Cover Image: Playing with Fire

Playing with Fire

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Natalia agrees to go on her first ever hike with her coworker Wyatt, who she has a crush on. Unfortunately for them, and a handful of other hikers, they become trapped in the forest by a wildfire cutting off their route back to their cars. Now, they must all work together to find a way to safety. But, for Natalia, this fire is triggering her past trauma and making it hard for her to focus on survival. On top of all of this, wildfires on the other side of the forest have cut off other paths of escape, and the fire that started this all seems suspicious. Can Natalia and Wyatt trust the people they are trapped with, or is one of them possibly responsible for the trouble they are all now facing?

As a survival story, this novel was well researched and written. I felt as though I was right there fighting along with this ragtag group of people (and dog). While it was a little unbelievable how much Natalia (a teenager) knew just from red cross training, and Wyatt (also a teen) seemingly having years worth of experience and expertise in wilderness training and medical knowledge, it was fascinating learning how they went about healing others and finding their path out.

Natalia's past tragedy made her an unlikely expert. Her therapy created a way for her to help others within the group suffering from anxiety. However, her past with fire is at times a hindrance to her (when she freezes up) and sometimes a help (when she is able to use her knowledge of burns to determine the seriousness of the wound of another hiker). I liked this juxtaposition within her character, it made her more relatable and believable.

Natalia and Wyatt work well together, helping each other to find their best solutions to each problem they face. They also help each other when they are feeling overwhelmed. Although, it seemed everything that could go wrong did in this scenario, which again was a little bit unbelievable. Just when you thought there might be a break something else derails the team or threatens them. And the foreshadowing is very purposeful, maybe too much so.

The book was a very quick read, which keeps you on the edge of anticipation the whole time. The ending was a bit abrupt, but each plot point was well thought out and handled effectively. I was often surprised by the quick thinking, and how so many everyday items can be used in life saving situations. I also liked that each character had their own quirks and was able to help out in some way with their own knowledge or the items they brought along on the hike.

As the book progresses you begin to see what Natalia experienced in the past and it was truly heartbreaking. I could understand her apprehension about surviving the fire and not breaking down completely, about the toddler that was stuck with them, and of having so many people rely on her red cross training and her in general. She has a hard time with herself, with all of the guilt, fear, and shame eating away at her self confidence and worth. It was interesting to see a survival story in which the main character comes out more healed from past trauma than experiencing new trauma. I liked that added benefit of this horrible situation for Natalia.

If you are looking for a quick read with a likeable main character and interesting ways in which survival is achieved, then look no further.

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I was hoping I'd enjoy this book but I just realized that this genre does not work for me. I am sure someone else would enjoy it if they are a fan of the genre.

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This is not your typical April Henry book. With April Henry, I expect murder mystery. This contained a lot of twists and turns, and a lot of suspense, but it is not the murder and mayhem that is expected. The story is good, the characters are well developed,

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April Henry has a large following at my high school library and I buy all her books. They circulate well and I rarely see them once I get them. Since her mysteries are slim and fast paced they are quite popular.

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So intense! My first April Henry, and it won't be my last as it kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me turning pages.

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This was a different type of thriller than the ones I normally pick up, but I loved it all the same. Rather than a typical domestic thriller, this story is more survivalist, but it still had my heart racing throughout.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars!!
April Henry is a fantastic storyteller! Natalia has never been hiking but she lives in the Pacific Northwest were hiking is life. She works at The Dairy Barn with a guy name Wyatt who decides he’s going to remedy her not hiking. She really likes him and wants to impress him so she agrees to go but she is both excited and nervous. They get It’s through their hike that’s uphill and start to turn around and come back down they are met with fire. Natalia back story starts to slowly seep out but by bit. She’s terrified of fire. Will they make it?! You’ll have to check out April Henry’s Playing with Fire.
Thanks to Macmillan children’s publishing group and Netgalley for the Arc

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This intense survival story is one for the books. Trapped in a forest fire, these characters will do what it takes to survive and honestly, my heart was pounding. I couldn't imagine not only being stuck in a forest fire, but being stuck in a fire after having survived one already, and being traumatized from it. Fires are terrifying to me and the entire time, I was anxiously hoping that everyone was going to make it out okay.

If you like suspense and thrilling survival stories, I would definitely check this one out!

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I haven’t read anything by April Henry before but I have heard her name in the thriller community a few times and the synopsis of Playing with Fire was intriguing and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. The opening of Playing with Fire starts at 6:22 P.M. where a young man called Jason seems to be disposing of a getaway vehicle by setting it on fire although it doesn’t go to plan as he quickly manages to start a forest fire. This opening was gripping and very interesting as it seems like this novel is going to take place over a very short amount of time. We are then introduced to Natalia and Wyatt, co-workers and friends as Wyatt has convinced Natalia to come hiking with him. In this short scene we learn that there are forest fires all around because of the drought and Natalia has been in a fire before leaving her leg quite scarred, so you can imagine their surprise and horror when the trial they need to go through in order to get home is consumed by fire. By 7:23 P.M. the fire has cut off the trial so Natalia and Wyatt head back to the waterfall to see if they can get some reception on their phones to call the emergency services as they know there are helicopters dealing with other fires in the area and they also informs other on the trial about the fire not knowing that one of them is actually the person that started the fire. Natalia is terrified at this situation as she was in a house fire as a child that claimed the life of her brother and honestly, I’m hooked.

As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Wyatt manages to contact the emergency services who divert some helicopters but they also drop a note telling them that the fire is spreading and to head to Sky Bridge. The group now numbers nine as Wyatt explains that Sky Bridge is a wooden footbridge that spans the canyon and they have to reach it before the fire does. As they get moving, the find the family who tried to make it through the fire, the woman and child seem fine but the husband is badly burned and time isn’t on their side especially with night falling soon. Between Wyatt and Natalia, they are able to give Ryan some basic first aid before they set off for the bridge but Jason has left the group presumably so no one finds out what he has done. The group make it to Sky Bridge without many issues but they find a gate has been erected meaning they can’t access the bridge and they also catch up with Jason. The group isn’t in the best condition as Ryan’s burns need treatment, Beatriz’s feet are suffering and AJ suspects he is having a heart attack. While Natalia tries to deal with these issues a lot of the men are trying to create a gap at the bottom of the gate so they can squeeze through or bring it down entirely but it is slow work and the fire is catching up with them. However, Natalia when she inspects the gate is pushed by someone although no one saw anything and although she questions herself, I wouldn’t put it part Jason to have done it.

As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, eventually the group manage to create a gap under the gate and AJ is fine, it was merely a panic attack but his reaction is completely believable especially if you’ve never had a panic attack before. However, we then jump back six years presumably to find out why Natalia is so afraid of fire and what really happened to her brother, Connor. We learn that six year before 11 year old Natalia was left to look after her two year old brother while her mother returned to the grocery store for something she forgot and Natalia was attempting to make dinner. Before we can actually see what happened we return to the present where the group have crossed the bridge but they face even more problems as they can’t use the one trial as it has been on fire for days but the second and only other options is a trial for experienced hikers. However, this is overshadowed when Susan goes missing and one of the others makes the connection between Susan’s behaviour and Alzheimer’s, they spend ten minutes looking for her and Natalia eventually finds her which is a relief but it isn’t much of one when they see the trial they are going to have to cross in the dark which includes canyons and cliff faces that most of them wouldn’t dare dream of crossing even in the day but they have no choice and have to continue on or they could be trapped on both sides by two different fires.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, as they walk over the waterfall cliff, they have to cross into order to progress down the trial Beatriz’s improvised shoes cause her to fall over the edge but Natalia, Marco and Darryl manage to pull her back only for Lisa to take a tumble over the edge. Luckily for her she lands on a ledge but she has dislocated her kneecap meaning she can’t get back up and the ledge isn’t wide enough for anyone else to go down. Natalia takes the lead and talks Lisa through putting her own kneecap back in place and soon they manage to get her back where Natalia makes an improvised brace for her so they can continue. We also learn more about Natalia’s past, after trying to cook pasta, she accidently sets her sleeve on fire and in her panic to put it out the curtains catch fire and it spreads from there. Natalia desperately tries to put it out despite it getting worse when she remembers that Connor was sleeping upstairs. She rushes to get to him hiding under his bed unconscious as the house rapidly fills with smoke. She dangles Connor out the window so he can breath as is partially trapped by a fallen piece of ceiling when the windows blow out waking Connor who struggles in Natalia’s grip and falls as she dives out the window after him. She wakes up in the hospital where she learns that her brother has died and she has suffered severe injuries and while her parents blame themselves, Natalia knew even then that it was her fault as she has carried that guilt for years.

As we cross into the second half of the novel, the group continue down the trial but they are quickly running out of stem. When a large tree blocks the trial, they have to climb over or under it but AJ gets trapped by a log that requires everyone’s help to remove but he is ok. By the time, they have put enough distance between them and the fire to rest, the begin to catalogue what supplies they have when they learn that Jason has been carrying around a large piece of jewellery before he flees after stealing some food. Natalia is the one to make the connection between Susan’s road flare and the cap she saw Jason throw away and the group assume he must have been the one to start the fire and because he thought Natalia knew he tried to push her off Sky Bridge and followed her when she went looking for Susan. Now the whole group knows what he has done, there is no telling what he might attempt to do to them now but he is outnumbered and he would need a method of disabling them like a gun in order to have any hold over the group but they don’t really have time to focus on it as there is still the issue of the fire. We must also remember some of the group aren’t up for fighting as Ryan and Lisa are injured, Susan isn’t in the best frame of mind, there is also a child present and members of the group like Zion can’t see without his glasses, so I have no idea where the story is going to go moving forward. After resting for a few hours, the group are rudely awoken by some bears passing through when Wyatt notices the wind is changing and is pushing the fire towards them so they have to get moving again. The wind is blowing the fire towards them very quickly and they are racing to stay ahead of it and reach civilization before it reaches them. However, Marco suffers a severe asthma attack due to the smoke and the exercise and Natalia has to use both of Zion’s EpiPen’s in order to stop it which means he is now without aid. As they begin moving again it soon becomes clear that there is also an issue with Zion’s grandfather which might hold them up and out them within the fire’s reach.

As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, it turns out Darryl is diabetic and his blood sugar is crashing. The group work together to find him enough to food to get the back to civilization but the fire has now caught up with them and when a burning tree coming crashing down the hillside the group is split in two. The group containing Wyatt and Natalia race down to the lake that they have to swim across which is bad as Natalia can’t swim and Wyatt still has the baby strapped to his back but they make it and they meet up with the other group on the other side which buys them a small amount of time. As they have veered off their original route, the group decide it is best to help to the other trial where the other fire is and the far side, the side they are heading for has burnt out and it can’t burn twice but they encounter a log containing a beehive which Zion is allergic to and AJ crashes through it releasing them. Zion is having a really back allergic reaction to being stung and could be dying and Marco remembers that EpiPen’s contain more than once dose and then manage to take it apart and give Zion the does but it might be too late and if he dies here, I will be heartbroken as they are now so close to their destination and don’t have much further to go.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, Zion recovered and they make the final stretch of their journey where they once again encounter a bridge and Jason. The wooden floorboards of this bridge have burned away leaving only the steel frame but it is the only way across the canyon. After Wyatt disables Jason thanks to his broken collarbone and he cross the bridge will minimal effort since heights don’t bother him and he agrees to ferry everyone across the bridge one at a time. After he takes Natalia across first since she trusts him the most, she kisses him hinting at the relationship she has been thinking of when she wasn’t not panicking. However, while Wyatt is working out a way to get Blue the dog across, some happens that terrifies Natalia more than the fire they have been outrunning. When Lisa is crossing the bridge, her son tries to walk towards her and falls of the bridge. In slow motion almost, Natalia dives for him and catches him by the wrist mirroring the exact situation she found herself in with her brother although this time she isn’t a weak 11 year old year and together they manage to save the little boy. The epilogue was beautiful as we see everyone a year later where their journey began and we learn where their lives have gone since the events of the fire. Overall, Playing with Fire was your classic survival story with some very minor thriller elements, despite it having the conveniences you’d expect in survival stories that don’t end in tragedy and certain characters like Wyatt seeming a lot older than they actually are it was a quick and enthralling read that I would highly recommend.

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PLAYING WITH FIRE is a page-turning thriller set against the majestic falls, deep canyons, and lush landscape of the Pacific Northwest. During fire seasons, Natalia and her friends-to-more co-worker, Wyatt, are out for a hike when a new fire breaks out, trapping them and independent groups of strangers as night approaches. Without a phone signal and no way to call for help, they retreat from the punishing flames, hoping to outrun the fire in time to be rescued. At nearly every turn, something impedes their odds of success, from someone missing from their ranks, a blocked bridge, a precarious ledge to cross, and someone within their group working against them.

Plot
This is primarily a survival story, and the action moves at a steady pace. There is a romantic subplot between Wyatt and Natalia, and a very small change arc on Natalia’s part. The story is well plotted and crafted to keep me turning the virtual pages on my Kindle. Even though we know from the opening pages how the fire started, that is the only thing we are sure of. Because this is a standalone and a thriller, there is no way to know if our favorite characters will all make it out alive, which is the hallmark of excellent storytelling.

The Characters
The characters were where I felt the story lacked. Natalia and Wyatt never felt like authentic teens to me. They were far too level-headed, prepared, and unemotional to be like any teens I live with, or happen to have met. But they were likable, and the supporting characters were fascinating, like the cast from an early season of Survivor, making me want to pull for all of them. Natalia is the victim of a home fire when she was younger, and is understandably terrified of the wildfire. The flashbacks to that event are hard to read, but really well done.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About PLAYING WITH FIRE
1. Setting. The wilderness provides so much opportunity to throw curveballs at the characters, and left the reader on edge, never knowing what was coming next.

2. Survival. I love a good survival story and this one really shines.

3. Surprises. Nearly ever chapter ends with a cliffhanger which kept me reading late into the night.

4. Fire. Okay, I don’t love wildfires, having had to evacuate more than once in recent years, but I love the unpredictability of fire as an antagonist.

5. Thriller. Taking this beyond just a story of man vs. nature and adding the bad seed among them was a delicious twist.

Bottom Line
A gripping survival tale of man vs. nature and man vs. man.

Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Playing with Fire by April Henry is a YA novel that is suspenseful while being uplifting. The novel opens with Natalia hiking with a new friend, Wyatt. The day is sunny and as they went to return to the car, they find out there is a wildfire blocking their path. What a beginning!

As the book continues, slowly Natalia's story eeks out along with her fear of fire. Luckily both she and Wyatt have some supplies and first aid knowledge. With other day hikers who were also trapped, they all attempt to find their way out of the wilderness. No phones, little food, a dark treacherous trail with fire trailing them and danger at every second turns a sunny day into a horror show. Natalia has to find strength she doesn’t know she has to move forward and help others.

Playing with Fire by April Henry is a suspenseful read!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company Publishers for the ARC of Playing with Fire by April Henry. Anything that could goes wrong....does in this survival story as characters fight to escape a massive forest fire. I enjoyed the story and thoroughly appreciate the nod to best First Aid practices. This will be a good recommendation for survival story fans.

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I love all of them, but I think this one might just be my favorite. I realized with this one that I also learn so much from April Henry books. And it’s not stuff I would think I was gonna learn either. Like, with this one, I figured I would learn some stuff about forest fires and I did. What I didn’t anticipate was learning about emergency medical procedures and caterpillar transformations! Very very cool!

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Thank you Fierce Reads and Netgalley for the advanced e-galley of Playing With Fire by April Henry.

Let me start by saying I have a fear of fire and obviously from the title you can tell the whole thing is about fire.

This book read like part survival thriller part survival guide. As the group of characters try to escape a growing fire on the hiking trail everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong. Some one always has a fix, a trick, or something in their backpack to help the situation.

There is a great cast of characters. Nearly everyone brought something to the table whether it was a physical item in their backpack, a helpful information in time of need or a morale booster. And a dog! A kickass, calm, well behaved, well trained dog named Blue. And there is a pinch of romance. Life or death situations can really bring out your feelings for the cute coworker who brought you on the hike.

I enjoyed the way the author weaved the main character, Natalia’s backstory in with the present. It showed us how Natalia came to be the person she is today, her anxiety about the fire and her motivations to help others.

I could almost feel the heat of fire and the urgency to get ahead of the fire to safety made my heart race. It was a thrilling story but in the end I felt like something was missing. There was a nefarious reason the fire started but I just left wanting a little bit more.

3.5 ⭐️

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I loved this one! It was so realistic and the characters were so thought out with relatable reactions. Would definitely purchase for my library

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It was a suspenseful read, as the many characters dealt with one hazardous situation after another. Some of the characters started off a little vague to me, since there were so many to keep track of, but they began to gel better the farther in I got to the story. I would recommend to readers who like adventure with plenty of danger! 3.5 stars out of 5

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley, for my honest review.

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**Trigger Warnings** Asthma Attack, Child Death, Anaphylaxis.

This book was intense. I expected injury and possible death given the plotline of this YA survival novel. The child death is unrelated to the survival portions of the book but took place in Natalia's past with the death of her younger brother. It is not graphic but does include a scene describing what happened during the fire that took his life when Natalia was younger.

Natalia is now faced with her past while fighting for survival. This book will keep you on your tows from beginning to end. I haven't read very many survival stories but I enjoyed this one. I liked that it was a group of people working together to survive their situation and that the characters were of different ages and stages of their lives, and some were related while others weren't. Each one of them learn to trust each other and work together as they face some very scary instances that include coming across a mama bear and her cubs, falling trees, and rushing water all while trying to escape the fire coming for them.

This book is about facing your fears both physically and mentally. I really liked that the MC attended therapy after her brothers death and that the techniques she's learned to help her cope with her PTSD are applied throughout her experiences she's faced with on this crazy rollercoaster.

If you're not easily triggered by the warnings above than I would recommend this. It kept me on my toes and wanting to find my next survival story!

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Another YA thriller from April Henry who does these "trapped in terrible situations" stories so well. This one features a teen caught in a forest fire who has to find a way to safety. A bit formulaic, but I think YA readers will really be hooked into this survival story.

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I'm speechless.

For starters, I am blown away by how this story was inspired by a true story - the Eagle Creek Fire in 2017. Second, Henry really did her homework to make the scenes as realistic as possible... and, trust me, it was a crazy amount of homework.

This book was featured in one of the emails I received from Netgalley and was listed under the mystery/thriller genre, but if there's a survival genre, I'd put it there instead. Yes, this story most certainly was a thrill (because what could possibly go wrong next?!) but it wasn't too much of a mystery which what I was bracing for most. Therefore, I was not prepared for the literature ride Henry was about to take me on.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters, nor did I have time to envision what they look like, because I was more concerned about whether or not they were all going to make it out alive. Add a dog to the mix and you already know if something goes awry with the pup, I'm going to give up on the book. However, with this book, I don't know if I could stop reading if I tried. I had a 30 minute cardio workout on the treadmill and I extended the time to keep reading... this is coming from a girl who hates cardio.

As more of Natalia's backstory was revealed, I became more invested... and heartbroken. Seriously, Henry shows her characters no mercy. (That might be a slight exaggeration, but read the book and you'll see what I mean). The main detail that stuck out to me the most is how Natalia takes all these emergency response classes to be prepared and feel more in control per her therapist's advice. It makes me think of driving in the snow in Wisconsin with four wheel drive - just having it makes you feel more confident. And even if she didn't entirely feel confident, her skills helped her come across as confident in the countless high stress situations she and the other characters endure on their journey to safety.

Clearly, I can't shut up about this book. For readers who enjoyed Hatchet and Into the Wild, you'll want to get your hands on a copy of Playing with Fire.

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Wyatt can't believe it when Natalia tells him that she's never been hiking. They live in the Pacific Northwest, after all! But Natalia's never been one for taking risks, especially after the fire that left her with severe burns and took the life of her younger brother. But a hike can't be that bad... right?

Wrong. By the end of the day, Wyatt and Natalia are fighting for their lives running from a forest fire. But they aren't alone - they come across ten other hikers and a dog along the way. They are going to have to work together and push past their comfort zones if they're going to make it out alive...

I read this book in one sitting on a snowy day curled up on my couch. It is a quick and thrilling read, though at times it feels like the author threw a few too many "emergencies" at our hikers. But I enjoyed watching Natalia face her fears and grow stronger, and overall I found it to be an enjoyable YA read.

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