Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

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Scorched by Mari Mancusi
Publisher- Sourcebooks Fire
Released- Sept 3rd 2013
Purchase- Amazon / B & N / Chapters

TrinityDon’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn't be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...ConnorHe’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.CalebHe’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons.
Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed.
My Thoughts:
To save the Fantastical Fossil museum from the overwhelming bills, Trinity Foxx's grandfather hopes that his latest discovery is just the ticket that will bring in an audience from around the world. Found trapped in a glacier in Antarctica, a golden egg was found. The last Dragon egg. Trinity, being a 16 year old teenager and the responsible one of the two, is skeptical of this new discover but when a voice inside Trinity's head seems to be linked to the egg, Trinity is intrigued but frightened that she could be losing her mind, just like her mother did. Connor and Caleb are estranged twin brothers who are from 200 years into the future. One brother is sent to ensure the safety of both Trinity and the Dragon egg and the other was sent to destroy them.

Wow, what a fun read! I really loved the concept to this one. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Scorched, all I knew is that it combines some of my favorite genre's, dragon-fantasy and sci-fi, so it was an even greater surprise that I ended up really loving this one. Mancusi's writing is exceptionally strong, I've only read a couple of her other books before, and while I thought they were decent,  I didn't quite connect with them like I did this one. The pace and flow is beautifully developed. At first it can be a little confusing since everything seems to be happening at once, but when the story gets going and we learn the facts with Trinity it becomes a steady stream of intrigue and wonder. It was like unwrapping a layered gift, with each new rip my anticipation and curiosity grew and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. 

There is only so much I want to say about this plot-wise since I think readers will have a greater time discovering all the wonderful revelations for themselves. So, with that said, the story line does have a Terminator-feel to it, but I still found this to be a unique and fun spin on dragon lore and time travel. I loved the idea of the two brothers who were brought into the past to ensure or stop future events from taking place, with a girl who has no idea of the catastrophic events that are about to enfold. It's exciting to learn the brothers true intentions, what the Dracken organization is and get a glimpse of what Trinity and her dragon, Emberlyn  (Emmy) means to the future, both the good and the bad. It's a solid concept and completely entertaining from start to finish.

I really enjoyed all the characters. They are all wonderfully developed and easy to connect with.
~Trinity is a responsible head strong girl who is determined, brave and caring. Her life suddenly became something out of her favorite video game, Fields of Fantasy, the minute her grandfather showed her the golden egg uncased in glass. I loved how she processed everything from disbelieve to awe-struck. It's a lot to take in knowing that your the Fire Kissed and that your responsible for both destroying the entire world and saving the race of a mythical creature in the same heart beat.
~I don't want to say to much about Connor and Caleb. They mystery around them was one of the funnest part of the book to discover. They each have their own stories so it's hard to tell which of the brothers we can really trust. They have a lingering cloud of doubt that surrounds them till we know for sure what their true purpose is. But, I will say that I loved both brothers equally. Connor is a hunter hero in his time, dedicated to avenge his father death. He's kind and patient and a natural leader. Caleb is more harsh, cool, collected and confident. They do however share a passion and obsession when it comes to their missions and what it will ultimately mean for the entire world.
The dragon, Emmy, was surprisingly amazing to see. Dragons have always been such a fascinating creature with so much potential to create. I really loved the way Mancusi portrayed them as both dazzling and deadly. 
At this point the romance is very light, but well on it's way into shaping into a love triangle between Trinity and the brothers. Since I like them both I don't have a team-flag to wave just yet, but I am curious to see how things develop in future books.

All in all, I kinda loved this one. The concept is smart and fresh, the story is action packed and exciting, the writing has an all consuming flavor and these characters will have you invested at minute one till it's heart-pounding conclusion. For fans who want some heat and heart with their fantasy escape, this one goes out to you. I can't wait to see where Mancusi takes this next! A great read!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                               4 Snowflakes

3 comments:

  1. I really liked this book too though I didn't care for the villain at the end. I hope there will be a sequel. I definitely want to know more about the dragons and see the characters grow.

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    1. I know what you mean. I think it was because it was unexpected and since we got that revelation in the end, there wasn't enough time to explore it all. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the next book. Glad you enjoyed this too:)

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  2. I tend to love dragon books and this one sounds so cool! Thanks for the heads up!

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