Novel Review: Firebug (Firebug, #1) by Lish McBride

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Paranormal

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Release Date: September 23, 2014

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday. Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ava can start fires with her mind . . . but is it a blessing or a curse?

Ava is a firebug—she can start fires with her mind. Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hit men . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her mother's death was ordered by Venus—who is now her boss.

When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum.

The Cover:

I actually rather like this cover. I couldn't tell what it was at first zoomed out, but the image definitely fits the book. I like that it is emphasizing her powers and the supernatural element, instead of romance or something else. I also like that it's more simple and just pretty to look at.

Review:

I was very excited for this book. And I will say it was not as amazing as her previous one, but it was still definitely enjoyable.

McBride has a certain flair, a creativity that she puts into her world, that adds its own element of fun. Her writing style is nice, a little simple, but easy to read. Her story is a little slow, but definitely interesting and leading to the climax.

I liked Ava. She’s a firebug, still getting control of her powers but mostly there. Having lived on the run before her mother died, now she lives with Cade, a father-figure, and working for the Coterie, the supernatural group her mother was running from. She works with Ezra and Lock for the Coterie, two other supernaturals. Ezra is fun, and a bit adorable; Lock is more serious, more protective, but also just as fun. The dynamic between the three was probably my favorite—they get along so well, and the budding romance was very underplayed, although the mess-up at the end was frustrating.

The father-daughter relationship between Ava and Cade was also really nice, and the development there at the end of the book has me really happy and excited to see more in the next book.

The Coterie was in a new place at the end of the book, and I’m interested to see where it goes next. It could be good, but something is surely going to go wrong.

This was a very nice book, a little slow, but enjoyable. McBride is already on my auto-buy list, so I look forward to her next book. I also do hope that this series intertwines with her Necromancer series, although I doubt it will, sadly. Maybe I just miss that group, though.