Fire Country (Country Saga #1) by David Estes

 In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer's even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life's hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

ebook, 398 pages

Published January 29th 2013 

As the description reads this story places a large amount of focus on child bearing and The Call. The politics and men of this particular tribe are mostly relayed as brute, fighting force that must stand up to not only the weather but the outside groups that also randomly attack the tribe. Each loss to this tribe is an enormous detriment to the people. Especially the loss of a child bearing woman.

Siena stands up for herself and the rights she feels every woman should have. The top most importance, being able to choose her own husband. As it is, the men have more than one wife with the sole purpose of bearing children. Not all males in this tribe are respectful, if they show any niceties at all for their calls aka wives.

We are introduced to a Siena that is very stubborn, has a love interest and about to be of age for her Call. She and her father, the soon to be eldest of the tribe, have continual conflicts with of how she should behaving. When it comes down to it, she'd rather be out fighting than at home bearing children. These conflicts will lead to some very intense and deathly fights throughout the story.

The only thing that I had negative against this story was the length and some things I felt could have been edited out. The author does address this at the end of the book and I can see why and even agree with why everything was left in.

I have yet to read a book by David Estes that I have not liked. The characters, setting and plot to his books are all very interesting. Even though they read as something I find familiar and comfortable in my books. He always has a unique , gripping and fun twists that keeps me hooked.