Blog Tour for Fire by T.G Ayer; Review

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: July 25th, 2013
Finished Date: July 26th, 2013

Publishers: Self Published
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle 
Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Normal people sneak out to a party and have fun. Maya Rao ends the evening by incinerating the guy who attacks her. 

Nik Lucas, sexy, new in town and totally forbidden, happens to walk in on her. Normal guys would run for the hills. Nik knows a whole lot more than he's telling.

Maya doesn't believe the gods are real, doesn't waste her time with mere mythology. But when gods, demons and hellhound's become the new normal and wielding fire becomes her new skill, she must decide what it is she really believes. 

Can Maya accept that normal is something she will never be because it isn't normal to be 
...the Hand of Kali.

The Review: Fire is the first book in the new YA series ‘The Hand of Kali’ which is inspired by icons of the Hindu religion.

As the synopsis tells us… we have Maya, a teenager brought up by parents who believe all things about their religion – not Maya though, she refuses to see them as any more than stories. Her parents aren’t so strict that they would force Maya to believe if she doesn’t want to (unlike her poor friend Ria whose family are uber religious) but they still try to instil the teachings into her and she is about to find out exactly why….Maya is invited to a party – first time ever!!- so she disobeys her parents to attend with her friend Joss, when there she gets into a dangerous situation with a boy and after he attacks her, watches him spontaneously combust or so she thinks and to make matters worse her crush – new guy Nik Lucas – just happens to witness the event. When he takes her home to safety, he urges her to confess to her parents who in turn have a confession that is going to turn her whole world upside down.
So, I really enjoyed this book. I liked Maya’s character and I liked the fact that she has Indian heritage, it is the first time I have read a book with a main character from that background and I like how she is portrayed, I like that she pushes the boundaries of what is expected of her and is trying to find her own identity and I love that her parents allow her that freedom to do that & to choose whether she follows their faith or not. I also like that through her friend Ria we see the flipside to that and how oppressive parents with faith can be, I think it gives us a good contrast because whilst I would consider Maya’s rebellion to be tame, when you compare that to Ria - she could be classed as delinquent. I also like Nik, with his secrets, who he is, what he’s capable of & his affection for Maya, I’m hoping for lots more from them.

The storyline was really good, I really enjoyed how the Hindu gods were used as the premise for the plot. Mayas role in the story was great and I love to see a reluctant hero come through their fears & doubts to realise their destiny. I also liked that Maya wasn’t a pushover, wasn’t ready to believe just for the sake of it but she was willing to try. I liked how the first part of the book was quite focussed on Maya’s learning, not just of her power but who she would be fighting, what she is destined for and I believe we are only just getting a glimpse of her capabilities and then the second part of the book took on a more fantasy feel which opened up the larger world with its realms, characters & enemies which, as I said are based in Hinduism. I loved this! I love it when a subject I know nothing about is brought into a book and I end up being really interested ,enough to go and google it when I finish reading and I have to tell you that TG Ayer has done that to me with more than one of her books. I love that she brings something new & introduces me to new things - like this and Norse mythology. I can always tell how much effort & research is put into her books and this is no exception.  I can’t even begin to explain the appeal of this book because it’s one of those where you just have to read it, to appreciate it – which I do and as always am left wanting more. 4*s