Blog Tours

Between Burning Worlds – Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

March is almost over! Although it feels as if this month has lasted a lifetime, it is finally nearing its end – and with it the series of FFBC blog tours I had planned for you. But never fear, I have lots of fun and exciting content planned for April as well… Today though, we are here to discuss Between Burning Worlds by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, the second the System Divine series, which is basically Les Mis in space!

Check out the full tour schedule here, and have a look at the posts my lovely co-bloggers have created for their stops on the tour. Many thanks to the Fantastic Flying Book Club for the inclusion on the tour, and to Netgalley and Simon Pulse for the eARC.

RELEASE DATE: 24/03/20

STAR RATING: 4/5 ✶

SYNOPSIS:

A thief. An officer. A guardian.

All from different backgrounds, but sharing one same destiny…

The planet Laterre is in turmoil. A new militant revolutionary group has emerged calling themselves “The Red Scar” and claiming responsibility for a spate of recent bombings. The infamous rebels known as the Vangarde believe that in order to bring about a peaceful revolution, their charismatic leader, Citizen Rousseau must be freed from prison right away. Otherwise the bloodshed will only escalate.

Soon Marcellus, Chatine, and Alouette all find themselves pulled into battle with extreme consequences.

Marcellus is determined to uncover his corrupt grandfather’s plan to seize Laterre—even if that means joining the Vangarde.

Aloutte, trying to unearth the truth about her past, becomes a captive of Marcellus’s grandfather, the general.

Chatine, who is serving time on Bastille, hopes to escape the brutal and horrifying reality of the prison moon.

But the failed attempt to break Citizen Rousseau out of prison launches Aloutte, Chatine, and Marcellus into the middle of a dangerous war for control of Laterre. And in the midst of it all is the legend of a secret and dangerous weapon that could mean complete and absolute power to any that wields it.

OPINIONS: Set at a bit of a distance from the first book, Sky Without Stars, Between Burning Worlds dives right into the action. Following the parallel strands of Chatine, Marcellus and Alouette’s stories, it continues to depict the social unrest on Laterre, and the threat of complete revolution and devastating war. However, at the end of Sky Without Stars, Marcellus had discovered that his grandfather, the General, had been behind much of the brutal, supposed revolutionary action, trying to rule the population through fear. In Between Burning Worlds, Marcellus and his friends discover that there might be even more to his grandfather’s plans than they suspected, a quest that takes them further than they ever thought possible…

While the first book dragged at times and needed to introduce a lot of world-building, this second installment is action-packed and thrilling. Introducing several new factions and places into the mix, as well as leaving more space for reflection and growth, this collaboration comes into its own in Between Burning Worlds. Characters get more depth, and a number of open threads get resolved – although we still end up with many unanswered questions by the end of the book!

I really appreciate how these books advocate for peaceful rebellion over bloodshed, how violence on both sides is shown as something to avoid. All too often, righteous violence is depicted as positive, when, really, it too needs to be avoided. I’m glad the characters struggle with their conscience if they have to defend themselves, even if the situation is clear in context. In the current climate, we need more pacifism.

I recommend you check these books out yourself, add Between Burning Worlds on Goodreads, or order it from Book Depository or your retailer (or indie!) of choice.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

JESSICA BRODY knew from a young age that she wanted to be a writer. She started self “publishing” her own books when she was seven years old, binding the pages together with cardboard, wallpaper samples, and electrical tape. After graduating from Smith College in 2001 where she double majored in Economics and French and minored in Japanese, Jessica later went on to work for MGM Studios as a Manager of Acquisitions and Business Development. In May of 2005, Jessica quit her job to follow her dream of becoming a published author. Since then, Jessica has sold many novels for teens, tweens, and adults. Her books are published and translated in over twenty foreign countries. She currently splits her time between California and Colorado. You can find here here:

JOANNE RENDELL is the author of four novels and holds a PhD in English Literature. She teaches fiction writing to teens and kids, as well as online writing classes at Udemy.com and Lynda.com. Joanne is a board member for the youth Shakespeare company, New Genesis Productions. With her husband and son, she divides her time between New York City and New Paltz, New York. Her weblinks are as follows:

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