sarcastic remarks. Wildefire is where X-Men meets mythology and the epicness of Karsten Knight.The book opens with a fight. A delicious and exciting cat fight (okay maybe more like a cat vs. tiger fight. That cat don't stand a chance), and ever since then I fell in love with Wildefire, thus explaining my inability to put the book down. Ashline Wilde is the most badass and unforgettable character I've ever met, and if her witty remarks aren't enough to make her fall in love with you then that's cool. Wait 'till you learn that she's a powerful goddess. Yeah, that's right I said it (but I won't say anything else on that matter). The secondary characters, were kick ass too. They were practically three dimensional and were a great addition to the story.Wildefire has to be my favorite book in terms of mythology. Karsten Knight's decision to write about Polynesian mythology and that of a few others was original, brilliant, and not to mention a great idea since we rarely see any of that around here. And oh, the action was outright enthralling. The plot was rich, the pace of the book was perfect, the information I was being fed didn't overwhelm me, and the book had a hint of suspense (another reason why I couldn't go to bed).If you ask me, Wildefire was worth staying up until twelve on school nights (ooh, I'm such a rebel *snort*). Unpredictable twists, the best humor in book ever, and great engrossing characters, Wildefire was perfect! The last page made my eyes nearly bug out, and there's no way I can I wait for Embers & Echoes, the second book in the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Despite what all the negative reviews say about the opener to this book, I loved it! Who doesn’t love a good girl smack down?!In Wildefire, we follow Ashline from her home in upstate New York to Northern California. After witnessing her sister, Eve, electrocute a classmate Ashline decides it’s time to get as far away from home and her sister as possible. At her new school Ashline is drawn to a group of students by weird events. As the story unfolds, we learn what these students have in common with each other and how they all ended up at the same small boarding school...For Ashline, the drama never seems to end. The sister she tried so hard to get away from keeps showing up and screwing with her school life. Plus she has to deal with the daily school/boy drama. Not to mention the creepy weird monsters in the forest.I liked the Knight’s take on mythology. I don’t know much about Polynesian mythology, but after reading this book I so want to go out and learn more! I am very picky about the way authors treat mythology and I thought Knight did a great job.I absolutely loved and hated how this book ended! I loved it because Knight wrote a totally awesome cliffhanger making me want to read the next book. I hated it because I am now dying to read a book that is not out yet and won’t be out for some time! Overall I really enjoyed this book and am salivating at the chance to read Embers & Echoes!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My rating: 3.9/5This book was a pleasant surprise. I'll admit the last book based on mythology I've read was the first Percy Jackson book when I was in seventh grade, so I don't really have that much to compare this book too. However Wildefire had most of the elements I'm looking for in a good book; a strong kick-ass main character, action, and an intense back story.After reading the first two pages, it was clear that Ash was not someone you wanted to cross. She has a temper, and she's independent. Yes, she is violent at times. Yes, she swears and drinks, as do other characters. Will that bother some people? Probably. But in my opinion, these things are not that uncommon in teenage lives as people would like to believe. Karsten Knight didn't go overboard with the violence/swearing/drinking in Wildefire. I think he created pretty realistic teenagers--uhh, aside from the whole gods/goddesses aspect. Anyways, it was nice to have a strong minded female main character instead of a whiny girl. Besides Ash's kick-ass-ness, I was also happy to see that the 'side' characters, if you can call them that, were crucial to the story. Ash's friends were not only diverse in ethnicity, which is not something I find in books a lot nowadays, but they each had their own unique personalities. And where I loved the main characters, I loved to hate the villians. Eve and Ash's backstory made for some twisted family dynamics. Where Ash was violent at times, but she had morals. Eve was just... well, not so much. Though I loved all of that, I just had two problems with this book. First, the beginning of the book was kinda slow for me. It wasn't until about 100 pages in that things really started to pick up. Second, the romance. I just couldn't find it believable. It felt a little too much like instalove, and honestly, a bit creepy in the beginning. I felt like I missed the spark that ignited their relationship.But those things aside, I really did enjoy this book. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in a good mythology read, or anyone who just loves a little action in their book. I'll definitely pick up my own copy of this book and the sequel when it comes out.

Book preview

Wildefire - Karsten Knight

To Mom and Dad, but especially to Erin and Kelsey—

I promise the dysfunctional siblings in this book

are not even loosely based on us

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events,

real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places,

and incidents are products of the author’s imagination,

and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons,

living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2011 by Karsten Knight

Photographs copyright © 2011 by Ashton Worthington

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction

in whole or in part in any form.

is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors

to your live event. For more information or to book an event,

contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049

or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

Book design by Laurent Linn

The text for this book is set in Arrus BT.

Manufactured in the United States of America

2  4  6  8  10  9  7  5  3  1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Knight, Karsten.

Wildefire / Karsten Knight. — 1st ed.

p. cm

Summary: After a killing for which she feels responsible, sixteen-year-old

Ashline Wilde moves cross-country to a remote California boarding school,

where she learns that she and others have special gifts that can help them save

the world, but evil forces are at work to stop them.

ISBN 978-1-4424-2117-2

[1. Supernatural—Fiction. 2. Boarding schools—Fiction. 3. Schools—Fiction.

4. Sisters—Fiction. 5. Goddesses—Fiction. 6. Gods—Fiction. 7. California—

Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.K7382Wil 2011

[Fic]—dc22

2010039090

ISBN 978-1-4424-2119-6 (eBook)

CONTENTS

Lightning Rod

PART I: THE REDWOODS,

Eight Months Later

Sleepwalker, Thursday

Blue Flame, Friday

The Beach Scrolls, Saturday

Interlude, Central America

PART II: PANTHEON

Chain Gang, Sunday

The Burning Bed, Monday

Handprint, Tuesday

Interlude II, Central America

PART III: SPRING WEEK

Match Point, Wednesday

Midnight Movie, Thursday

Masquerade, Friday

Sibling Rivalry, Friday

Extinguished, One Month Later

LIGHTNING ROD

Ashline Wilde was a human mood ring. Sixteen years old, and she was a cauldron of emotions—frothing, bubbling, and volatile. She had never heard of bottling it all up inside. She was as transparent as the air itself.

And as she loomed over her combatant in the dusty Scarsdale High School parking lot, it didn’t take an answer key for the gathering crowd to decipher her mood du jour.

Ashline was pissed.

Lizzie Jacobs touched her split lip and gazed with a mixture of fury and awe at her bloodstained fingertips. One right hook from Ash had laid the skinny blond girl flat out on her ass. What the hell, Wilde?

What’s the matter, Elizabeth? Ash massaged her knuckles. Goddamn, that had hurt. You couldn’t find your own boyfriend?

Oh, I could. Lizzie brushed the dirt off the seat of her designer jeans as she used the hood of a nearby car to rise to her feet. He just happened to be yours at the time.

A chorus of ooh echoed around them.

With all the guys who come in and out of the revolving door to your Volvo’s backseat, you had to get your paws on Rich, too? Ash asked. The crowd hollered again. Summoned by the promise of bloodshed, students flooded out of the high school’s back doors, the circle around the two girls growing thicker by the minute.

First rule of school yard fights: It didn’t matter who you cheered for, as long as someone got slapped around.

Ashline, wait, a deep voice called. Somewhere in the sea of hoodies and popped collars, a varsity letter jacket wormed its way through the crowd. Rich Lesley finally elbowed in to the periphery of the inner circle. He stopped dead when he caught sight of Lizzie’s bloodied face. At six-foot-four he stood a full twelve inches taller than Ashline, but he still shrank back when his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend turned around. His sandy hair bobbed as he searched for an emergency exit, but the crowd that had been so eager to let him through had now knitted together to block his escape.

It was the first time she’d seen him since Tessa had reported the horrible news to her in last-period chemistry. As Ash had stormed out midclass, she’d imagined all the awful things she would say to him, do to him even. But faced with the boy who had abruptly tossed their three months together out the window like an apple core to the freeway, she couldn’t even pretend to be anything but hurt. Maybe it was the naïveté that came with having your first real relationship, but nothing about their romance had screamed summer fling to Ashline. Really, Rich? she said finally, her voice sounding far more pathetic than she’d intended. "It’s bad enough that you cheated on me, during school . . . but Lizzie Jacobs was the best you could do?"

Hey! Lizzie protested from behind her.

Shut up, bitch, Ash said, raising a hand to silence her. The grown-ups are talking.

Rich shifted his tennis bag from one shoulder to the other. At one point or another every man dreamed of two women fighting over him, but this clearly wasn’t what Rich Lesley had imagined. I don’t want to talk about this here.

I’m sorry, Ash said quietly, unconsciously twisting the Claddagh ring that Rich had given her. Its heart was still pointed inward. Is there some place quieter you had in mind to humiliate me?

For a moment, when he tugged at the hair that was starting to grow over his ear, when his posture slouched as if he were deflating, when his feet shuffled restlessly in place, Ash thought she saw a specter of the old Rich, the same Rich she’d seen in his cellar the day his parents had announced they were getting a divorce. For a moment she felt like maybe it was just the two of them, alone again, lying in the bed of his green pickup.

But then the world around him seemed to coalesce, and the crowd snapped back into place. His eyes hardened. The only person who’s humiliating you, he said, "is you." His fingers settled on the zipper of his tennis bag as if it were a holstered gun.

Ash leveled him with a stare that could harpoon a marlin from a hundred yards. She pointed at his bag. What are you going to do, coward? Swat me with your tennis purse?

Momentarily girded with courage, Rich turned and smirked at Reggie Butler, co-captain of the tennis team. If only she’d been this passionate when we were dating.

One second Ashline was standing in the middle of the circle. The next second Rich was curled in the fetal position on the ground, howling in pain, holding his tennis bag in front of him like a shield to prevent further irreparable injury to his groin.

You have something to say too, Butler? Ash asked.

No, ma’am, Reggie said, and after one glance down at his squirming friend, he defensively held up his hands. Personally, I think he deserved it.

Traitor, Rich rasped from the ground.

Christ, Wilde. Lizzie came up beside Ash, who had temporarily forgotten all about her. Lizzie planted her hands firmly on her hips and peered down at Rich with no particular touch of concern. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?

Ever so slowly Ash rotated her head to the left, her eyes piercing out from behind her bangs.

Ooh, right, Lizzie said. You’re just some crazy bush child that your parents came home from vacation with.

Ash raised her hand and touched the skin over her cheek, at once painfully self-conscious of how her skin, the hue of earthen clay, clashed against the backdrop of her predominantly white school. She spent the better part of each day feeling like a grizzly in the polar bear cage, and now Lizzie Jacobs was poking her with a stick through the bars.

The crowd had fallen uncomfortably quiet as well. Oblivious to the silence around her, or perhaps driven by it, Lizzie wiped the blood from her still-bleeding lip. Where do you think your parents are right now? Chanting in a circle back on Tahiti? Fishing with a spear? Or are they poking needles into a little voodoo doll, controlling you, and that’s why you’re acting like such a—

It really wasn’t Ash’s intention to knock out anyone’s teeth during this altercation. But Lizzie hadn’t even finished her verbal portrait of Ashline’s birth parents when, in a blur, the Polynesian girl’s hands wrapped around Lizzie’s skull and threw her across the circle. The momentum carried Lizzie uncontrollably toward a familiar green pickup.

It was one of those genuine oh-shit-what-did-I-just-do moments when everything slows down. Lizzie’s face smashed into the truck’s side mirror—so hard, in fact, that the mirror snapped clean off and clattered to the ground, cracking in half on impact. Meanwhile Ash watched with a cocktail of glee and guilt-ridden horror as the light flickered behind Lizzie’s eyes and her eyelids drooped. Lizzie Jacobs was three quarters of the way to Neverland by the time she landed on the pavement, her outstretched arm mercifully providing a pillow for her head as she went down.

And there, spilling out of her mouth and onto the ground like it had just popped out of a gumball dispenser, was one of Lizzie’s incisors. One end covered in blood, it skittered across the pavement until it landed at Ashline’s feet.

My truck! Rich helplessly reached out to his castrated pickup.

Ash wasn’t looking at Rich or the bloody tooth in front of her. Instead the sounds of the crowd around her died away, fading into a void, replaced by a ringing in her ears. In that sliver of time Ash was frozen, looking at her split reflection in the cracked mirror.

A wind picked up from the west, and the already overcast sky instantly grew darker. The temperature plummeted to frosty levels. The short-sleeved students rubbed their exposed arms. Hoodies were zipped in unison.

Then, on that September afternoon, it began to snow.

Just a few flakes at first, carried like dancing ash by the growing west wind. But as a murmur rumbled through the crowd, the snow began to fall in blizzard proportions. Ash finally severed eye contact with her broken reflection and tilted her face to the sky, her cheeks quickly powdered by the storm. Despite her island roots, she always found the cold comforting.

What’s going on here? a sharp parrotlike voice screeched from the direction of the school. You’re all blocking the fire lanes!

The crowd shuffled to the side, letting Vice Principal Davis through to the combat zone. Mr. Davis pushed past Reggie Butler and, with no regard for where he was stepping, tripped right over Rich.

The vice principal caught himself just before he face-planted. Mr. Lesley? His bespectacled eyes tried to make sense of the tennis player on the ground, who still hadn’t risen and was cradling his man-bits as if they were about to run away. Then the vice principal’s gaze traveled across the circle first to Ashline, standing motionless, and then down to Lizzie Jacobs. Lizzie was just beginning to stir, her body now caked in a fresh coat of snow. As a half-human groan escaped her mouth, Ash thought she resembled a waking yeti.

The puzzle pieces clicked together, and Mr. Davis blinked twice at Ash. Ms. Wilde?

Ash shrugged and flashed her best attempt at an innocent smile, a look that, despite her numerous brushes with trouble, she’d failed to master. What? I was just the referee.

Nice try. Mr. Davis folded his arms over his chest. But drama club tryouts were last week.

Ash couldn’t meet his gaze, and looked away, as if there were a better future for her written somewhere on the pavement. Instead she found only a man-shaped cutout in the snow. Following the trail of footprints away, she spotted Rich fleeing the school grounds without his truck, his dignity trailing behind him like a string of tin cans.

Mr. Butler, the vice principal said to the tennis player still lingering at the scene of the crime. If you would run in and catch Nurse Hawkins before she leaves . . . I have a feeling Ms. Jacobs will need an ice pack momentarily.

On cue a loud grunt echoed from behind them. My toof . . . Lizzie moaned, sitting up. And then again louder, My toof! She touched her mouth in horror, and her finger explored the space where her left incisor used to be. She frantically raked her fingers through the snow, the fragment of her previously beautiful smile helplessly concealed by the white blanket on the ground. Where is my toof?

Meanwhile, the world war of snowball fights had erupted all around the parking lot. The silhouettes of its soldiers danced with delight through the impromptu snowstorm, using the cars as cover from the returning fire. The shrieks of mirth echoed through the eerie dark of the afternoon. A rogue volley splattered against the pleated pantleg of Mr. Davis’s khakis, and he took a hesitant step in the direction of Christian Marsh, who, with an ashen face, squealed and ran away.

But another sound overtook the school grounds. From behind the thick curtain of snow, a low rumbling picked up, an engine distinct from those of the factory-fresh cars and hand-me-downs that were slowly making their way out of the parking lot and onto the slippery streets. It was the churning rattle of a motorcycle, and even Mr. Davis, who had opened his mouth like he was about to really rip into Ashline, paused to listen. The snowball fight and the cheerful shouts of its participants faded to nothing as the sound grew louder.

Ash knew exactly who was on the back of the bike before the outline of the motorcycle emerged through the white gauze. The old Honda Nighthawk chugged threateningly as it rolled toward them, its red chassis like a spot of blood in the otherwise virgin snow.

The engine cut, and the bike drifted to a stop between Ash and her fallen adversary, who had finally located her tooth. Lizzie had it pinched between her thumb and forefinger and was squinting at it in a half-conscious daze. The arrival of the motorcycle caused her to drop it again.

The rider, cloaked in white jeans and a matching spandex shirt that made her look like a floating vision in the falling snow, dismounted the bike and plucked her helmet from her head in one smooth motion. Her short chin-length hair curved around her face into two ebony spikes that pointed forward like tusks. Her dark skin, even richer than Ash’s, betrayed her roots to an island far, far away from this suburban jungle. It was as if she and Ash had been excavated from different layers of the same clay.

The older girl glanced briefly at Lizzie Jacobs, perhaps noting the blood on her lip and the concussion-induced disorientation in her eyes. Way to go, Little Sis.

What are you doing here, Eve? Ash asked.

"Yes, Ms. Wilde, what are you doing here?" Mr. Davis echoed.

Eve pouted mockingly at her former vice principal. "Can’t a big girl check in on her wittle sister from time to time?"

Mr. Davis cleared his throat. Not on the school grounds from which you have already been expelled.

Oh, please. Eve rolled her eyes and tossed her helmet from hand to hand. A couple of unwanted comments in biology class, and one teensy little cafeteria fistfight, and you kick a girl out of school? Hardly seems fair.

Three, Mr. Davis corrected her. "Three teensy little cafeteria fistfights, and one restraining order."

See? Eve exclaimed as if this proved her point. "Six months out of school, and I can’t even count straight anymore. And I was so eager to learn."

Behind Eve, Lizzie Jacobs climbed unsteadily to her feet, tottering from side to side. She massaged her head and squinted at the new arrival. Christ, Ash. Did you hit me hard enough that I’m seeing double? Or are there two Tahitian bitches strutting around the parking lot?

Lizzie, please shut up, Ash said, this time pleading, not hostile. Eve had been missing for three months now, ever since her seventeenth birthday. But three months wasn’t nearly long enough for Ash to forget that when Eve got involved, things never failed to get out of hand.

Didn’t you learn your lesson the first time? Eve said over her shoulder; the peon behind her wasn’t worth the energy of turning around.

Lizzie opened her mouth to reply, but Ash darted between the two of them. She experienced a pleasurable surge of victory when Lizzie flinched, but wanted to telepathically say, I’m trying to protect you, you moron.

Forget about this one, Ash said to her sister. I’ve already invested enough energy in her, and Rich Lesley isn’t worth the fight.

Rich Lesley? Eve scoffed, and swept the snow out of her bangs with a flick of her hair. "That gangly tennis twerp? Baby Sis, I thought I taught you better than that. You certainly didn’t inherit your taste in men from me."

Ash forced a laugh, waiting for the tension in the air to melt. Her mind was no longer fixated on the threat of school suspension. Now she was focused on getting Lizzie, Eve, and the vice principal to go in separate directions. Even Mr. Davis looked on edge—his fifteen years as a school administrator had no jurisdiction over the teenage blood feud he’d interrupted, at least now with Eve in play.

Mustering up all the sisterly warmth she could for a sibling who was as frightening as she was unpredictable, Ash slipped an arm around Eve’s waist and guided her back to her bike. Let me worry about all this, she said. I’m just going to go inside and collect my detention slip, and then I’ll meet you back at home. We can catch up then.

Eve narrowed her eyes, like some sort of menacing ice witch with the snow collecting on her brow. "Why? Why do you just content yourself to go along with the status quo when you know you’re intended for much greater things? She jabbed her finger roughly on Ash’s sternum. I know that you feel it in you, the same way I did when I gave the middle finger to this place and rode off into the sunset. Do you really feel like you belong in this Wonder Bread town? Have you ever felt like you belonged here?"

Ash dropped her eyes to the pavement.

"Then, why don’t you stop acting like you do! Do you really want to waste your time sitting for hours in some vomit-colored detention hall, just because—Eve leveled a finger at Mr. Davis—this miserable unmarried tyrant is angry that you—and she pointed her thumb back at Lizzie—showed this whorish man-stealing bottom-feeder, who has terrible split ends, a little bit of street justice?"

Are you kidding me? Lizzie screeched behind her.

Shut it, cupcake, Eve snapped. It’s called conditioner—use it sometime.

Mr. Davis took a step toward Eve and pointed to her motorcycle. You have sixty seconds to leave school grounds. He tapped his imaginary watch.

Just go home, Ash said to her sister, more firmly this time. I can take care of myself.

The wind picked up with increasing ferocity from the west. Ash’s hair billowed around her like a sail. Eve held out the biker’s helmet. Get on the bike, Ash, she ordered her sister. I’m not leaving this parking lot without you. It’s for your own good.

No, Ash replied.

Get on the back of the damn bike! Eve growled. Her face contorted with such vicious lines that even Mr. Davis took a few steps back. Get on the bike, or so help me . . .

Ash was summoning the courage to refuse a second time when fate—in the form of Lizzie Jacobs’s stupidity—intervened. The blond girl snorted behind Eve. I guess I wasn’t off target when I said that crazy runs in the family. But I can’t really blame you, Ash. If my older sister was a motorcycle-riding Antichrist, I guess I’d be a little rough around the edges too.

The wind died, and the only sound that could be heard throughout the parking lot was the distant call of thunder. Mr. Davis held his breath, frozen somewhere between mediating and wetting himself. Eve’s eyes were still fixed with smoldering fire on her little sister, and for one blessed, relief-filled instant Ash actually thought Eve was going to let the comment slide.

Everything happened so fast. Eve whirled around like an Olympic discus thrower and, with her arm extended, smashed Lizzie Jacobs in the face with her motorcycle helmet. The already dazed sophomore spun around in an ugly pirouette on one foot, before collapsing to the pavement again, for the third and last time.

The onset of violence spurred Mr. Davis back into action. I’m calling the police, he said, and his cell phone was already in his hand by the time he knelt down at Lizzie’s side.

A vicious smile spread across Eve’s face, and she stepped forward so that she loomed over Lizzie. I don’t know if it will be an improvement, but there’s certainly nothing I could have done to your face to make it any worse. Sweet dreams. Eve flipped the helmet around in her hands. Hopefully I knocked out another tooth and she’ll be symmetrical now. She turned back to her sister, expecting Ash to look equally pleased.

But Ash had tears in her eyes. Why do you always do this? she whispered. "You couldn’t have just come back to see me. You had to make it about destruction. It’s always about destroying something."

Eve stalked over to her with such intensity that for a split second Ash thought she might suffer the same fate as Lizzie. Eve leaned menacingly down so that she came nose-to-nose with her shorter sister. The familiar tang of cinnamon and patchouli washed over Ash as Eve exhaled. "You hit her and it’s retaliation and self-defense. I hit her and it’s destruction. Where do you get off making that distinction?"

Ash held her ground. Because I don’t enjoy it.

Eve sneered and gave her sister one more look up and down. Keep telling yourself that. She backed away and straddled the Nighthawk, her face livid with disgust as if the pavement were covered with rotting eggs. Last chance. Are you getting on the back of this bike, or are you going to stay here in Pleasantville?

Ash didn’t have the strength to reply. She could only shake her head.

Eve popped the helmet onto her head, and the motorcycle grumbled to life, mimicking the thunder in the clouds. Grow up, Ash, Eve said, her voice muffled behind the helmet. Ash caught her own tattered-looking reflection in the dark visor before the motorcycle and its rider zipped off over the snow, the back tire fishtailing out as she rounded the corner.

Ash crouched down beside Lizzie. The girl’s left cheek was turning purple, on its way toward a nasty bruise, and her eyelids were just starting to flutter open as she struggled to wake up from the second concussion. Ash was only vaguely aware of Lizzie moaning and stirring; of Mr. Davis’s panicked footfalls as he paced restlessly, waiting for help to arrive; of the distant wail of the approaching ambulance.

Instead she channeled all of her attention into listening for the whisper that each snowflake made when it touched the ground. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on this impossible task, she couldn’t shake the awful vision she’d seen as Eve had ridden off school grounds.

For one haunting moment, seeing her reflection in Eve’s helmet, it had looked as if it were Ashline riding away on that motorcycle, a path of carnage and ill intentions in her wake.

When Ash arrived home after her meeting with Vice Principal Davis, the police cruiser was already waiting in the driveway. The female officer sitting inside the house with her parents looked alert and self-important, stoked at the prospect of finally being able to dispense some sweet justice. Ash couldn’t particularly blame her. With Scarsdale, New York having one of the lowest crime rates in the country, the cops rarely saw much excitement beyond serving tickets to drivers who tried to beat the light, or chasing high teenagers through the woods behind the school. The opportunity to serve a warrant for the arrest of a dangerous outlaw like Ash’s sister was a welcome change of pace.

Of course Eve was nowhere to be found when the officer arrived. If Ash knew her sister, she was probably halfway to Buffalo on her motorcycle by now. It could be months before they heard from her again—if at all.

After the officer departed, Ashline sat on the stairs with her knees hugged to her chest. Through the wrought iron balustrade, which felt like prison bars, she watched her father pull on his boots and her mother rifle through the closet. The Wildes, true to their endless fountain of good intentions, had decided to take the blue Rav4 to hopelessly search for Eve in the freezing rain. As terrible as it had been for the police to present them with Eve’s arrest warrant, it had been a bittersweet reminder that after three months without so much as a phone call or postcard, their delinquent daughter was still alive.

From this angle, under the hallway chandelier, Ashline could see how peppered with gray Thomas Wilde’s hair had grown over the last few months. Over the years, Ash had always remained oblivious to the gradual signs of aging shown by either of her adoptive parents. She even sometimes joked that since she and Eve had lived in the Wilde house all their lives, maybe they would inherit the good Wilde genes through osmosis. But in comparison to her father’s image in the large family portrait over the stairs, taken barely a year after the adoption, when Ash was only a toddler, it looked now as though the last fifteen years had finally ambushed the patriarch of the Wilde family.

Her father scooped his keys off the foyer table and then fished around in the pockets of his khakis for the fourth time. Wallet, wallet . . .

Dad, Ash called down to him. Back pocket. She pointed to the lump on the back side of his khakis, and his panicked expression softened a few degrees as his hand settled on the billfold.

You know, Ashline . . . He slipped on his leather coat, which Ash had given him for his fiftieth birthday. We could use a third pair of eyes out on the road. Your grounding doesn’t have to start until afterward.

Ashline’s hands tightened around the balusters. Thanks, but I’ll gladly opt for house arrest over ‘search party of three’ in the rain.

Her father stepped over to the staircase so that they were face-to-face through the balustrade. "No one’s saying

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