Blog Tour Review - With Fire In Their Blood

I think am out of my reading slump! Good grief, I hope so! And with a book to read for a blog tour that I dived into because I loved the cover! It looks weird and gothic and with that title, how could I not say yes to being involved in this blog tour when I was asked by the lovely folks at Write Reads on behalf of Penguin (thank you Write Reads for allowing me to be involved in this tour)!

The hidden, crumbling Italian city of Castello was at war with itself. Two families were involved ed in a brutal clan war, spanning generations, till a mysterious leader survived a church fire, killing all but him, determined unity against a common, hidden enemy. 

When Lilly moves to town from the US due to her father's new job, she finds herself drawn to the rebellious Liza, the brooding Nico and sensitive Christian. But with her emotions pulling her in different directions with this strange love square, she finds that Castello is a city that will lead everyone to ruin because no one can be trusted. Not even herself. 

Because sins of the past are close to destroying and consuming the present and future. Because Lilly, unknowingly, has broken Castello's most sacred rule: when your blood is tested, you better be damn sure you not anything more than human...Well, this was a surprisingly addictive read. I knew I would like this, but I was surprised how into it I got! So much so, I kept going "How am I going to write a review for this for the tour?"

I kept comparing this in my head to Romeo and Juliet, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and Amy Plum's Die For Me. Just imagine these stories coming together and having a queer, gothic lovechild and you have the basic idea of With Fire In Their Blood. But with a plot that has more twists and turns than a corkscrew. 

I mean it, there were twists that even I went "Whoo!" as they came so out-of-left-field and yet, worked brilliantly with the story and the city where witch hunts, mafia families, religion being used as a weapon and a tool for fear, all the while having the rule "Trust is a weapon" thrown at the readers because, in Castello, trust and kindness are weakness. 

I did get a little muddled at the start with all the characters names, especially with Lilly's parents. She kept flipping between "Mom/Dad" and then their real names "Carly/Jack" and I kept wishing Lilly would make up her mind. 

But there was something addictive about this book which was a great thing to get out of a reading slump with. I can't wait for the sequel!