Pyromantic

by Lish McBride

Overview

This much-anticipated sequel to Lish McBride's highly praised young adult novel Firebug features a girl who can start fires with her mind, the dangerous magical mafia she's involved with, and a mysterious illness that affects magical beings.

Getting rid of Venus didn't set her free—she's still Coterie. Her new boss seems like an improvement, but who knows if he'll stay that way? The Coterie life changes people. And since Ava's currently avoiding her friends after (disastrously) turning down a date with Lock, well, everything kind of sucks. And that's not even taking into account the feelings she might have for him. But when a mysterious illness starts to affect magical beings, it's up to Ava and her team to stop its spread . . . or else one of them might be next.

Praise for Pyromantic:

"Giant snails, terrified kelpies, and supernatural knitting: this is life for the teenagers running supernatural law enforcement in small-town Maine. . . . With the help of humans, were-hares, and an adorable Doctor Who fangirl, they fight a plague that threatens them all. Brief cameos feature the characters of Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (2010). Gruesome, snarky high jinks, with just the right amount of feels." —Kirkus Reviews

"Book two in the Firebug series once again features our courageous fire-starter Ava and all the surrounding mishaps that come with being involved with dark magic. The budding romance between Ava and Lock is a nice distraction amidst illness, danger and several plot twists . . . . Readers will love the author’s wild imagination." —Romantic Times Book Review

Praise for Firebug:

“Ava . . . [is] a refreshing change from the endless parade of naïve heroines found elsewhere.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Firebug has it all . . . fueled by Lish McBride's signature nonstop wit. I love every moment spent in this oft-quirky, always spellbinding world.” —Marissa Meyer, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles

"The first in what promises to be another popular series, McBride draws upon her talent of spinning entertaining and suspenseful tales that are fresh, fun, and very droll." —Booklist

"Readers looking for a fast-paced narrative will undoubtedly be satisfied with the rollicking plot and its riffs on the classic formula of rebels on the lam." —School Library Journal

"Lish McBride's world of inventive dark magic and fantastic beings is not to be missed. By anyone." —Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Antigoddess

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250104298
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/20/2018
Series:	Firebug , #2
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lish McBride is an author, bookseller, and all-around ne'er-do-well living in the Seattle area. She has written the much-praise young adult novels Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, Necromancing the Stone, and Firebug. When she isn't working or reading (most of the time), she is probably on Twitter, talking about how she needs a nap.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Pyromantic:

"Gruesome, snarky high jinks, with just the right amount of feels." —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Firebug:

“Ava . . . [is] a refreshing change from the endless parade of naïve heroines found elsewhere.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Firebug has it all . . . fueled by Lish McBride's signature non-stop wit. I love every moment spent in this oft-quirky, always spellbinding world.” —Marissa Meyer, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles

“Lish McBride's world of inventive dark magic and fantastic beings is not to be missed. By anyone.” —Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Antigoddess

“The first in what promises to be another popular series, McBride draws upon her talent of spinning entertaining and suspenseful tales that are fresh, fun, and very droll.” —Booklist

“Readers looking for a fast-paced narrative will undoubtedly be satisfied with the rollicking plot and its riffs on the classic formula of rebels on the lam.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Lish McBride's world of inventive dark magic and fantastic beings is not to be missed. By anyone.

author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Antigoddess on Kendare Blake

02/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—Following the defeat of Venus in Firebug, pyromancer Ava, who can start fires in her mind, begins working for a new boss of the Coterie. Yet her long, supernatural to-do lists are just a small part of her problems. A disease that afflicts the paranormally inclined seems to be sweeping through her community. Assisted by a range of other magical beings, Ava struggles to discover what's gone wrong while simultaneously dealing with her difficult personal life and her hard-to-read new boss. The Northeastern U.S. settings are vivid, from small-town Maine to bustling Boston. While the protagonist occasionally suffers from overwhelmingly brooding sarcasm, teens will find her reactions entertaining. Infused with light romance that never gets in the way of the fast-paced narrative action, this is an entertaining sequel, and there is much for fans of paranormal narratives with a human touch to savor in this continuation of the series. VERDICT This engaging, quippy novel will appeal to paranormal readers as well as those who like well-drawn characters, from protagonists to background players. Purchase where the previous volume is popular.—Erinn Black Salge, Saint Peter's Prep, Jersey City, NJ

School Library Journal

2016-12-21
Giant snails, terrified kelpies, and supernatural knitting: this is life for the teenagers running supernatural law enforcement in small-town Maine.Even though Ava, Lock, and Ezra destroyed their evil old boss who ran the Coterie like "something out of a supernatural Goodfellas" in Firebug (2014), the Coterie hasn't gone away. Somebody still needs to make sure that magical people are neither exploited nor exploiters; that's Ava's job. Working for her new, strangely benevolent boss—Alistair even pays her for her work!—Ava and her two best buds take on investigative work for the Boston-based Coterie. Though they're still recovering from the events at the climax of the previous book, they are formidable. Ava, white, is a firebug who burns through most of her clothing as a side effect of doing her job. Ezra is stunningly gorgeous, amber-eyed, tan-skinned, and russet-haired, half Japanese and half fox. Lock, a pale-skinned half dryad, is the object of Ava's confused, angst-ridden affections. Though they've escaped the criminality of their old life, their work for Alistair is still chock-full of gory, nasty violence, complete with zombies, rabid werewolves, and magical creatures gone feral. With the help of humans, were-hares, and an adorable Doctor Who fangirl, they fight a plague that threatens them all. Brief cameos feature the characters of Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (2010). Gruesome, snarky high jinks, with just the right amount of feels. (Fantasy. 14-17)

Kirkus Reviews