Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez Blog Tour

 As much as I love to read, sometimes I just don't have enough time to sit and concentrate on a book (never enough hours in the day) so there are days when I just need a quick read. 

You know the ones, something sharp, snappy, suspenseful even.

And that is exactly what I got with Jennifer Lynn's latest novel, Lies Like Wildfire. 

In Gap Mountain, California, everyone knows about fire season. And no one is more vigilant than 18-year-old Hannah Warner, the sheriff's daughter and aspiring FBI agent. That is until this summer. When Hannah and her best friends accidentally spark an enormous and deadly wildfire, their instinct is to lie to the police and the fire investigators.

But as the blaze roars through their rural town and towards Yosemite National Park, Hannah's friends begin to crack and she finds herself going to extreme lengths to protect their secret. Because sometimes good people do bad things. And if there’s one thing people hate, it’s liars.

All it takes is one spark to ruin everything!

The monsters - a group of teenage friends - come to this realisation very quickly when they accidentally cause a fire to break. A mishap that leads to utter disaster as a wildfire begins to rapidly spread throughout Gap Mountain.

A mistake, that's all it was.

Unfortunately for them, that accident could also lead them straight to jail, I mean it's arson whether accidental or not.

What follows builds into an intricate web of lies and deceit causing more hurt and destruction.

This groups friendship will never be the same again.

An intense high-stakes story about five friends and the deadly secret that could send their lives up in flames, perfect for fans of Karen McManus and E. Lockhart.

So who are 'The Monsters'?

We have Hannah, who is the sheriff’s daughter, a girl whose is life dictated by laws.

Then there's Drummer, the boy who Hannah is madly in love with but unfortunately is dating Violet - in secret - forgetting the rule monsters don't date monsters.

Which leads us to Violet, Hannah's best friend, she doesn't live in Gap Mountan but joins the group every summer. She has it all money, looks and brains.

Our last two members are Luke, a trouble teen who has already been in trouble with the law and Mo, the caring one, who dreams of being a nurse.

Before we even get a hint of what was to come, the story begins with one of the five teenagers (Violet) being missing. The big question is, has she run away, been kidnapped or has the worst occurred, murder?

Their last summer together, it was meant to be fun, full of memories being made but reckless behaviour went and ruined that.

Now thoughts of college and work instead turn to the idea of simply staying out of jail.

Intense, extremely fast-paced and brilliantly unexpected.

I'd compare it to books like One of us is Lying and We Were Liars, both just as brilliant as this.

This is a YA thriller that does not disappoint. I especially liked the fact that there was two storylines running in tandem. 

The first being the fire. The author did a good job with this, the descriptions of the fire itself, how it was changing the surroundings and just who it was affecting. It was as though the fire was a character itself, how it moved and changed.

Fractures between the town folk, the divide of classes showing.

The second focus was on Violet's disappearance and the drama that led up to it.

Traditional teen angst flowed throughout the story and it was refreshing to have an unlikeable main character. Danger and betrayal seemed to lurk round every corner. The list of suspects was long, was there anyone who could be trusted?

Lies Like Wildfire had me hooked from start to finish.

An original concept combined relentless thrills make this a story that keeps up a speedy pace. Friendships are tested and there is a  feeling of desperation that simmers throughout the tale.

As plans for the future are replaced, it becomes clear that for now it's time to grow up. 

This is an absolute scorcher of a novel!

Make sure to join the rest of the blog tour for more reviews and insights into this thrilling tale.