Wicked Like A Wildfire (Hibiscus Daughter #1)
By Lana Popovic
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Recommended for: Ages 16+, readers who love intricate, vivid descriptions and unique magic

All the women in Iris and Malina’s family have the unique magical ability or “gleam” to manipulate beauty. Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glasswork, while Malina interprets moods as music. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret, even in their secluded sea-side town. Iris and Malina are not allowed to share their magic with anyone, and above all, they are forbidden from falling in love.

 

 

But when their mother is mysteriously attacked, the sisters will have to unearth the truth behind the quiet lives their mother has built for them. They will discover a wicked curse that haunts their family line—but will they find that the very magic that bonds them together is destined to tear them apart forever?

 

The Gist:
Wicked Like A Wildfire is a beautifully told story of twin sisters trying to find a way to save their mom and discover more about who they are. It is rich in detail and full of decadent descriptions. If your personal preference leans towards lots of flowery description, then you will love this book. If you’re like me and prefer a faster-paced book, this might be one you can skip. For me, it was a book with an interesting premise, but poorly executed. I personally wouldn’t want to read it again, but I can see how some people would really enjoy it.

 

What I Liked:
There were a lot of unique characteristics in this story. The one I found most fascinating was the magic. It centered on the ability to manipulate beauty. That, coupled with Popovic’s incredible talent at description that invokes all the senses, made it feel like you fell into the story and were experiencing it.

I also loved the setting. I don’t recall ever reading a YA book that took place in Montenegro. And again, with Popovic’s in-depth descriptions, it felt like I was standing in front of something of the places she mentioned. Not just describing how they look, but how one feels when he or she is there.

 

What I Didn’t Like:
I didn’t have a problem with HOW Popovic described things. In fact, I think she did quite extraordinarily at it. But the amount of description made the plot drag on and on for me until I’d lost all sense of suspense. Every time something interesting was about to happen, we stopped to go into great detail about what something looked, smell or sounded like. Again, I prefer less description and faster pace, so I’m not docking any Lunas for that reason. But, it seemed like she was trying to build suspense and mystery, but I just couldn’t feel it as I read.

The other thing I didn’t feel was romantic tension. I actually didn’t think the love interests of the Iris and Malina weren’t that well developed, and that was why I didn’t feel a desire to see them together. In general, a lot of the characters fell flat for me. Not enough of an arch to keep me invested in what happened to them.

As I mentioned above, I loved the uniqueness of the magic, but it did get confusing at times. This slowed the pace of the story even further.

 

LunasLuckyRating: 3.5/5 Lunas