Of Honey and Wildfires

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Of Honey and Wildfires

Shine oil is a valuable commodity controlled by one company. It can restore food, provide light and power, and also heal the wounded. Shine Company owns the land this oil is taken from and through it owns the people that reside there. Arlen Esco, heir to the Company, takes a journey to Shine Territory seeking adventure. But the harsh realities he finds will forever change him. The lives of those who work for the company are not as picturesque as he imagined.

Residing in Shine Territory, Cassandra grows up among ridicule and hatred. While the family she lives with does the best they can for her, it is impossible to hide the fact she is the daughter of an outlaw. One that has caused problems not only for the company, but the people forced to work for it to survive.

Be prepared, Of Honey and Wildfires is going to grab your heart. The prose is poetic and steeped in emotion, painting vivid imagery every step of the way. I found myself sinking into this world, never wanting to leave. I highlighted line after line on my Kindle, saving so many quotes. This book is a lyrical masterpiece, and the characters are just as powerful as the writing style.

While the book mainly focuses on Arlen and Cassandra, another character named Ianthe sneaks in chapters from time to time. Through their eyes, the reader experiences what it means to live in the shadow of Shine Company and how it has changed their lives. Each of them will face uncertainties and hardship, immersing the reader in an intricate story about love, loss, and family.

Sarah Chorn has created characters with true depth and complexity. And while the plot is nonlinear, each chapter is perfectly placed. The world unfolds across the pages, each chapter adding another layer to the experience that is Of Honey and Wildfires. Not to mention she has somehow mixed third and first-person points of view in a way that makes the story all the more captivating.

Of Honey and Wildfires is one of those books that I will be talking about for months, attempting to make everyone I know read it. Seriously, go buy this book or download it on Kindle Unlimited, you will not be disappointed. Meanwhile, I will be sitting, waiting for the sequel to release because you can be sure I already pre-ordered it.