Inseparable twin sisters must learn to use the magic they’ve been forbidden from wielding to save each other from an ancient family curse? Yes, please.
The first page perfectly sets the family dynamic and tone for Iris’s gorgeous first person narrative: “My sister and I were born all tangled up together, both tiny enough that our unruly descent just narrowly missed killing our mother. I liked to think there would have been a fair bit of screaming on Mama’s part in the ruckus that followed, but that’s just my wicked fancy.”
Born with the “gleam,” but forbidden to use it, the sisters bend beauty in secret. Malina sings others’ emotions as though a perfect pitch chorus lives inside her, and Iris turns flowers into mesmerizing fractals. A small part of Iris envies her sister’s stronger magic; she’s relegated to the most specific manipulation of the senses, hampering what she knows could be exponentially more stunning effects because someone might see. Perhaps it’s for this reason that Iris hides the softest parts of herself inside, heedless of who she catches in her thorns—especially when it’s her mother: “I was a scuffed-up walnut, wrapped in a shell of rough but porous strength. I could take hammers and pliers, even be ground underfoot without cracking—but the meat inside was mild and sweet, all desire to protect and yield and please.”
Unlike Malina, Iris constantly clashes with their mother, and finds small ways to defy her. But even Malina can't always abide Jasmina's prohibitions of love and magic. The sisters’ miniature rebellions cease, however, after Iris finds their mother collapsing into a death-like sleep. Their only clue to follow? A mysterious white-haired woman whose sudden appearance rattled Jasmina into an unprecedented drunken stupor. With the help of Luka, Iris’s would-be-lover-had-Jasmina-not-also-forbidden-them-to-love, and Niko, Malina’s hip-to-hip-and-arm-in-arm best friend, the sisters trace the white-haired woman’s path and their own foggy memories back to their mother’s true home—a coven of witches bound by a deal their matriarch made centuries ago. Here, they can unbridle their gleams, but as they continue to pull at the threads of their history, they’re even more unsure of whose tale about their matriarch is true. And if they don’t trust the right ancestor, they risk losing their truest loves: each other.
Iris’s delectably sumptuous descriptions transport you to the coast and peaks of Montenegro, to the cozy corner of an aromatic confectionary, and to the sprawling majesty of a grand chalet. Relish every delicious word, as each detail she shares brings you into the folds of her world and her unwavering bond with Malina. By connecting with Iris, you’ll feel her struggle to submit to Malina’s admonition not to always see her as a soft girl needing protection. It’s anguishing to slowly understand how much Iris and her mother were alike. It’s even more heartbreaking to see Iris realize that she’ll need to let Malina be her strength as they work to defeat the curse binding them to an unsavory fate.
This is a devastatingly beautiful tale about how love spans generations—about beauty without and within, and the sacrifices we make for those we could never part with.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently bought together
$10.99
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24
Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).
+
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Wicked Like a Wildfire
“’Love makes us even brighter than we are, until the gleam grows into a roman candle, impossible to contain. Everyone can see us shine with it, then, and it’s the nature of the human beast to fear what it doesn’t understand.’” - Lana Popović, Wicked Like a WildfireWhat would you do with the power to influence beauty in the world around you? If you are anything like me and love stories with many details that it drags you right in, this is a great book for you. Wicked Like a Wildfire, written by Lana Popović, is an engrossing tale that hooked me from the beginning with her descriptions of the world around two twins and their mother.Twins, Iris and Malina, each have a different gleam, a power that manipulates the beauty around them. Their mother forbids them using their gleams and tells them to keep it secret and above all else, not to fall in love, as their lives could be put into danger. The story follows Iris, who has the gleam of making kaleidoscopes from the objects around her, mainly flowers. When the twin’s mother is attacked, it is up to them to learn of her past and make a future for themselves with that knowledge.This book definitely captures the world, set in modern day Montenegro, and describes everything with such feeling and detail. I have read other’s reviews which stated that they disliked how detailed Wicked Like a Wildfire was, but it made the setting pop up around me and see, smell, hear and want to touch everything Popović described. The pages flew by as I was enthralled by the book and the surprise twists and turns it took. I would recommend this book to those who love magic, witches, captivating details, and of course, love. This book was recently released on August 15th, 2017.Hibiscus Daughter #1Author: Lana PopovićGenre: Young Adult FantasyReviewed by: Kelsey Batchelor on 8/23/2017 on InkTeller.com
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017
“’Love makes us even brighter than we are, until the gleam grows into a roman candle, impossible to contain. Everyone can see us shine with it, then, and it’s the nature of the human beast to fear what it doesn’t understand.’” - Lana Popović, Wicked Like a Wildfire
What would you do with the power to influence beauty in the world around you? If you are anything like me and love stories with many details that it drags you right in, this is a great book for you. Wicked Like a Wildfire, written by Lana Popović, is an engrossing tale that hooked me from the beginning with her descriptions of the world around two twins and their mother.
Twins, Iris and Malina, each have a different gleam, a power that manipulates the beauty around them. Their mother forbids them using their gleams and tells them to keep it secret and above all else, not to fall in love, as their lives could be put into danger. The story follows Iris, who has the gleam of making kaleidoscopes from the objects around her, mainly flowers. When the twin’s mother is attacked, it is up to them to learn of her past and make a future for themselves with that knowledge.
This book definitely captures the world, set in modern day Montenegro, and describes everything with such feeling and detail. I have read other’s reviews which stated that they disliked how detailed Wicked Like a Wildfire was, but it made the setting pop up around me and see, smell, hear and want to touch everything Popović described. The pages flew by as I was enthralled by the book and the surprise twists and turns it took. I would recommend this book to those who love magic, witches, captivating details, and of course, love. This book was recently released on August 15th, 2017.
Hibiscus Daughter #1
Author: Lana Popović
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reviewed by: Kelsey Batchelor on 8/23/2017 on InkTeller.com
What would you do with the power to influence beauty in the world around you? If you are anything like me and love stories with many details that it drags you right in, this is a great book for you. Wicked Like a Wildfire, written by Lana Popović, is an engrossing tale that hooked me from the beginning with her descriptions of the world around two twins and their mother.
Twins, Iris and Malina, each have a different gleam, a power that manipulates the beauty around them. Their mother forbids them using their gleams and tells them to keep it secret and above all else, not to fall in love, as their lives could be put into danger. The story follows Iris, who has the gleam of making kaleidoscopes from the objects around her, mainly flowers. When the twin’s mother is attacked, it is up to them to learn of her past and make a future for themselves with that knowledge.
This book definitely captures the world, set in modern day Montenegro, and describes everything with such feeling and detail. I have read other’s reviews which stated that they disliked how detailed Wicked Like a Wildfire was, but it made the setting pop up around me and see, smell, hear and want to touch everything Popović described. The pages flew by as I was enthralled by the book and the surprise twists and turns it took. I would recommend this book to those who love magic, witches, captivating details, and of course, love. This book was recently released on August 15th, 2017.
Hibiscus Daughter #1
Author: Lana Popović
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reviewed by: Kelsey Batchelor on 8/23/2017 on InkTeller.com
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
Nancy Keech
An absolutely delicious read. Witchy-wonderful and sensory packed; ...
Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2017
Sophie
Magic, awesome witches and mystery.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2019
Ibtesamshakeel
No spoiler alerts, So I'll just say you HAVE to read it.
Reviewed in India on April 30, 2018
