ARC Review: True Fire by Gary Meehan

True Fire
Author: Gary Meehan
Publication: Quercus (November 4, 2014)

Description: Her sister stolen. Her grandfather murdered. Her home burned to the ground. At just 16, her life destroyed. Now, Megan wants revenge. But the men who took Megan's precious twin are no ordinary soldiers. The brutal witches, armor-clad and branded with the mark of the True, will stop at nothing to take back the power they once had. Desperate for a way to destroy them, Megan uncovers a terrifying lie. A lie that will cast doubt on everything she has ever known, and everyone she has ever trusted. A lie that will put Megan at the heart of the greatest war her world has ever seen.

But as the intensity of final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. Isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty--her only asset--in peril. And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. Freida must fight for her future--even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known.

My Thoughts: TRUE FIRE is an epic fantasy with twin girls, invading armies, and prophecies that might be coming true. The story begins with our heroine Megan discovering that she is pregnant and then watching her town being invaded and all of the townspeople, including her grandfather, being killed. She manages to escape from the invaders with the assistance of a woman named Eleanor who appears fortuitously.

Megan discovers that her twin Gwyneth is missing and presumed captured by the invaders. She is determined to follow after and rescue her. This leads to all sorts of adventures. Along the way, Megan learns more about Eleanor who is the remnant of the aristocratic class that was overthrown by the priests during the witch war 80 years previous to the current time.

Megan and Eleanor don't get a chance to find Gwyneth before the invaders take off in ships. But they do rescue a brash young man named Damon who joins in their quest. Megan decides that they have to alert the priests to the resurgence of the witches who were thought to have all been killed at the end of the last war.

The story is filled with both action and violence. I lost track of the number of people the Megan and Eleanor killed along the way. The story is also filled with all sorts of twists and turns as she learns more about her companions and their hidden agendas.

Fans of adventure and excitement will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

As soon as they left the drinking den, Megan turned on Eleanor. "You were going to kill him? How was that going to help us get back Gwyneth?"

"If I didn't react to the insult, he'd think I wasn't an Endalay," said Eleanor.

"Why? Does your family have a history of stupid over-reaction?" asked Damon.

"Try me and find out."

I got this eARC from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.