Blurb:
In the lush, tropical world of Martinique where slavery is a distant memory and voodoo holds sway, Emilie Dujon discovers that her fiancé, a rich sugar planter, has been unfaithful. Desperate to leave him, she elicits the aid of a voodoo witch doctor and is lured into a shadowy world of black magic and extortion. When the volcano known as Mount Pelée begins to rumble and spew ash, she joins a scientific committee sent to investigate the crater. During the journey she meets Lt. Denis Rémy, an army officer with a mysterious past.
At the summit, the explorers discover that a second crater has formed and the volcano appears to be on the verge of eruption. But when they try to warn the governor, he orders them to bury the evidence for fear of upsetting the upcoming election. As the pressure builds, a deadly mudslide inundates Emilie’s plantation and she disappears. With ash and cinders raining down, chaos ensues. Left with no choice, Lt. Rémy deserts his post and sets off on a desperate quest to rescue Emilie. But with all roads blocked, can they escape the doomed city of St. Pierre before it’s too late?
At the summit, the explorers discover that a second crater has formed and the volcano appears to be on the verge of eruption. But when they try to warn the governor, he orders them to bury the evidence for fear of upsetting the upcoming election. As the pressure builds, a deadly mudslide inundates Emilie’s plantation and she disappears. With ash and cinders raining down, chaos ensues. Left with no choice, Lt. Rémy deserts his post and sets off on a desperate quest to rescue Emilie. But with all roads blocked, can they escape the doomed city of St. Pierre before it’s too late?
Excerpt:
Emilie’s muslin dress was soaked with sweat. Heat and humidity hung in the
Emilie’s heart raced and she felt as if she was having a nightmare. Boom! An explosion like cannon fire rocked the carriage. In the distance, the mountain appeared to be glowing. The blast was followed by a loud rumbling noise and tremors that shook the earth. Her first thought was that the world was coming to an end.
My Review:
4 stars
This was a fantastic read. The worldbuilding was amazing, the plot intriguing, and the drama/suspense non-stop and building. You can definitely tell the author did her research, and I loved the way she made the island and its people come to life. Even though I knew the volcano was going to blow, I was still kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen with the characters and the expedition. The only disappointing part was the romance between Remy and Emilie. It just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story, both in pacing and…pizzazz. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them, which made it hard to care about their romance while everything else was going on. However, I still enjoyed the story very much, and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves historical thrillers.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Author Bio and Links:
Sophie Schiller was born in Paterson, NJ and grew up in the West Indies. She loves stories that carry the reader back in time to exotic and far-flung locations. Kirkus Reviews called her "an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer”. Her latest novel is Island on Fire, a thriller about the worst volcanic disaster of the 20th century, the Pompeii of the Caribbean. She was educated at American University, Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY
Website: https://sophieschiller.blogspot.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/SchillerSophie/
Facebook Book Page: https://www.facebook.com/Island-on-Fire-898938183595340/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieSchiller
Buy Link for e-book:
Paperback – Special low price of $10.99 at Amazon and B&N:
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for reading and reviewing "Island on Fire"!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read your book.
ReplyDeleteSounds mysterious and a good read!
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