Island on Fire by Sophie Schiller Review

This is possible thanks to Goddess Fish Promotions and Sophie Schiller! Sophie Schiller will be awarding a travel size Exotic French noix de coco perfume and shower gel (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please see post for rafflecopter information and the review!Click on the banner for the official list of the tour stops!

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?

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This is my first book from Sophie Schiller and I recieved this Ark through Goddess Fish Promotions for a honest review!

The cover peaked my interest with this one and the synopsis looks great which peaked my interest to read Island on Fire by Sophie Schiller. Historical Romances seem to be my latest love trend with books and ones I enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. I read this book in one sitting and to my knowledge is one of the few books I read in one sitting. There were like 10 others which is a decent handful.

It starts of with a simple gal and a cheating low life boyfriend. The gal goes to a voodoo priestess because that’s the first thing I think of when I have a cheating boyfriend..voodoo priestess under the yellow pages. I think they would only be found in certain areas… Like new orleans or distant lands not in the united states or the dark web maybe. A distant land such as On the beautiful island of Martinique, the supposedly extinct Mount Pelee begins to show signs of activity, but the politicians are more interested in the upcoming election and choose to ignore the danger. Like why would ignore the danger.. Its obviously something is going to happen…

I would think she would want to sacrifice him but no, she wants the to keep the fool. Mt Pelee is ready to pop, I am thinking we sacrifice him to the volcano gods and maybe we make a short story out of this novel but nope! Mt Pelee explodes and then the excitement happens. I have never been near a volcano that kills 30,000 people and have to run and survive but the book makes it sound like it might be dangerous or something. What?

Emilie flushed with excitement. She placed her hand in Lt. Remy’s and they began to dance, absorbing the rhythm with their feet, legs, and hips. Colors blended into one, and song and laughter rang in their ears, the music almost lifting them off their feet. Remy did his best to follow the steps, which were faster and more free-flowing than what he was used to, while Emilie sang along in the local patois. As they twirled across the dance floor, the rum coursed through their veins, making their steps lighter, their laughter merrier, their closeness more apparent.

All at once they stopped dancing. Rémy pulled her close and kissed her. Emilie melted into his embrace, caressing his head and neck, forgetting all her problems and worries. It was only until this moment that she realized how much she had longed for him.

“You are lovely,” he said, caressing her face. “But I suppose many men have told you that.”

“You are the first,” she said. “The first man I’ve ever loved.”

He stared in her eyes and said nothing. She laid her head against his chest, and they continued dancing until the early-morning hours. Then, when all was quiet, they headed out into the night, the laughter and music still ringing in their ears.

They will all collide in a life or death struggle to survive the forces of nature, the diabolical influence of the voodoo king and the wrath of those in power. Because why not piss of a voodoo king? right?.. Although the story is set in the early days of the 20th century, there are themes reminiscent of the current state of the country, with the elected officials frequently exhibiting concern only for their own agendas rather than the welfare of all of the people. The ever present menace of the previously quiescent mountain and the love story of two people willing to risk their future make this novel a very enjoyable read.

The writing reads like you are there, and paints vivid pictures of panic, jungle, a volcano, and the passions of Lucien, Emilie, and Remy. The historical details are true to life.

Final Thoughts

Anyway, I loved the book, check it out. Really, I did enjoy the thrill of what it would be like faced with the threats going on…the book was excellent with drama building steadily with assorted interesting characters and author Sophie Schiller makes the reader want to sit down next to some of these endearing characters. Not to mention the desire to beat a few annoying ones over the head.

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The Author

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

Links:

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:

https://www.amazon.com/Island-Fire-Sophie-Schiller-ebook/dp/B079QFVG49/

Paperback – Special low price of $10.99 at Amazon and B&N:

B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/island-on-fire-sophie-schiller/1128211308?ean=9781986210782

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Island-Fire-Sophie-Schiller/dp/1986210782/

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE: Sophie Schiller will be awarding a travel size Exotic French noix de coco perfume and shower gel (US only) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Tour Schedule:

July 31: The Avid Reader
July 31: The Tired Buyer
July 31: My Reading Journeys
August 7: Sharing Links and Wisdom
August 7: Locks, Hooks and Books
August 7: Notes From a Romantic’s Heart
August 14: Let me tell you a story
August 14: Kimmi Love
August 14: A Chick Who Reads
August 21: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
August 21: Bookaholic