Initial Reaction: When Water Burns by Lani Wendt Young

AAAAAAh! I just finished. You don't know the lengths I've gone to immerse myself in the Telesā universe these past two days. Let's just say I've gone without food, completely ignored several familial attempts for conversation and endured hours on my 4.3" HTC EVO 4G Kindle for Android App. Suffice it to say, I'm grateful to be staring at a 40" monitor. Phew! Okay and on to the meat and potatoes...

It's Midnight! I finally finished the book. Eyes. Eyes. Silent scream. Audible scream. The epilogue really disturbed me, but that's nothing new. Let's just say if Leila even spends half of the next book under Keahi's arm I will not be a happy camper, hear that Lani? lol. Ah, but artistic license; your brain child; what say have I? Nein [I tried to find the word for none, but "no" in German will have to do].

Okay now really, my first reaction...What the heck?! Not again. After I spent all this time waiting to find out who the heck this fire Telesā Keahi was and why in the h-e-double-hockey-sticks he was swapping spit with Leila, now I have to wonder how Keahi might use this development to muss or bless Leila/Pele's life...and is she Pele? Or Leila? Will Leila be able to control Pele if she does, in fact, possess Leila's body? And would it be terrible if Keahi and Leila were to become a couple? But I'm Team Daniel all the way so my answer is an emphatic OH HECK NO. (Actually, all those extra questions are probably my third reaction) 

Second reaction:  YES! I finished it. Enjoi! [Do they really say that?]

Things that had me crazy...

• All Telesā will regret Leila's body being healed?
• I forgot where Keahi was when Leila was trying to free TeUILA from the RPG/RPT? [Whatever it's called] and Daniel was fighting the twins. Hellloooooo? A little help here? And then I remembered he got beat down on the beach...again, haha. 
• I knew Lesina was a Telesā THE WHOLE time and it took Leila 12 hours, in my slow reading, to finally catch up to me. Really girl? The Lord of the Rings fiery eye would've seen that from the beginning.
• Teuila at 13 is no stranger to molestation, violence and substance abuse. Her mother should have been her protection. Fail! This breaks my heart. It's hard to read stuff like that. It takes me back to Lovely Bones and skipping heaps of stuff because I didn't want to live with that trauma floating around in the recesses of my mind.
• I have to say that I am grateful we didn't have to spend as much time on Daniel's amazing physique or Keahi's magic abs, that's something that made me a little loony in the first book. [ Hey! My blog, my rules. I can bring back the crazy from the first installment. ;) ] BTW my Daniel is way beefier and more tan than the model. I'll stick with that one. *eyes closed, sigh* lol
• The "Break". This reminded me of New Moon, and that was my least favorite book of the Twilight Saga. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to wait until the very end of the book for a reconciliation - thanks Lani! Also, props to Daniel for being so forgiving and constant. Leila's headstrong, independent ways sometimes got on my nerves, but oh, if I look into a mirror I'm able to give myself much more leeway, hmmm...
• Salamasina is a long-winded storyteller, or maybe I just read too slow.
• I just wanna hug Keahi and send him to church counseling services. His story was an enthralling opening to a much anticipated book :)
• Mele was spurned again. I really wish she could have a reawakening or something. Leila's I don't hit girls remark was pretty darn funny.

Everything else I liked/loved. 

I am really happy Leila had closure with her Folger family. 

I am glad she didn't have to choose between Daniel and Jason, although Jason's love started in a vial. 

I was happy to see Matile and Tuala in a few sequences and esp glad Lani let Matile stare daggers at Daniel in the hospital; I would expect nothing less.

Yay! There are no more secrets between Daniel and Leila.

Simone is an awesome friend.

Daniel's story and powers are revealed - enjoi! [I hope I don't start using this word.]

Salamasina and Leila come to an understanding.

Sinalei and Maleko are brought back as supporting cast members. Continuity :)

Your name was chosen for a Telesā ... TeUILA

I read Telesā the Covenant Keeper and loved it, then I learned the stories about Teine Sa and felt a little bamboozled. I'm not sure why, esp since I knew I was reading YA fiction. I guess it's because I'm a Samoan who's never stepped foot on the land and I was so wrapped up in the description of the country and culture that I forgot it was fiction. That experience helped me to appreciate this book for what it is:  a wordsmith's work of art. 

I'm also glad I'm not consumed by the book. I was a little too neurotic about the first one. Yay for maintaining a passable form of sanity.

I'd like to dedicate the following quote to my awesome Nutty sisters. Bound together in friendship & love and blessed with faith, we can accomplish all things through Christ Jesus. Okay, but wait, that's not the quote. Here it is...

A woman without her history is a fool.

Lani Wendt Young

I love you guys. Stay awesome!