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Out of the Fire
Sadie meets One of Us is Lying in a mind-blowingly twisty, feminist thriller that will grab you from the very first page and keep your heart pounding until the shocking conclusion.
We were like fire, the four of us. Catching each other's sparks until the flames grew, spread, raged beyond our control.
We'll give them back the damage they left us with, burden them with the weight of our pain.
We may be temporarily broken, but we will leave them forever charred.
Ashes to ashes.
It wasn't the kidnapping that ruined Cass Adams's life. It was the letters that came after. The pink envelopes that appear in her car, her locker, her bedroom. Notes from the man she escaped, telling her that he's always there, always watching.
And that someday, he'll be back for her.
The police say there's nothing they can do, and Cass resigns herself to live in fear until she reconnects with three old friends-three girls ready to exact vengeance on those who wronged them.
But the deeper Cass digs, the more shocking the truth becomes, especially when she discovers that the person who ruined her life may be the only one who can save it.
We were like fire, the four of us. Catching each other's sparks until the flames grew, spread, raged beyond our control.
We'll give them back the damage they left us with, burden them with the weight of our pain.
We may be temporarily broken, but we will leave them forever charred.
Ashes to ashes.
It wasn't the kidnapping that ruined Cass Adams's life. It was the letters that came after. The pink envelopes that appear in her car, her locker, her bedroom. Notes from the man she escaped, telling her that he's always there, always watching.
And that someday, he'll be back for her.
The police say there's nothing they can do, and Cass resigns herself to live in fear until she reconnects with three old friends-three girls ready to exact vengeance on those who wronged them.
But the deeper Cass digs, the more shocking the truth becomes, especially when she discovers that the person who ruined her life may be the only one who can save it.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
28 people are currently reading
3999 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Contos
4 books159 followersAndrea Contos is an award-winning writer of young adult mysteries and thrillers. She is the author of OUT OF THE FIRE (Scholastic, 10/19/21) and TELL ME NO LIES (Scholastic 2022.)
Her debut, THROWAWAY GIRLS, was named Best Young Adult Novel by International Thriller Writers (ITW) for 2021, and was also a Kirkus Best Book of 2020.
Andrea is a Pitch Wars 2018-2020 Mentor, a 2017 Mentee, and a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Andrea is represented by Chelsea Eberly of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Her debut, THROWAWAY GIRLS, was named Best Young Adult Novel by International Thriller Writers (ITW) for 2021, and was also a Kirkus Best Book of 2020.
Andrea is a Pitch Wars 2018-2020 Mentor, a 2017 Mentee, and a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Andrea is represented by Chelsea Eberly of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 12, 2021
I may be out of the fire,
but I'm still burning
WITH QUESTIONS.
(I may sound like I hated the book, but I promise that's just how my alter ego is acting like)
Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 3.5
(I found my problem with this book, it was the end)
See, at first I was sure it was a great read.
Then I analyzed it.
As much as I can possibly analyze a book, I read so quickly I think my neurons gave up halfway.
And in that interval of miserable time when I forced myself to use my gray matter (read: kindly threatened the upstairs department of cognitive development), I realized something quite important:
I don't think I loved this book as much as I thought I did.
*metaphorical bombs explode in the distance, raining dramatic hellfire*
Firstly, let me get out of the way (before I stupidly drive into it over and over again), the fact that I forgot all about the synopsis. Well, part of it. I forgot the part with the kidnapper.
(literally the most important part, wow)
So even though I didn't go into this completely blind, I was slightly crossing the path with a cane and a bad eye.
And the path was a cliffside.
The storyline for this book followed a girl that had fortunately escaped a kidnapping attempt, to then be thought of as a faker by everyone, including local authorities.
So I see none of you are surprised. Honestly, me neither.
I saw the plot of this novel as a sort of convoluted map of a sort. I wasn't exactly lost, yet I didn't feel like I was following the trail depicted in said imaginary map. For example, the aspect of 'I must finish this, why haven't I finished yet-- finish thisssss' was very much hitting my head repeatedly, but I felt incomplete. Some things moved too quickly (ahem, revenge), others too slow (ahem, the whole entire thing) and don't get me wrong, normally I'm all for quick revenge. Kill them all, burn the world to the ground, cut off some heads ad put them on spiked gates. However, when I'm reading about revenge, I need to feel like it's really happening. I want to be so fully immersed in the revenge plot devices that everything else (responsibilities, school.... you know, not important stuff) fades away. I was exasperated when I felt like I was on the edge of my seat to then be brought back to a nice comfy sofa and in the middle of sitting my butt down, BACK TO THE EDGE OF MY SEAT. And the reason of me feeling a tad peeved was because I needed the story to build up a little. Set a medium-sized time frame where characters would slowly go into things, thinking about them, having realistic outcomes, less lucky breaks, logical twists and turns that wouldn't leave me annoyingly puzzled.
In short, the start was a bit slow and my furrowed brows out of confusion carved a crater into my forehead.
I'll need gallons of cement to fill that in.
*metaphors are great, kids*
For the writing, I honestly think it was fine.
Did I love it? No.
Was it perfect? Nope.
Do I think it conveyed everything it needed to convey? On that, we can totally agree on. And on that note, I must say some phrases cleaved my heart in pieces, so yes, those times were amazing.
Everything about this book was probably a solid 3 (I mean that in the nicest way possible, please don't burn me down). I liked it enough to continue and get slightly invested, yet didn't fall headfirst for it hard enough to crack my head.
We love to crack our heads out of adoration for books.
The safe way, of course.
Up next on the grocery line (my stomach grumbled, I had to appease it somehow), the characters!
Want rash decisions? Coming riiiiiight up (again, I sound so cynical, omg)!
The main character frustrated me with her actions so much I considered burning the book just to make a statement. But we're no murderers here, we only maim fictional characters. Also, the cover is really nice sooooo, I did indeed judge a book by its cover. I understand how wronged she felt, and honestly? What happened to her was messed up on so many levels (Mario could never), yet I would like to think that after making the same mistake twice (ahem, going to the woods alone)... maybe lessons would be learned? Most of the time, I didn't care enough about her to... care. I was mostly into the book because of the incessant need to find out who the bad guy was, why they did what they did, etc. She wasn't the worst character I've ever read of, just to make that point clear as ice. The same ice that I wanted to mash the girl's head through sometimes.
*smiling innocently is always the answer*
*don't do that if there's a dead body nearby*
*it's creepy*
She had her good side, of course. Her resilience, her way of expressing herself, her inner strength. You know, the things that made her just a better character! If I were to rate her from 1 to Masterpiece, she would probably fall in the mellow 6. Relatable enough for me to enjoy reading yet not the best at gripping my soul and ripping it out in shreds.
The friendship left a lot to be desired, and that hurts me on a physical level. I love friendships in books. Especially those that stick through the worst and keep on with the harrowing journey the main character is forced to trek. In real life, those friendships seldom come by easily and sadly a lot of them get corrupted one way or another. So that's why I felt disappointing. It happened so quickly, they had one thing in common, and that was revenge. What comes after that, though? What connects their souls? What entwines their thoughts and breaths and shopping trips?
*jumps into mount of pillows in overwhelming despair*
I craved to know more of the inner functioning, and although I felt like the book was at once slow and too quick or me to grasp some things, it was over before the relationships could leave an impact on me.
And speaking of leaving an impact, the supposed love triangle.
Was it even a love triangle?
To this point, I don't know. Things didn't quite fit correctly. Yes, I swooned when those guys spoke, I would be a liar if I were to deny so.
Yet, I felt somewhat like I was missing some vital parts. Where was the development in the relationship? How did it get from point A to point Z in just 30 pages? See what I mean by having lots of questions?
The rest of the characters were okay, they didn't feel overly important, hence why I didn't mourn those gone, but their interactions were interesting enough. I hate not being able to love a book, especially when it had all the possibility for me to feel that way.
I need a shower and hot chocolate right now-
On a closing note, I feel a bit drained, I think. Not in a bad bad way, because I did read the book and I did feel incredibly invested in whom the killer would be, but not in the way I want to feel drained (after reading a great book I mean. You know, that feeling of OHMYGOSHWHATDOIDOWITHMYSELFRIGHTNOW). The writing was good, great quotes that got stamped on my memory "Ashes to ashes" will never cease to make my inner fire burn brighter, characters were okay, plot could've been better, but it was enjoyable.
And my heart? It's still in one tired piece.
Feel free to shatter it next time.
(kindly and respectfully, pfft)
P.S. note: The ending, though. What happened, how did that get there, WHY WAS IT THAT GUY, and how can I forget those last pages? So I can read them again, unbiased and a little smarter.
Bahahaha, "smarter"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
.......................
My December reading so far, is really giving me hope for YA books again-
I indeed did not guess the bad guy.
Am I surprised? Absolutely not.
but I'm still burning
WITH QUESTIONS.
(I may sound like I hated the book, but I promise that's just how my alter ego is acting like)
Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 3.5
(I found my problem with this book, it was the end)
See, at first I was sure it was a great read.
Then I analyzed it.
As much as I can possibly analyze a book, I read so quickly I think my neurons gave up halfway.
And in that interval of miserable time when I forced myself to use my gray matter (read: kindly threatened the upstairs department of cognitive development), I realized something quite important:
I don't think I loved this book as much as I thought I did.
*metaphorical bombs explode in the distance, raining dramatic hellfire*
Firstly, let me get out of the way (before I stupidly drive into it over and over again), the fact that I forgot all about the synopsis. Well, part of it. I forgot the part with the kidnapper.
(literally the most important part, wow)
So even though I didn't go into this completely blind, I was slightly crossing the path with a cane and a bad eye.
And the path was a cliffside.
The storyline for this book followed a girl that had fortunately escaped a kidnapping attempt, to then be thought of as a faker by everyone, including local authorities.
So I see none of you are surprised. Honestly, me neither.
I saw the plot of this novel as a sort of convoluted map of a sort. I wasn't exactly lost, yet I didn't feel like I was following the trail depicted in said imaginary map. For example, the aspect of 'I must finish this, why haven't I finished yet-- finish thisssss' was very much hitting my head repeatedly, but I felt incomplete. Some things moved too quickly (ahem, revenge), others too slow (ahem, the whole entire thing) and don't get me wrong, normally I'm all for quick revenge. Kill them all, burn the world to the ground, cut off some heads ad put them on spiked gates. However, when I'm reading about revenge, I need to feel like it's really happening. I want to be so fully immersed in the revenge plot devices that everything else (responsibilities, school.... you know, not important stuff) fades away. I was exasperated when I felt like I was on the edge of my seat to then be brought back to a nice comfy sofa and in the middle of sitting my butt down, BACK TO THE EDGE OF MY SEAT. And the reason of me feeling a tad peeved was because I needed the story to build up a little. Set a medium-sized time frame where characters would slowly go into things, thinking about them, having realistic outcomes, less lucky breaks, logical twists and turns that wouldn't leave me annoyingly puzzled.
In short, the start was a bit slow and my furrowed brows out of confusion carved a crater into my forehead.
I'll need gallons of cement to fill that in.
*metaphors are great, kids*
For the writing, I honestly think it was fine.
Did I love it? No.
Was it perfect? Nope.
Do I think it conveyed everything it needed to convey? On that, we can totally agree on. And on that note, I must say some phrases cleaved my heart in pieces, so yes, those times were amazing.
Everything about this book was probably a solid 3 (I mean that in the nicest way possible, please don't burn me down). I liked it enough to continue and get slightly invested, yet didn't fall headfirst for it hard enough to crack my head.
We love to crack our heads out of adoration for books.
The safe way, of course.
Up next on the grocery line (my stomach grumbled, I had to appease it somehow), the characters!
Want rash decisions? Coming riiiiiight up (again, I sound so cynical, omg)!
The main character frustrated me with her actions so much I considered burning the book just to make a statement. But we're no murderers here, we only maim fictional characters. Also, the cover is really nice sooooo, I did indeed judge a book by its cover. I understand how wronged she felt, and honestly? What happened to her was messed up on so many levels (Mario could never), yet I would like to think that after making the same mistake twice (ahem, going to the woods alone)... maybe lessons would be learned? Most of the time, I didn't care enough about her to... care. I was mostly into the book because of the incessant need to find out who the bad guy was, why they did what they did, etc. She wasn't the worst character I've ever read of, just to make that point clear as ice. The same ice that I wanted to mash the girl's head through sometimes.
*smiling innocently is always the answer*
*don't do that if there's a dead body nearby*
*it's creepy*
She had her good side, of course. Her resilience, her way of expressing herself, her inner strength. You know, the things that made her just a better character! If I were to rate her from 1 to Masterpiece, she would probably fall in the mellow 6. Relatable enough for me to enjoy reading yet not the best at gripping my soul and ripping it out in shreds.
The friendship left a lot to be desired, and that hurts me on a physical level. I love friendships in books. Especially those that stick through the worst and keep on with the harrowing journey the main character is forced to trek. In real life, those friendships seldom come by easily and sadly a lot of them get corrupted one way or another. So that's why I felt disappointing. It happened so quickly, they had one thing in common, and that was revenge. What comes after that, though? What connects their souls? What entwines their thoughts and breaths and shopping trips?
*jumps into mount of pillows in overwhelming despair*
I craved to know more of the inner functioning, and although I felt like the book was at once slow and too quick or me to grasp some things, it was over before the relationships could leave an impact on me.
And speaking of leaving an impact, the supposed love triangle.
Was it even a love triangle?
To this point, I don't know. Things didn't quite fit correctly. Yes, I swooned when those guys spoke, I would be a liar if I were to deny so.
Yet, I felt somewhat like I was missing some vital parts. Where was the development in the relationship? How did it get from point A to point Z in just 30 pages? See what I mean by having lots of questions?
The rest of the characters were okay, they didn't feel overly important, hence why I didn't mourn those gone, but their interactions were interesting enough. I hate not being able to love a book, especially when it had all the possibility for me to feel that way.
I need a shower and hot chocolate right now-
On a closing note, I feel a bit drained, I think. Not in a bad bad way, because I did read the book and I did feel incredibly invested in whom the killer would be, but not in the way I want to feel drained (after reading a great book I mean. You know, that feeling of OHMYGOSHWHATDOIDOWITHMYSELFRIGHTNOW). The writing was good, great quotes that got stamped on my memory "Ashes to ashes" will never cease to make my inner fire burn brighter, characters were okay, plot could've been better, but it was enjoyable.
And my heart? It's still in one tired piece.
Feel free to shatter it next time.
(kindly and respectfully, pfft)
P.S. note: The ending, though. What happened, how did that get there, WHY WAS IT THAT GUY, and how can I forget those last pages? So I can read them again, unbiased and a little smarter.
Bahahaha, "smarter"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
.......................
My December reading so far, is really giving me hope for YA books again-
I indeed did not guess the bad guy.
Am I surprised? Absolutely not.
October 2, 2022
I was so excited to receive an ARC of Andrea Contos’ OUT OF THE FIRE, straining my eyes to read print instead kindle was completely worth it!
After escaping abduction, Cass shuts out her friends and quits volleyball. When her kidnapper continues to stalk Cass, she gravitates toward former friends who are also victimized. They join forces to stop their predators—by any means necessary.
Contos exceeds her debut an even stronger sophomore effort in OUT OF THE FIRE. Filled with nonstop tension and steady, fast pacing, I couldn’t put OUT OF THE FIRE down. Cass is messy, flawed, damaged and sympathetic. She’s mad as hell and she’s not going to take it any more, despite also being scared. Her journey isn’t about vengeance, but ending different types of abuses and crimes she and her friends are experiencing.
The plot of OUT OF THE FIRE has so many red herrings, all plausible because so many characters lack *character*. Like in real life, people aren’t always honest with those they love. They manipulate, stretch the bounds of personal and professional ethics, even though they’re generally good souls. Injured people, like Cass, sometimes go too far protecting themselves.
Contos’ wordbuilding in OUT OF THE FIRE is gorgeous. I stopped several times to reread clever, gorgeous sentences. Contos is an automatic preorder. I’m going listen to the audiobook too.
Mystery/Thriller lovers will enjoy OUT OF THE FIRE, an honest to goodness Thriller as well as a great Mystery.
After escaping abduction, Cass shuts out her friends and quits volleyball. When her kidnapper continues to stalk Cass, she gravitates toward former friends who are also victimized. They join forces to stop their predators—by any means necessary.
Contos exceeds her debut an even stronger sophomore effort in OUT OF THE FIRE. Filled with nonstop tension and steady, fast pacing, I couldn’t put OUT OF THE FIRE down. Cass is messy, flawed, damaged and sympathetic. She’s mad as hell and she’s not going to take it any more, despite also being scared. Her journey isn’t about vengeance, but ending different types of abuses and crimes she and her friends are experiencing.
The plot of OUT OF THE FIRE has so many red herrings, all plausible because so many characters lack *character*. Like in real life, people aren’t always honest with those they love. They manipulate, stretch the bounds of personal and professional ethics, even though they’re generally good souls. Injured people, like Cass, sometimes go too far protecting themselves.
Contos’ wordbuilding in OUT OF THE FIRE is gorgeous. I stopped several times to reread clever, gorgeous sentences. Contos is an automatic preorder. I’m going listen to the audiobook too.
Mystery/Thriller lovers will enjoy OUT OF THE FIRE, an honest to goodness Thriller as well as a great Mystery.
February 27, 2024
This was a good contemporary YA thriller. I was immediately sucked in by the story and Andrea Contos’s writing style and felt she did a particularly good job with the tension and emotional engagement over the course of the tale.
The premise was dark but interesting. Cass Adams' life has gone awry since she barely escaped being abducted 5 months previously but the worst thing is the fact that her attacker is still watching her and sending her creepy letters.
I found the story pretty compelling and thought Andrea Contos did a great job within showing how the sort of pressure and trauma Cassie was dealing with affected a person. The good news is that even when she was going off the rails Cassie was always a very easy character to root for.
The other thing I really liked about this dark thriller was the fact that I was always kept guessing about who the stalker could be and about how the story would end in general right up until the final stages. In the end I felt this story finished in a pretty satisfying way!
All in all I enjoyed this fast-paced intense contemporary YA thriller.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: Reba Behr did a great job with the audio. She was good with the dialogue and good with injecting emotion into her performance.
The premise was dark but interesting. Cass Adams' life has gone awry since she barely escaped being abducted 5 months previously but the worst thing is the fact that her attacker is still watching her and sending her creepy letters.
I found the story pretty compelling and thought Andrea Contos did a great job within showing how the sort of pressure and trauma Cassie was dealing with affected a person. The good news is that even when she was going off the rails Cassie was always a very easy character to root for.
The other thing I really liked about this dark thriller was the fact that I was always kept guessing about who the stalker could be and about how the story would end in general right up until the final stages. In the end I felt this story finished in a pretty satisfying way!
All in all I enjoyed this fast-paced intense contemporary YA thriller.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: Reba Behr did a great job with the audio. She was good with the dialogue and good with injecting emotion into her performance.
April 30, 2020
I got another opportunity to read one of Andrea's books early (I begged. Shamelesslessly) and Out of the Fire did NOT disappoint. It's a rare and special book that can give someone full-body goosebumps on a sweltering summer day in the south, but this book did just that... more than once.
Incredible. It left me completely torn between racing through it to unlock all of the twisty mysteries, and reading it slowly to savor her exquisitely crafted prose.
Incredible. It left me completely torn between racing through it to unlock all of the twisty mysteries, and reading it slowly to savor her exquisitely crafted prose.
April 29, 2020
I was so excited to read an early copy of Andrea Contos' second book. She is an incredible writer whose words are poetic and messages stay with you long after you read the last page.
I don't want to give any spoilers to this fierce, feminist mystery, but it is one of my top reads of the year.
I don't want to give any spoilers to this fierce, feminist mystery, but it is one of my top reads of the year.
July 17, 2022
DESERVES ZERO STARS.
"We walk, all of us in a line. Margot's hand in mine on the right, the heavy container of gasoline on my left."
I've never cringed so much while reading a book. Having to finish this book felt like I was suffocated by quicksand. First, the "girl power" in this is so falsely represented. This book screams Wattpad pick me's. There was a point in time where I questioned the true age of the author and wondered if they were some 10 year old. If this were actually a grown woman, where they off touch with the current world? It feels as if someone who lived under a rock tried to write a book about current gen teens. Cringe, outdated, cliché, and just second hand embarrassment "I send an SOS message to my friends. Noah cornering me. Only seconds later I felt my hands become joined with Margot's and Oris. Me, Nomi, Margot, and Ori standing in a line unified. Noah cornered by us now." ... WHAT IS THAT? No way do people perceive teens like that, I'm in denial. If I had the power to forget a book, you best believe I'm picking this atrocity cosplaying a book. The scenes and descriptions where the girls are "holding hands" or "in line," I slammed the book shut and rethought my life choices. Why did I pick up such a book? I walked into this being so excited about revenge and an action-packed book. I was CLEARLY wrong. I've never been so disappointed in my LIFE. It's quite predictable too. Sometimes I enjoy books that are predictable because they are USUALLY interesting, not this one though. Out of the Fire is a book I will forever regret reading and wasting a week on. I went on Goodreads to see how many people felt the way I did, but was disappointed. Everyone who did a low rating, were all sugarcoated. Not me though, you get honest. Never again, do not recommend.
"We walk, all of us in a line. Margot's hand in mine on the right, the heavy container of gasoline on my left."
I've never cringed so much while reading a book. Having to finish this book felt like I was suffocated by quicksand. First, the "girl power" in this is so falsely represented. This book screams Wattpad pick me's. There was a point in time where I questioned the true age of the author and wondered if they were some 10 year old. If this were actually a grown woman, where they off touch with the current world? It feels as if someone who lived under a rock tried to write a book about current gen teens. Cringe, outdated, cliché, and just second hand embarrassment "I send an SOS message to my friends. Noah cornering me. Only seconds later I felt my hands become joined with Margot's and Oris. Me, Nomi, Margot, and Ori standing in a line unified. Noah cornered by us now." ... WHAT IS THAT? No way do people perceive teens like that, I'm in denial. If I had the power to forget a book, you best believe I'm picking this atrocity cosplaying a book. The scenes and descriptions where the girls are "holding hands" or "in line," I slammed the book shut and rethought my life choices. Why did I pick up such a book? I walked into this being so excited about revenge and an action-packed book. I was CLEARLY wrong. I've never been so disappointed in my LIFE. It's quite predictable too. Sometimes I enjoy books that are predictable because they are USUALLY interesting, not this one though. Out of the Fire is a book I will forever regret reading and wasting a week on. I went on Goodreads to see how many people felt the way I did, but was disappointed. Everyone who did a low rating, were all sugarcoated. Not me though, you get honest. Never again, do not recommend.
March 22, 2022
Won this book in a giveaway last year, and am glad I finally got around to reading it!
Overall, it was a quick read with some pretty dark thoughts, emotions, and events. The story doesn’t linger on any of the predators except for Cass’s stalker. I wish it did. I would have liked to see more of the other characters’ revenges and more detail about how their predators fared afterwards. I also thought it was a bit too dramatic in some places, like the author was trying too hard to make it seem like a movie scene.
However, I did enjoy seeing Cass figure out who her stalker was and seeing how that knowledge led to the book’s conclusion. The ending was very satisfying.
Overall, it was a quick read with some pretty dark thoughts, emotions, and events. The story doesn’t linger on any of the predators except for Cass’s stalker. I wish it did. I would have liked to see more of the other characters’ revenges and more detail about how their predators fared afterwards. I also thought it was a bit too dramatic in some places, like the author was trying too hard to make it seem like a movie scene.
However, I did enjoy seeing Cass figure out who her stalker was and seeing how that knowledge led to the book’s conclusion. The ending was very satisfying.
April 29, 2020
I love this book so much!!! Not only is it gorgeously written, it’s an incredible thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. The characters are so compelling, you can’t help but root for all four girls as they carry out much due Revenge. I think I had a dozen theories running while reading this, and I was wrong on all counts. I couldn’t put this down! Fiercely feminist and full of unexpected twists, this is one of my favorite books, and I will read everything Andrea Contos writes until the end of time.
Read
June 20, 2023Not sure what to rate this
Bill was nice though…
Bill was nice though…
May 8, 2023
Five months ago, Cassie Adams was kidnapped while going on a run. She managed to escape, but the police never found out who was responsible of the abduction. She lives scared, terrified that whoever took her will try again.
Until one day, she decides to take action. She and her friends Naomi, Margot and Ori decide it is enough.
The plot was quite crazy, I have to admit. But it kept me entertained.
Until one day, she decides to take action. She and her friends Naomi, Margot and Ori decide it is enough.
The plot was quite crazy, I have to admit. But it kept me entertained.
August 9, 2022
DNF. I tried for 2 weeks to finish this book and I just could not get into it. The story felt so far fetched and didn’t make sense to me, the action wasn’t super exciting and I really wouldn’t have been able to tell you about the different characters personalities or why they’re there or why they do anything that they do in this book. I didn’t feel like it was a compelling mystery and if anything it kind of felt like something Disney would write. It felt really unrealistic and like it was trying too hard.
December 5, 2023
Gurl bye💀 this book was so poorly written. Like it was kind of infuriating how confusing it was. And the whole thing sounded very much written by a 13 year old Wattpad girly…
like it was just so messy to the point where sentences literally felt unfinished.. 😭 there were so many unexplained cliff hangers and ending was not satisfying at all.
Likkeee that book was all over the place pookie.
And the characters are not even remotely lovable?? 💀💀
I have never read a book written worse than this one.. like I feel like the plot had potential but that execution was godawful.
don’t reccomend 😛
like it was just so messy to the point where sentences literally felt unfinished.. 😭 there were so many unexplained cliff hangers and ending was not satisfying at all.
Likkeee that book was all over the place pookie.
And the characters are not even remotely lovable?? 💀💀
I have never read a book written worse than this one.. like I feel like the plot had potential but that execution was godawful.
don’t reccomend 😛
April 19, 2021
I didn't know what to expect going into this book... It is a one person(Cass) POV, about 4 girls fighting back. I wish we had POVs from the other 3 girls, but it works well just from Cass.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it kept me on my toes guessing about who the kidnapper/stalker was... but my favorite part of this story was the group of girls and how they are represented. I kept anticipating some stereotype to pop up (🥺) and the author kept flipping the script.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it kept me on my toes guessing about who the kidnapper/stalker was... but my favorite part of this story was the group of girls and how they are represented. I kept anticipating some stereotype to pop up (🥺) and the author kept flipping the script.
December 29, 2021
It had a really convoluted, hard to follow plot that only got more confusing as the book went on. It had a good premise though.
October 11, 2021
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/yafict...
OUT OF THE FIRE is a compelling YA thriller/suspense. Told from the perspective of Cass, the book discusses friendship, trust, family, mental illness, and fear. Cass's life changed when she was abducted a few months ago. She luckily escaped from the trunk of the car and ran until she found someone to help her call the police. Although she did not retain much information from the encounter, she felt lucky to have escaped - but then the pink envelopes with notes from her kidnapper began to arrive. The police seemed to not believe her about the kidnapping nor the notes, so what do you do when they think you are lying?
As Cass deals with PTSD from the kidnapping and the triggering notes she receives, she learns that one of her former friends is dealing with her own cruel guy - an ex-boyfriend who is blackmailing her to sleep with him and who had forced her into intimacy while they were together, which he is now exploiting. Knowing that all the fall-out will be on her, she is eager to end it. Soon, they find two other girls who have similar problems with guys in their life causing fear and pain. Together, they decide to get revenge. As they work on each, Cass also continues her search for her kidnapper, who seems to have unlimited access to her. What are the truths and lies behind it all?
What I loved: This was really a story that keeps the reader on their toes, guessing as to who was behind the abduction and what is really happening. There were some twists that were easy to guess and others that I did not anticipate at all. It was fun to guess and be surprised along the way. The writing is really compelling and builds as the book continues, getting more intense as Cass continues to uncover clues and find danger.
The themes are really thought-provoking, particularly around abuse of power and the terrible ways men can wield their power over girls. Beyond the ex-boyfriend and Cass's kidnapper, there is also an abusive stepfather and a white supremacist teacher. Although this story is ultimately one of revenge, the messages around these are also important as well as the feeling of powerlessness that comes from such situations. Other themes around mental illness (particularly PTSD), friendship, trust and its betrayal, and family also merit discussion. This is a story that wants to be talked about.
Final verdict: Intense, fast-paced, and chilling, OUT OF THE FIRE is a YA thriller/suspense with thought-provoking themes that is sure to keep readers turning pages quickly. Recommend for fans of THEY WISH THEY WERE US, ONE OF US IS LYING, and THE GOOD GIRLS.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
OUT OF THE FIRE is a compelling YA thriller/suspense. Told from the perspective of Cass, the book discusses friendship, trust, family, mental illness, and fear. Cass's life changed when she was abducted a few months ago. She luckily escaped from the trunk of the car and ran until she found someone to help her call the police. Although she did not retain much information from the encounter, she felt lucky to have escaped - but then the pink envelopes with notes from her kidnapper began to arrive. The police seemed to not believe her about the kidnapping nor the notes, so what do you do when they think you are lying?
As Cass deals with PTSD from the kidnapping and the triggering notes she receives, she learns that one of her former friends is dealing with her own cruel guy - an ex-boyfriend who is blackmailing her to sleep with him and who had forced her into intimacy while they were together, which he is now exploiting. Knowing that all the fall-out will be on her, she is eager to end it. Soon, they find two other girls who have similar problems with guys in their life causing fear and pain. Together, they decide to get revenge. As they work on each, Cass also continues her search for her kidnapper, who seems to have unlimited access to her. What are the truths and lies behind it all?
What I loved: This was really a story that keeps the reader on their toes, guessing as to who was behind the abduction and what is really happening. There were some twists that were easy to guess and others that I did not anticipate at all. It was fun to guess and be surprised along the way. The writing is really compelling and builds as the book continues, getting more intense as Cass continues to uncover clues and find danger.
The themes are really thought-provoking, particularly around abuse of power and the terrible ways men can wield their power over girls. Beyond the ex-boyfriend and Cass's kidnapper, there is also an abusive stepfather and a white supremacist teacher. Although this story is ultimately one of revenge, the messages around these are also important as well as the feeling of powerlessness that comes from such situations. Other themes around mental illness (particularly PTSD), friendship, trust and its betrayal, and family also merit discussion. This is a story that wants to be talked about.
Final verdict: Intense, fast-paced, and chilling, OUT OF THE FIRE is a YA thriller/suspense with thought-provoking themes that is sure to keep readers turning pages quickly. Recommend for fans of THEY WISH THEY WERE US, ONE OF US IS LYING, and THE GOOD GIRLS.
Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
November 29, 2022
Definitely an easy read. In a way it reminds me of The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow. As much as I watch crime shows, it’s still a fear of mine to get kidnapped and then have the strength to escape, THEN get notes? That’ll mess up my psyche. & To have a small group of friends every step of the way is grateful to have. Ori is the MVP and I’m proud of her. I’m proud of all of them. This book kept me guessing and I had to keep track of who did what but dang that one scene near the end, i was like well damn. I didn’t that would happen. The themes are really thought-provoking, particularly around abuse of power and the terrible ways men can wield their power over girls. How the girls handled their situation, i have no problems with. Also have no problem with the ending. Ashes to ashes.
Rating: 4.7🌟
Rating: 4.7🌟
January 22, 2023
The premise of this one was good - girls get together to help each other gain back some feeling of power against the men that have, in various ways, made them feel small, scared, powerless. Cool, I love some girl power. And it even started off good, with some exciting stuff and an interesting story.
And then it just kept getting nutser and nutser, and I lost all sense of belief in the story by the end. Pieces and parts of it were really good, but as an overall picture it often had me rolling my eyes. I appreciate the author's attempts to deal with gray morality and flawed characters but... it just didn't work here as a whole. Parts were completely ridiculous. And not to say too much without spoilers, but immunity? Whatever.
Anyway, not as good as I hoped from the premise, or even from the beginning of the story.
And then it just kept getting nutser and nutser, and I lost all sense of belief in the story by the end. Pieces and parts of it were really good, but as an overall picture it often had me rolling my eyes. I appreciate the author's attempts to deal with gray morality and flawed characters but... it just didn't work here as a whole. Parts were completely ridiculous. And not to say too much without spoilers, but immunity? Whatever.
Anyway, not as good as I hoped from the premise, or even from the beginning of the story.
January 24, 2022
From page one I felt sorry for Cass. Being kidnapped and not knowing really how to deal with it took a huge toll on her. Also, she never told anyone and just isolated herself. I also was intrigued by the annonymous person stalking Cass and seemingly watching her every move. The side characters also had issues they were dealing with, and I sympathized with Margot and wanted to give her a big hug. I hated her ex, and wanted nothing more for him to get what he deserved.
I liked that the characters were morally gray, which made me question what I would do if I was in their shoes. I personally enjoy watching characters seek vegeance when they are wronged, and each girl had a reason to want to exact revenge. I was interested to see how everything would play out, and I was a little surprised at some twists along the way. I was trying to piece together who was behind the pink envelopes, and I have to say after it was revealed who it was, I had the thought it was them and then changed my mind, but I was right the whole time. I was more fascinated by their motivations. Overall, I found this one to be a solid book.
I liked that the characters were morally gray, which made me question what I would do if I was in their shoes. I personally enjoy watching characters seek vegeance when they are wronged, and each girl had a reason to want to exact revenge. I was interested to see how everything would play out, and I was a little surprised at some twists along the way. I was trying to piece together who was behind the pink envelopes, and I have to say after it was revealed who it was, I had the thought it was them and then changed my mind, but I was right the whole time. I was more fascinated by their motivations. Overall, I found this one to be a solid book.
January 15, 2022
This one is crazy good! Once you think you’ve figured it out, another plot twist changes everything!!
February 23, 2022
I didn't expect that ending! This had notes of "Daughters of Eve" by Lois Duncan, but the story overall was a lot more complicated. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it.
July 26, 2024
Stupid.
March 5, 2022
This was a really excellent read! I sort of guessed the twist and was only half right! There was a few things I still needed cleared up - good thing I couldn't put it down!!!
February 4, 2022
This book had a lot of potential. However, the plot was hard to follow and not in the we-figure-it-all-out-eventually-and-I-feel-so-much-better kind of way, like a satisfying thriller does. The problems with the other girls that needed to get revenge were added in, it seemed, just to give them a reason to help Cass out with her plan, too, but really they were just a distraction.
Honestly, the motives of the characters weren’t clear either.
I kept reading until the end but would up with more questions than answers.
Honestly, the motives of the characters weren’t clear either.
I kept reading until the end but would up with more questions than answers.
January 15, 2023
Out of the Fire by Andrea Contos was an action packed mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Contos made this book very far-fetched and unrealistic, but the way she described the story made it sound like she was living it in the moment. Out of the Fire centers around the main character Cassie Adams who is a victim of kidnapping. Cass’s life gets ruined by the trauma that she carries from that event. She loses all of her friends and even quits volleyball, the sport that she adores. Not only does she have to live her life with the memory of her experience but she is getting sent anonymous letters in bright pink envelopes from her kidnapper that bait her into searching for him. The story take a turn when she reunites with her old friends by learning about the tragic experiences that they have went through and even sharing her own. The group of girls set out to solve all of their problems in unhealthy and unethical ways.
I love this genre and find it very entertaining. I enjoy the way that the book is able to incorporate mystery into the lives of the characters. Every time Cass and her friends uncover one clue that makes them closer to finding her kidnapper they uncover another question that stands in the way on their quest to find him. The author had an amazing way of continuing the story with lots of unexpected twists. Originally all signs pointed to her gym teacher as the culprit when she went sneaking around his office and found a picture of herself inside his desk. She was sure that he must have been involved. Other evidence pointed towards him like his dads license plate being found at the park where she was kidnapped and even his own father was found dead at his house. Even with all of that evidence she later finds that he isn't even involved. That then opens the new can of worms of how did it? And why the gym teacher had so many coincidences involved with the case.
Another reason to love this book was the characters. The characters where able to reconnect and rekindle their friendship. These girls were able to relate to each other through their experiences. They even helped each other find solutions. When Naomi wanted revenge against her abusive step father the three other girls agreed to help. Even though they went over the top and burned his house down I loved how all of them were so willing to put their futures and lives on the line to help each other. The relationships between all of them was so sweet and heart warming.
Over all I really enjoyed this book and loved every part of it.
I love this genre and find it very entertaining. I enjoy the way that the book is able to incorporate mystery into the lives of the characters. Every time Cass and her friends uncover one clue that makes them closer to finding her kidnapper they uncover another question that stands in the way on their quest to find him. The author had an amazing way of continuing the story with lots of unexpected twists. Originally all signs pointed to her gym teacher as the culprit when she went sneaking around his office and found a picture of herself inside his desk. She was sure that he must have been involved. Other evidence pointed towards him like his dads license plate being found at the park where she was kidnapped and even his own father was found dead at his house. Even with all of that evidence she later finds that he isn't even involved. That then opens the new can of worms of how did it? And why the gym teacher had so many coincidences involved with the case.
Another reason to love this book was the characters. The characters where able to reconnect and rekindle their friendship. These girls were able to relate to each other through their experiences. They even helped each other find solutions. When Naomi wanted revenge against her abusive step father the three other girls agreed to help. Even though they went over the top and burned his house down I loved how all of them were so willing to put their futures and lives on the line to help each other. The relationships between all of them was so sweet and heart warming.
Over all I really enjoyed this book and loved every part of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2021
Cass was kidnapped. Nomi was abused. Margot was exploited. Ori was manipulated. Now, these four friends are taking their lives into their own hands and getting revenge on those who hurt them.
Out of the Fire is a fast-paced YA thriller for fans of books like Sadie by Courtney Summers and The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas. The book follows four morally-gray girls on their joint journey to retaliate against the men that harmed them. Each girl has her own distinct backstory, but they have created one kind of solution that should fix all of their problems.
Ashes to ashes.
Will you agree with every decision that Cass and her friends make? No. Will you find yourself turning the pages to find out what happens next? Absolutely. Yes. I devoured this book in only a couple of sittings. Once I started it, I knew that I'd have to finish it soon, because I'd need to know how it ends.
This book was well-written, and, even as a seasoned thriller reader who often puts together the mystery, the story had several twists that I did not see coming. It also had some excellent red herrings. I felt emotion for and connected with characters that I thought I wouldn't be able to. The story came together well, with all of the loose ends coming together for a satisfying and fiery finale.
Thank you to Andrea Contos for this ARC.
Out of the Fire is a fast-paced YA thriller for fans of books like Sadie by Courtney Summers and The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas. The book follows four morally-gray girls on their joint journey to retaliate against the men that harmed them. Each girl has her own distinct backstory, but they have created one kind of solution that should fix all of their problems.
Ashes to ashes.
Will you agree with every decision that Cass and her friends make? No. Will you find yourself turning the pages to find out what happens next? Absolutely. Yes. I devoured this book in only a couple of sittings. Once I started it, I knew that I'd have to finish it soon, because I'd need to know how it ends.
This book was well-written, and, even as a seasoned thriller reader who often puts together the mystery, the story had several twists that I did not see coming. It also had some excellent red herrings. I felt emotion for and connected with characters that I thought I wouldn't be able to. The story came together well, with all of the loose ends coming together for a satisfying and fiery finale.
Thank you to Andrea Contos for this ARC.
September 7, 2021
Four girls on a quest for vengeance? I'm totally in. The main character, Cass, was easy to love, and I felt like I traveled with her as she tried to unravel the mystery of who tried to abduct her six months earlier and is now stalking her. She has a lot of love and support in her life, as well as some dud parental figures, but it's the kind of book where you really can't trust anyone. The many twists left me guessing right up until the last chapters. The story's got thrill, revenge, romance, ok - some gore, and friendship. The friendship between the girls was my second favorite part, the first being the twists. I'm a seasoned reader of thrillers, but several of these caught me by surprise. This book is great read that I highly recommend.
November 24, 2021
I really wanted to like this. It sounds great! Girls banding together to take down the boys who hurt them! Twisty psychological! Brilliant.
In practise, though, it was so twisty that I lost track of who we trusted, when, for what reason. There was a love triangle, because teenage boys are known for going after the grumpy, withdrawn girl who runs away every time they approach. There's some crazyness with maybe-her-mother. Cass makes decisions on a whim and rues them later, but never learns not to do that again.
It's not awful. The descriptions of Cass's emotions and state of mind were amazing. The support and friendship between the girls was absolute goals. Cass's father is also great.
I didn't hate this. I just didn't love it as much as I'd hoped I would.
In practise, though, it was so twisty that I lost track of who we trusted, when, for what reason. There was a love triangle, because teenage boys are known for going after the grumpy, withdrawn girl who runs away every time they approach. There's some crazyness with maybe-her-mother. Cass makes decisions on a whim and rues them later, but never learns not to do that again.
It's not awful. The descriptions of Cass's emotions and state of mind were amazing. The support and friendship between the girls was absolute goals. Cass's father is also great.
I didn't hate this. I just didn't love it as much as I'd hoped I would.
February 26, 2025
I didn't like it at all. Very unrealistic, dialogue wasn't great, and it felt way too juvenile. Also the MC made decisions that didn't make sense. "I'm gonna band together with these girls and get revenge on the people who've wronged us" "oh it's my turn for revenge I'm gonna go do it by myself". It also felt like it was trying too hard to be edgy and ended up really cringe. Teenage girls do not act like this, with all the hand-holding and standing in a line to be empowered or intimidating. The ending was also insanely awful and rushed, like the author did everything she wanted to do and then was ready to finish it. Overall the entire book was all over the place and felt like it belonged on Wattled.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2022
Entertaining and it kept me reading, but it was so wildly ridiculous and unrealistic I had trouble pushing forward at times. It was predictable but I still had to keep reading to make sure I was right.
Everything came too easy. The deep friendships between four people, the jump to attempted murder and arson and crime after living five months as a recluse. Some character development with the other three girls outside of their trauma would have been nice too.
Everything came too easy. The deep friendships between four people, the jump to attempted murder and arson and crime after living five months as a recluse. Some character development with the other three girls outside of their trauma would have been nice too.
April 4, 2022
i’m so confused
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