Book Review: HIDDEN

Title: HIDDEN
Author: Sophie Jordan
Other books by Author: FIRELIGHT, VANISH
Publication Date: 09/11/2012
My Rating: 4.5/5--Really good!  Worth your time!
Plot in One Word: Dragons
Good if...you want something magical and action packed

A dangerous journey.
Shattered bonds.
Undying passion. 

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted her fate long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory. The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning. . . . 

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

My thoughts... 
HIDDEN is book #3 and the final installment in Sophie Jordan's FIRELIGHT series--books about shape-shifting draki (dragons) who in their demanifested state look like humans.  They live in their own 'prides' separate from the regular world.  In book #1 Jacinda and her family leave the pride to live among humans where she falls for a hunter (one who hunts and kills her kind for their pretty skins and the magical properties of their blood).  In book #2 her family is forced the return to the pride where dynamics change and more of the draki nature is revealed to the reader.  I gave both books #1 and #2 five star ratings.  Loved them both!  And book #3 is pretty close to being equally as great!  

All these novels are all fast paced, exciting, action-packed reads.  The characters are likable, the supernatural element unique and oh-so interesting, the twists and turns unexpected and plentiful, and the romance an added bonus.  Book #3 reveals more about the hunters and the enkros (the ones the hunters sell the draki to) as Jacinda poses as a prisoner to save Miram who was captured in book #2.  

I'm sad this series is ending here.  Yes, I really enjoyed this novel, book #3, and as I said before it was pretty close to being equally as great as the first two novels.  It was on par... I'm just can't give it a full five star rating because I don't feel like the series is 100% finished.  This novel wasn't the full conclusion I was looking for.  There's still so much more to learn about the draki, about Tamara and her future, about the new character 'the grey one', about the future of the pride, about Cassian!, about other prides, about Will's family, about Jacinda's mom, about...  (I could keep going on and on with this list.)  SO as great as this novel was it left me still wanting so much more.  I do hope Sophie Jordan writes more stories perhaps from other characters' perspectives.  Tamara's story or Cassian's story would be awesome!  That being said, I still loved this novel!  A must read!  (But be sure to read #1 and #2 first!)   

Overall recommendation: Read it!

Book Review: VANISH

Title: VANISH
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: 09/06/2011
My Rating: 5/5--Incredible! Loved it!
Plot in One Word: Dragons
Good if...you want something magical and romantic

   An Impossible Romance.
   Bitter Rivalries.
   Deadly Choices.
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

My thoughts...
As the second novel in this series, I was happy to find this one just as good as the first! I read it greedily just as I did with #1.  Some of my favorite features were: 1.  The fast pace.  2. The twists and turns.  3.  The characters, especially Jacinda.  4.  The romance.  Not lacking between Jacinda and Will.  I even liked the new developments to Cassian's character, his tenderness and softer side, and the possible love triangle that's begun to develop.  5.  The myth arch.  The dragons.  Their talents.  The sister's new abilities.  Even the effect Will's blood holds over him.  All great additions to an already great story!

I will say make sure you read FIRELIGHT before reading this one.  I doubt it would make much sense without the first one.  I think it was good thing too that I recently read the first one.  Also, I feel like this story ended a bit too soon.  A great deal was resolved, but it ended just before the build up of another great action scene.  That would be my only complaint.  I have to wait a year to know what happened!!  But I have to know so bad that I most definitely will buy book #3.  I wonder what it's cover will look like.  :) 

If you haven't already; check on my review of FIRELIGHT :)