What would you do to save someone you love? Your brother, your sister, your mother...your child? Fire & Flood puts young Tella to the test to see just that! But not just Tella, 122 people enter this race called the Brimstone Bleed, but there can be only one ultimate winner. One person who will receive the cure for their loved one's illness. To win that person must survive a race through 4 ecosystems. They are given an animal Pandora companion. A genetically modified animal that has skills and talents beyond their imagining. Where do I sign up? Let's just skip the my family member's almost certain death part though... 
 There can be only one!! 
 Sounds like one hell of a crazy ride am I right? It really is! Admittedly I have never been a fan of those reality tv shows like Survivor. But Survivor would be a somewhat accurate way to describe this. Everyone is racing to be the winner, but really this is more like surviving, because each ecosystem is something to survive. There is action, there is suspense and such tension that kept me flipping pages until I reached the end. A quick note on that, I really wish the entire race were covered here, but I don't think this is a spoiler in saying that this first book only covers the first 2 legs or ecosystems of the race. I wish the entirety of the race were covered but then I guess the book would have been twice as long and what then would we see in book two? I'm just so impatient and want to see the finish now!! *pouts* We see Tella grow from a girl I wouldn't even bet a nickel on to a strength to be reckoned with. In ways she's much like her little Pandora, easy to underestimate at first glance. 
 Love, like weeds, can bloom in the harshest of climes 
 You romance junkies will be happy to know that you won't be denied your palpitating hearts - because there is most definitely some budding romance going on here. It's made even harder in that, if you're falling for a competitor and you know that only ONE of you can win...and if you win that means your love's family member will die. Sizzle and pop, baby, that's one hell of a relationship dynamic to shake things up. 
 Whoever said dogs are man's best friend? 
 Because I would say they are wrong! An adorable baby fox would steal my heart any day! There is a whole zoo worth of amazing animals in this book and I was always interested to see what nifty talent one would roll out with next. 
 Fire & Flood was an amazing young adult read. I think it used some ideas we've seen before but melded them with unique concepts and a stellar delivery. Readers will definitely enjoy this action packed race of survivalist adventure!