I received this book as a birthday present, and what a gift it truly was! Those Who Favor Fire grabs the reader's attention and holds it until the very end, which comes all too soon! Based in non-fiction, this expertly-woven tale is about a small Pennsylvannia town, the coal fire that rages beneath it, and how its inhabitants deal with their fears. Interesting and well-developed characters, short chapters, and great imagery make it a very fast read. I hope we'll again meet Rachel, Joe and those memorable inhabitants of Belle Haven whom we've come to know so well. Thank you, Lauren, for such a wonderful first novel. I'm looking forward to your next.

This is a wonderful book. I went out and bought it after reading a review in the Boston Globe that called it "brilliant," "breath-catching," "a remarkable first novel." I don't read a lot of new fiction, but this sounded like one I didn't want to miss, and the review I read was right on the money. Not only is this book a suspenseful page-turner, it's also an excellent work of literary fiction by a talented author. Lauren Wolk has an amazing gift for creating sharp, moving, original imagery, but she doesn't let it get in the way of her masterful storytelling (as some books do). She brilliantly weaves together the story of an underground coal fire burning out of control (and how this threatens to tear a community apart) with a riveting but difficult love story between two ostensibly mismatched people. I couldn't put this book down, and I didn't want it to end. I highly recommend "Those Who Favor Fire" to anyone and everyone who reads books.

I received this book as a birthday present, and a gift it truly was! Those Who Favor Fire is a great read that I wish lasted longer. I hope we will hear again from Rachel, Joe, and the many other memorable inhabitants of this beautifully-told tale. Thank you, Lauren, for a fabulous first novel, and thank you, Mom E, for your thoughtfulness.