Firespell (Dark Elite, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Chloe Neill (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 5, 2010

New Girl.
New School.
Old Evil.

From the author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels.

A new series about a boarding school filled with something worse than homework.

Lily's parents have sent her to a fancy boarding school in Chicago filled with the ultra-rich. If that wasn't bad enough, she's hearing and seeing bizarre things on St. Sophie's creepy campus. Her roommate, Scout, keeps her sane, but keeps disappearing at night. When one day Lily finds Scout running from real-life monsters, she learns the hard way that Scout is involved in a splinter group of rebel teens.

They protect Chicago from demons, vamps, and dark magic users. It's too bad Lily doesn't have powers of her own to help. At least, none that she's discovered yet...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chloe Neill was born in the south of the USA and currently resides in the US Midwest. FIRESPELL is her debut YA novel and the first in the Dark Elite series. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Signet (January 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451228863
• ISBN-13: 978-0451228864
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest--just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia's to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing Merit's and Lily's adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys--her favorite landscape photographer/husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.) You can learn more about Chloe by visiting http://chloeneill.com

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#42 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#72 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#75 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#86 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#42 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#72 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#75 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#86 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Witches in Chicago January 8, 2010

By The Book Muncher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Lily Parker is so not thrilled at being sent to St. Sophia's, a snooty boarding school in Chicago so that her parents can go on a sabbatical in Germany. She's not resentful of her parent's acceptance into their program, but she feels trading her upstate New York home for a used-to-be convent in the windy city totally unnecessary. Regardless of Lily's feelings, though, she's now a St. Sophia's girl, for better or worse. It seems like it's for the worse based on Lily's first experiences at the school. A trio of über-rich brats is intent on ruling the school and terrorizing anyone who gets in their way, Lily's new friend Scout keeps disappearing late at night, and there are strange people showing up around the school. When Lily finally learns the truth of what's going on, it threatens all she knows about the world. It turns out, there's a whole other side--a magical one--to the people around Lily, hew new friends, possibly her parents, and just maybe even herself.

I have to admit that Neill knows how to tell a story, and Firespell is certainly a good one. I must first remark that the pacing of this story is near perfect; the main action doesn't come too soon or too late. That in mind, I was quite satisfied with the story itself as well. Neill combines traditional interpretations of witchcraft with a version of vampirism in her dangerous world of magic underneath Chicago. In it, there are the Reapers, who refuse to let go of their power but must take energy from others to maintain it, and the Adepts, who vow to give up the power when it's time. The good versus evil is pretty obvious in black and white, but that's okay because it's not the entire concentration of the book. Where the story really starts getting interesting and complicated are the connections between the Adepts and Lily's only life. On the level of originality, Firespell ranks only moderately, but with its supernatural danger, intrigue, and romance, this novel sure is an enjoyable one.

Firespell will be liked by fans of Revealers by Amanda Marrone and Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez. I eagerly look forward to the rest of the Dark Elite series.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good PG13 Writing -- spoilers-- February 4, 2010

By R. McFeeters

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I got this book, because I have read this authors other series (Chicagoland Vampires) which follows the adventures of a 28 year old Newbie Vampire. Where as this book is strictly PG13 the author's other series allows room for more adult content.

So when I say PG13 I mean, no curse words and not even so much as a kiss takes place with-in this books pages. I think this book would be well received by any teen, and if I was under the age of 20 I may have even gave it 4 or 5 stars, yet regrettably I'm not so the book didn't hold my interest as well.

The run down is as follows:

Lily Parker is 16 and lives in Up-State NY with her parents. They are philosophy professors at the local college. They are offered the opportunity to work in Germany for 2 years, but they decide its in Lilly's best interest to stay state side so they send her to a all girls boarding school in down town Chicago. Lily is none too happy about the turn of events, yet, being not of legal age she has little say in the matter.

When she arrives at St. Sophia's Academy for her junior year, she is ushered into the gothic building by a frigid, cold, and strict principle who talks way too much about responsibility and academics. She is given a room amongst 3 others that adjoin a living area. Her other 3 roommates consist of a book warm, a brat packer, and a Goth rebel. She is befriended intensely by the Goth rebel. Her name is Scout.

Scout has a secret, she is a spellbinder, or a witch or mage (however you want to look at it), she can wield magic. It turns out that there is a very small percentage of the human population that is able to cast spells and such. Of that population a even smaller percent have decided to do good rather then harm, a splinter cell so to speak. Scout is part of that splinter cell.

In this storyline you can use magic shortly after puberty and have it until 25, after 25 you become a Reaper if you still want to handle magic. You are unable to control or utilize your abilities later in life with out sucking the souls of the living for control over the dark arts.

Scouts splinter cell believes they should give up their magic at 25 and resign to normalcy, the greedy majority thinks they are evolved (a better species) and should have every right to feed off of humans souls for power.

Scouts mission is to protect humans from Reapers. In Scouts group are various witches or mages of various talents. Two twins that can wield fire and ice. A cute youngster that can read objects (Michael), a even cuter kid that can change into a wolf (Jason), and so on.

Jason happens to be the love interest in this book for Lily's characters, if you want to call it that seeing how they never even kiss.

The twist is that Lily can wield magic too, but said magic isn't awakened until she is hit with Firespell by a hunky college kid who is on the Baddies side (Sebastian).

Lily turns out to be a diamond in the rough, she is more powerful then most, can possibly turn bad quicker then others, and has Firespell as well. Firespell is a very powerful ability to kill or seriously injure someone or many with a flick of the wrist which release the deadly intentions.

Her parents aren't what she thought either, but I think that will be more explained in the next book. The principle is way cooler then let on, and there is some play by play with the stuck up popular girls (Brat Pack). The Brat Pack infact was the hardest part to get through when it came to this book. With the severity of everything else going on it was off being pulled back into a world of high school politics and popularity contests - but whatever.

It was a cute, quick read. Less then 250 pages. Great for tweens or teens, probably a bit boring for any one older. What is good here is the authors ability to write great characters. Lily is a so real she jumps off the page and that made it worth the one day it took to read it:-)

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Firespell - Chloe Neill January 5, 2010

By A. Schreiner TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I think the blurb does a great job of summarizing the story and I really don't want to give more away than that, because part of the fun of reading this book is discovering what exactly lurks below the halls of St. Sophia's. Lily Parker is dropped off at St. Sophia's and immediately bonds with her suite mate, Scout, who has been at the school since she was twelve. Scout has a "been there, done that" attitude and takes Lily under her wing. Scout has secrets though - secrets that leave Lily very curious about the "errands" Scout is running that keep her out at night many hours past curfew.

As the blurb states, Scout is part of a rebel group, those who have magic but use it for good, to help innocents who the Reapers (those with corrupted evil power) have targeted. Included in the rebel group are Michael and Jason - both students at the nearby Montclare school, and both very attractive. It is obvious to Lily that there is an attraction between Michael and Scout. And as she looks at Jason, she can't help to notice his dimples and charming smile. As Lily uncovers the secrets Scout and her group are hiding, Lily finds herself spending more time with Jason and finds out he is hiding something very big himself.

Firespell is a really fun book, but it is also a book that leaves so many questions!! Why torture us Chloe Neill? Alright, I will admit this is a good kind of torture. What is up with Lily's parents - are they really on an academic sabbatical? Is the headmistress of the school a really mean old lady, or does she have secrets too? I really want to know more about Sebastian, one of the Reapers, for reasons I can't disclose with out big spoilers. I actually really like series that make you work for all of the answers, and this one will leave you more than ready to read the sequel.

One of my favorite things about Chloe Neill books are her supporting characters. In her Chicagoland Vampire series, I love Mallory, Merit's best friend. And in Firespell, while I really like Lily, Scout is the one that truly makes the story for me. She has just the right combination of spunk, quirkiness, and loyalty that makes her stand out and steal the spotlight.

Lily bonds with Scout right away, but there are other girls that she is not so fortunate to meet. Scout refers to their actions as TBD - Total Brat Drama, but they are the group of snobby girls who think they are better than everyone else. They are there to give Lily and friends a hard time and cause trouble where they can. Maybe they will play a role in something bigger in future books, but for now they just were annoying - which is likely the intent. While the scenario of new girl at school who has to fight the mean girls (and the monsters) has been played out before, the witty dialogue, unanswered questions, and the depth of the characters are what really stand out in this book.

Firespell only just touches on the supernatural part, leaving much more to be explored in future books. I really like the concept of the evil beings and the fight Lily and crew have ahead of them. The start of the Dark Elite series has grabbed my attention and I am looking forward to the adventures of Lily and Scout (and Jason!).