Review: Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott

Salt & Stone

Author:Victoria Scott

Release Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Fire & Flood Book #2

ISBN:   0545537487

ISBN13: 9780545537483

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Review Copy Source: Publisher

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.

Tella has really grown into herself throughout her journey in the Brimstone Bleed. She has made some loyal partners and she is well on her way to winning it all with them by her side. In FIRE & FLOOD she faced and conquered the jungle and desert portions of the race. In SALT & STONE she is faced with the ocean and mountains.

The secondary characters are a pretty big part of the series so I am going to take a moment to talk about them instead of going into the plot. I never really cared for the new boy or the new little girl that joined the group during the ocean portion in book 2. I knew instantly that something was up with the boy, it took a while but the truth came out. The little girl was way to clingy and 'innocent' acting to me. There was no way she would have made it this far, so I knew it had to be an act. HARPER is back like she promised and of course she has changed. It was a bit hard to see the changes, but she had the same goals she left with. I continue to love the Maddox and the other Pandoras. I love the way that they band together in SALT &  STONE and I love the way Tella treats them. There is loss in SALT & STONE, I won't say who it is, but I was heart broken right along with Tella. 

On the romance front, there is a bit of trouble in paradise between Guy and Tella in book 2. I honestly felt Tella was being extremely stubborn most of the time, but I understood where her feelings where coming from. The progress between the two is slow, but it's real.

The danger continues to be real, the characters continue to break down the barriers set in front of them and the world continues to grow. The Brimstone Bleed did NOT end like I expected, but then again, I kinda expected that. Tella and her friends now have an IN with those behind the Brimstone Bleed, book three is going to be crazy.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.