Estevan Vega

For me, the book was slow to start and might I add a little much on the sexually oriented scenes...HOWEVER, once the story picked up about halfway through, I was engaged thoroughly, rushing to reach the ending. My lingering question is actually about the ending. It's a bit of a mystery, and makes me wonder if a second book will be written or ...POOF....that's it? Interesting story premise with characters you will come to care for...Emery is full of fire, and Arson...literally is. Definitely an interesting read....… (meer)

I've had Estevan Vega's book Arson on my wishlist forever. I'm still anxiously waiting for my library to buy a copy, but when he offered me the opportunity to review his new set of short stories I jumped at the chance! I've heard nothing but good things about his writing and I went into this with high expectations.

Wow, is all I have to say. Truly. These three short stories are not only well-written, but each one is filled with such emotion and so poignant. It's like being teased with a little bit of your favorite candy. You want so much more after you're done! My favorite by far was Baby Blue. This short story had so many emotions packed into one story. It made me sob. Every now and then I come across a story that makes me take stock of my life and what is around me. This was one of those stories. In their own ways Vanilla Red and The Man In The Colored Room were both fantastic as well. Definitely different, which made them a delight to read.

Let me say this. Estevan's writing is superb. It is dark and has almost a smoky quality to it. His characters pop off the page in even his short stories. If this is what he has in store for me, I am now waiting even more impatiently to get my hands on a copy of Arson. Well done Estevan. Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic writing with us!… (meer)

Let me start out with a simple statement. I liked Arson, but I loved Ashes. Loved it so much that I devoured it from cover to cover in a matter of hours. To those of you who might have started on Arson Gable's journey, but haven't yet had a chance to dive into this book, hurry up and snag a copy! Once again the driving force of this book is the darkness that is inside people. Arson and Emery each battle the internal voices that are driving them mad. Bad. Good. The lines are so blurred now it's all in question. Estevan Vega has created a world that is equal parts inside these character's head, and inside the penitentiary like asylum that contains them. Ashes is a much darker read, and it delves much further into who these characters actually are.

Arson and Emery are of course back in this sequel, but new characters make a debut too. There's Adam, a fellow prisoner and confidant. Then of course there are the captors, whose story is sinister to say the least. Finally, we get to see further into the enigma that is Emery's parents. Their story blends seamlessly in, as they hunt down the people who took their daughter. It also gives the reader a fabulous look at the guilt, the raw humanity, that is inside Emery's father. I think their story added a nice layer right on top of everything else. The POV changes multiple times in the story, to allow the reader to see through many eyes. Not to worry though. The changes are seamless and I thought that every character had a unique enough voice to make them easy to distinguish from one another.

Pieces of the puzzle that make up Arson and Emery's story are slowly revealed, and there is just enough reference to the last book to keep a reader quickly refreshed and ready to dive back in. There is so much action in Ashes, but it is evenly paced so that you always get just enough to keep you reading until the next piece of the puzzle falls into place. Is Arson something more than he once thought? Does he have the power to be more than just a freak who makes fire? What is it about his past that he just can't seem to remember? You'll find out my friends. You'll find out.

In a cruel twist, which I'm sure was entirely intentional, once again the story is open just enough at the end to allow Arson's story to continue on. In all honesty, I can't wait. Ashes is the perfect blend of all of my favorite things. Darkness, power, morality, love, and so much more. Trust me, if you haven't picked up this series yet and you have been debating it, do it now. Estevan Vega weaves a story that is well worth your time.… (meer)

The highest compliment I can give Arson is that it is unlike anything I've read so far this year. That's a huge deal. I'm not even sure how to classify this book to be completely honest. It's not entirely paranormal, although there are elements. It's a little bit thriller, mixed in with a little bit contemporary. In all honesty, Arson is it's own beast, and I loved it for that.

Arson Gable is one unique young man. He was born in fire, and out of that came the ability to create fire as well. However as cool as that might sound, it's really not. Arson has no way to control his ability and it causes him all sorts of troubles. Added on top of this is the fact that his only family is his grandmother, who may or may not still be living in reality. Arson has to navigate the road to manhood alone, and it almost breaks him multiple times. With so many facets visible to the reader, Arson Gable is a deeply wounded and flawed boy. His personality literally thrums off the page. If you can fall in love with him, you'll be completely immersed in his struggle.

To be sincere though, I almost didn't make it far enough into the book to really understand Arson because the beginning of the book is a little odd. Not bad, just kind of broken and a little slow. Once I read through the whole book I completely understood where Vega was coming from. Being in Arson's head doesn't always make sense at first. It isn't until the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place that you completely understand where this boy really came from. In fact, when Emery came into the picture is really when I was most invested. I won't spoil, but she is the perfect companion for Arson. The two of the compliment one another beautifully, even as they confusedly stumble down a road that seems to end only in darkness.

It was the ending of the book that really threw me off, but intrigued me at the same time. Honestly, by the time I devoured the last half of Arson, I was more than ready to see where this duo went next. The beginning may have started out slow, but the middle and end of the book well make up for it, as do Vega's stunning characters. I give this one a solid four stars and you should know I'm already halfway into Ashes, the second book in the series. To be honest, this won't be a book for everyone, but if you're ready to step into the darkness and discover something unique, you'll be happy to meet Arson Gable.
… (meer)