Alone

Flamestone Trilogy #1

by Holly Hook

Elaine has spent her sixteen years proving that she's nothing like her murderous father--but no one will let her forget her dark family history. So when her best friend Talia goes missing, Elaine takes the search and rescue into her own hands.

But on her quest, Elaine finds herself in a wilderness where teenagers are worked to death in mines by an evil organization known as the Flamestone Society. Elaine barely escapes, but her boyfriend doesn't. Because of her, his life is now in danger right along with Talia's.

Now Elaine's alone in a vast wilderness with only her survival instincts on her side. There's no Facebook. 911 is useless. As if that's not bad enough, she failed summer camp and the Flamestone Society is closing in. Armed with only an ax, Elaine will have to embrace her dark family history in order to survive. Along the way, she'll have to face some terrifying secrets about her own past.

Alone is the first book of the Flamestone Trilogy, a dystopian fantasy for fans of The Hunger Games and survival fiction. The next two books of the series, Found and Freed, are also available.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction

165 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2015

About the author

Holly Hook is the author of the Destroyers Series, which consists of five young adult books about teens who are walking disasters...literally. She is also the author of the Rita Morse series, a young adult fantasy series still in progress, and After These Messages, a short ya comedy. Currently she is writing Twisted, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series due out in December. When not writing, she enjoys reading books for teens, especially ya fantasy and paranormal series with a unique twist.

Reviews

[Kel (Faerie-bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Alone
Author: Holly Hook
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Format: Ebook
Pages: 165
Rating: 3.5

Setting: Another Dimension

Main Characters: Elaine

Supporting Characters: Talia, Travis, Shawn

Summary: Elaine’s best friend, Talia, is missing. Shawn, her boyfriend, and Travis, their friend, go to the foster house where Talia was staying and end up in another world. Shawn and Travis get taken and Elaine ends up on the run. Can she survive and save her friends?

Thoughts: This starts out a little slow, it wasn’t until about 75% of the way through that it really started to get interesting. Elaine is a little whiny but is willing to do what needs to be done to survive and I did like that about her. The cliffhanger ending definitely through me for a loop and I look forward to reading the next book.

I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Belinda Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly did it again this book was fantastic. Thank you Holly for the arc. Elaine was really awesome. I can hardly wait for book 2 and 3

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly hook is a new author for me. I was recommended the Firestone series. It was a fast pace storyline and you can't help but continue reading as Holly leaves you wanting to know more. I've read book 2 and 3 as it was part of a bundle can't wait to read book 4.to see where these young children end up. Not giving any spoilers away as it's a must read series

[Kathy Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading and reviewing books

Good book. It really is for young people, but I enjoyed it anyways. I like to think about the possibilities of other worlds, both parellel to ours or far away in space and wonder jhow things would have developed differently.

[Eftihia Iliopoyloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Turns and twists and terror. One girl and her friends looking for her best friend find so much more than what they were looking for or what they had ever imagined. A nightmare filled with monsters

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of Eliane and her boyfriend Shaun. Talia her best friend goes missing and they try to figure out what happened. A fast paced great story that kept my interest. This is my second Holly Hook story and not the last for sure.

[Dale loftis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

Very unusual story it was very hard to put down. It was very different than my usual reading. Thank you

[TED EARLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great all around book, kept me interested and wanting more when it ended.

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Roxie Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].

'Alone' by Holly Hook
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Finished on October 22, 2016
Read with Kindle Unlimited Subscription
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $2.99 on Kindle

Elaine has spent her whole life, all sixteen years of it, in the shadow of her murderer father, trying to prove to her peers that she's nothing like him. Despite it all, she finds solace in her best friend, Talia, and her gorgeous boyfriend, Shawn.

Elaine's home life is picturesque compared to Talia's, though. Talia is a foster kid, shuffled from home to home, and when Elaine finds out that Talia has gone missing, she knows something is very, very wrong. Everyone believes she's a runaway, but Elaine knows Talia wouldn't just take off without telling her, no matter how much she hated her new foster home.

So, Elaine, Shawn, and their friend Travis go looking for Talia, and they end up crossing through a portal into somewhere out of this world. Separated and alone, Elaine knows she must rescue her friends, but first she must figure out how to survive in this new world where beasts awaken at night with one thing on their mind -- hunt her down and kill her. To survive and bring back the people she loves, she'll have to come face to face with the family history she's been running from her entire life.

I read this book as part of my #yearofindiewomen. I read this book during Dewey's 24-Hour #readathon.

The start of this book was a little draggy, and it took me a little while to like Elaine. I thought she was a bit annoying and immature (even for a sixteen-year-old), but I stuck with the novel, and I'm glad I did because once I got about a fourth of the way in, it started to get interesting, and I really liked the rest of the series.

I wish there was a bit more of a focus on her mother, stepfather, and her relationship with them at the start of the series because I think it would have made the ending of the series stronger. The character development is pretty good in this book. The primary focus for most of the novel is Elaine alone, so Hook does a good job of turning Elaine from unlikable into a loveable heroine by the end of the series.

Elaine quickly evolves from a sort of self-pitying teenager into an inventive survivor who kicks ass and takes names. She does what she has to do to survive, and learns a fast lesson that sometimes you have to do things you don't like to come out on top.

What got me really excited about this series was not Elaine, but the world that Hook creates in this series. She does a fabulous job. The creatures that populate this new land are fascinating, terrible, and beautiful. The idea of a giant centipede is one of the most terrifying things I can imagine. And I loved the sickening quality of the Dwellers' eyes and the Megapede's belly. What a cool and unique ability.

I blasted through it and jumped right into the next novel, 'Found', as quickly as I could because I wanted to spend as much time in Selwyn as I could.

My one big complaint about this novel was the "You're halfway through! But wait, there's more!" sales pitch in the middle of the book. That was annoying and completely pulled me out of the story. If I hadn't had been enjoying the world of Selwyn so much, I would have ditched the series completely, honestly, I was so turned off by that. But thankfully, she ditched that in subsequent novels.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this is a good YA story. It's fast paced and kept me interested. Some parts were predictable or very easy to guess what would happen next. This book will have you reading from the first page til the latest. Full of action and adventure with underground creatures.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review of it.

This my first time reading works by this author and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. It was engaging to read about Elaine and her drive to find her missing friend. Her best friend has moved away and now she's missing. The woman her best friend was living with is under arrest for suspicion concerning the girl's disappearance and now Elaine wants answers. So she goes in pursuit of looking with her boyfriend and a friend of his. What they don't know is that there are things that unknown concerning the disappearance and people who have secrets that they wish to have kept as quiet as possible so that they don't lose out on what they have built over the years.
Things don't go the way that Elaine and her friends imagine and she ends up...Alone. Now it's a fight for survival in a place she doesn't know and doesn't understand but she has to be doubly careful because there are people after her.
This book grabs your attention and holds it as you delve deeper and deeper to learn what is going to happen to Elaine. Will she find her friends? Will she find help? Or will this be the end for her in this place that is so new and different to her? A lot is a stake and there are twists and turns that will surprise you as you go along. I definitely recommend this book to people who are Holly Hook fans and people who are looking for a new author or series to check out and get into.

[A.B. Shepherd · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have gotten a higher rating had the author not just stopped this in the middle of an action sequence, in the attempt to get you to buy the next book. I've said it time and again. Author's writing a series, or trilogy NEED to follow a proper formula. You NEED to have a major plotline to carry you through the entire series, but you also need to have a minor plot line that can be wrapped up in each novel. To leave a story completely unresolved without that minor plot line does NOT draw readers into your next book. It makes them feel cheated.

I also hated that at about the half way point, and again at the end of the book, the author threw in HUGE text "But wait - there's more!" and threw in a sales spiel. Talk about sounding desperate.

But back to the story.

This was purported to be YA, but it felt more like middle grade. Elaine, at sixteen, is a VERY immature sixteen. Her best friend goes missing and Elaine, her boyfriend and another friend, break into the house where Talia (the friend) had been living, find a secret passage, and end up in danger.

I won't spoil the story, but I will say by sixteen Elaine would have learned in science class that the human body can go several days, perhaps weeks, without food, but needs water to survive.

IDK. The writing wasn't too bad. Elaine's stream of conscious and every minute of everyday storytelling was a bit monotonous. I guess you could say I'm not a huge fan and won't be reading the rest of the trilogy.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free for an honest review.

I have to say I loved this book!! This book was out of my normal reading genre, but I was so glad to give it a try!! Made my gym time go much faster.

This book is about a girl named Elaine, whose friend Talia went missing. Elaine, her boyfriend, Shawn and their friend, Travis, go searching for Talia in the house she was last seen in. The adventure starts from there and Elaine's boyfriend and friend end up getting taken off by the dwellers underground and Elaine gets away. She ends up in what is like another dimension where there are centipedes that are bigger than humans. She friends an animal that is like a dog, which she names Pit. Pit helps her get through the wooded area and on the way to where a settlement is. What Elaine doesn't know is who is behind this Flamestone Society and gets a huge surprise at the end as to who it is!! That was something I totally didn't see coming!!!

I can not wait to start the second book so I can see where things will go from here!!

[Nicole]

Alone is the first book in the new 'Flamestone' trilogy by Holly Hook.

We follow Elaine and friends Shaun and Travis as they go searching for her best friend Talia who disappears suddenly from her new foster home.

Their search soon takes them through a gateway to another planet and quickly discover it dangers and they must learn to survive.

Alone is a fairly fast paced action adventure with suspense elements as we wait and see what happens to Elaine and her friends on this planet.
Hook has once again created an intriguing world with fantastical creatures and vivid environments that will most likely only get better as we move through the series.

The final chapters were thrilling with plot twists that have me anxiously waiting for the second instalment.

I got a bit of a 'Hunger Games' Vibe whilst reading this story so fans of that may also enjoy this.

I was gifted a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alone is the story of a high school student named Talia, who has has suddenly gone missing. When her friends Elaine, Shawn, and Travis go to investigate her home, they find themselves in another universe. This book grabbed me from the very start and took me on a wild ride. I couldn't wait to find out if Elaine would figure out how she would save her friend. I could feel a lot of Elaine's anxiety, however, at times, I also felt the story was a bit too descriptive. There is also a big twist at the end, which I was completely not expecting! The only reason I'm giving this book 4 stars is because of editing. There were extra spaces at the beginning of some quotations, and several extra words or autocorrect errors, which a Microsoft Word spellcheck would not have caught. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review

I found this to be a very enjoyable, quick read. It is about Elaine, a teenage girl who ends up stranded in a strange new world after her friends are captured. I greatly enjoyed the survival tale and the descriptions of the new world and strange monsters. Her resourcefulness and the sudden challenges she met were very captivating.

I think my only criticism would be the initial character development. I enjoyed seeing Elaine's growth throughout the book. However, I'm not totally clear on who Elaine was to begin with. And I don't feel like I know much about Talia, Shawn, or Travis. Which made it a little hard to care about their survival, where instead I found myself very attached to Pit and his well being.

Either way, I am excited to read Found, and see where this story continues to go.

[L.J. Bus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful storyline! Really love everything about it, it's fantasy but still very realistic! My favorite!
The main character Elaine needs to learn how to survive and fast! Along with 2 friends, one being her boyfriend, she went searching for her best friend who dissapeared only to loose her other friends (and barely escaping herself) after a not so friendly encounter with some bad men and strange creatures. Now she will need all the courage she can get to rescue all her friends from a fate so twisted in a landscape so bizarre that Elaine wonders where she is and if she'll even find her friends and the way back home.

[Wendy Rinebold · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful fantasy novel. Holly Hook has such an amazing imagination. This novel is about gnome-like creatures that steal people from their homes in the dark. Once a girl named Talia disappears, a group of her friends begins a search and discovers things they never should have seen.
This is such an exciting series. I started with the prequel, Walls. I highly recommend this as well so you are acquainted with the story before Alone begins. I can't wait for the next in this series.

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Christina Bowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast paced book that pulled me in from the beginning, and I couldn't put down until I'd finished. I wanted to see what happened with Elaine next, and if she would find her friend. The author does a good job of making the reader feel like they're right there with Elaine in this strange world, and keeps you guessing what will happen next. '

The book does end with a cliffhanger, but that's expected since it's the first in a new series. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens next.

[Mimi Davis Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

There Is Something Underground

Ok, the first three quarters of the story drags on to long. Within the last quarter, the story gets more interesting and gives you a easy storyline to follow and than the story ends, enticing you too the next book in the series. This is not fair to the reader, each book of the series should keep you captivated, hanging on to each page. Not just the last few pages, even thou I now have the desire for more of the story, I'm unsure about purchasing the next book.

[Mackenzie Flohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Holly Hook story.

Overall, I found the story absolutely delightful. It is intriguing, suspenseful and keeps you at the edge of your seat.

The book follows the character, Elaine, as she and her boyfriend, Shaun, and their friend, Travis, search for Talia, Elaine's best friend who has suddenly gone missing. Holly captured me right from the start. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to Elaine and if she was ever going to find Talia. I look forward to reading her next book!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is my first Holly Hook book and I loved it! Great first book in a new series. Kept my interest from the very first page. Fast paced. Love the character of Elaine who is trying to find her missing friend Talia. While on her search for her friend she winds up somewhere she least expects and has to find her way back home. Can't wait for the second book to see what happens next.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms Hooks has done it again. This is a fast paced and action filled and not your standard little girl lost story. Elaine is trying to be a good friend and when Talia disappears she goes looking for her. She ends up in another world and now its all about survival. We are taken somewhere and there are all of these thingies the can hurt you and it looks nothing like you're prepared for then it's night and noises and feet and yeah, Get your copy this is a game changer. Great characters and visual!

[Denise Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book for an honest review. I thought it was going to be your average damsel in distress, hero saves her. I was glad to be wrong. I enjoyed this book very much and hope to read the next one as soon as I can. It's a story of survival from the creatures hiding in your room waiting for night to fall so they can terrify you.

[Jessica (The Mortal Jessica) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I got a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review* THIS WAS SO GREAT AND OMG WHAT AN ENDING. FINISHED THIS IN 2 SITTINGS WOW I NEED BOOK 2 RIGHT NOW HELP ME JESUS

It's an amazing book about a girl who goes missing and her friend goes through a parallel universe to find her. You just have to check it out.

[Monica Alvarado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine your best friend goes missing and you are almost the only one who cares. While searching for your friend, your boyfriend and another friend has been taken by gnomes. After escaping you find your self in a new land. No wifi or cell signal can help you here.....
I found this book an easy read and very interesting. I can't wait to read more of the Flamestone series.

[Jenny From The Bog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first experience reading a Holly Hook book and, honestly, I wasn't expecting much from the description and it being a young adult novel. I was pleasently surprised by this fast-paced, easy read. By the end of the book I was totally invested in the main character and loving every new detail of the world Hook has created. I've already got book two in my queue.

[Melonie Hill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved it. Elaine sets off to find her missing friend and ends up alone in a strange place and finds out she is tougher than she thinks. Loved the character Pitt! Can't wait for Book 2.

[Victoria Clawson]

Ok, so in all honesty I loved this book. Holly Hook is actually a favorite author of mine, so I was already excited about this book. It keeps you wanting to turn the page, I love the twists she put in this book, and am super excited for the other books to come out