Monument 14: Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourne

Published May 2013

Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.

Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .

Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . .

The story begins with a bit of a recap of the first book presented in the form of a letter from character-to-character. This book, much like the first is driven on suspense. Each chapter ends with high action and cliff-hangers. I loved the fast flow of the story. Yes, as I noted in my review of Monument 14, the writing is a bit elementary. But, again, it is YA, and it is perfect for the target audience. So, really there is nothing wrong with it. As a seasoned reader, I always make a point of writing style and polished prose, so my inner editor had to make that comment!

While it is a short read, it is not short on action. This fun book is jam-packed with action, suspense and thrills. It is a fun twist on the common trend of “apocalyptic, dystopian” stories.

Sky On Fire proved to be a fun and exhilarating read, but I still preferred the Monument 14. Sky On Fire showed the growth of the characters, and a few were quite disappointing. Specifically, the female characters.

I have high hopes for the next entry!

Thank you, Raincoast Books for the review copy.