My Rating: 5/5
Source: Pan Macmillan Australia
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The exhilaratingly seductive new series from the author of the bestselling Starcrossed series.
Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.
This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.
Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.
Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.
But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?
This book was the perfect blend of the science fiction and paranormal genres. It has a complicated setting but the world building was really well done and I really enjoyed the idea of the infinite alternate universes.
The witchcraft in this book was also really well done. I loved that the magic element was done in a very non-conventional way. The magic was more to do with science which was really fascinating and surprisingly very easy to understand.
The romance in this book was rather complicated and messy. I can see perhaps there being a number of love triangles forming in future books which I'm not too sure about.
The book mainly follows Lily as she transitions from a world reliant on science to a world completely fearful of science.
I would have liked more of Lillian. She is the supposed villain in this book but she is not really involved until the end.
The book ended with a pretty good cliff-hanger and there were a number of unanswered questions so I will be more than likely reading the sequel very soon.
