Book Review: Hidden by Sophie Jordan

**Received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted 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:  Wow!  This book started out with excitement, suspense and action and never stopped!  From the first page to the last page, you are wrapped up in this book and won't be able to put it down.

This is the last book of the Firelight series.  We start off where Vanish ended with Miram being captured by the Enkros, Jacinda and Tamra leaving the tribe (initially to find their mother who was banished) with Cassian to rescue Miram and Will helping so he can leave with Jacinda after Miram is rescued.  The plan to get into the Enkros lab is for Jacinda to be "caught" by the hunters (Cassian and Will) and to be put into the lab so she can find Miram.  Then she is counting on Will, Cassian and Tamra to get them out. 

Of course, it never happens that easily.  Jacinda enters the lab and is immediately put into a cell.  She is able to speak to a few other draki and she has seen Miram!  However, Miram is laying in a heap on the floor of her cell and the other draki are busy warning Jacinda of "the gray one".  Before she can fully understand what the other draki are telling her, she is forced to meet "the gray one" for herself. 

After what feels like days to Jacinda, Will, Cassian and Tamra finally come to her rescue and just in time!  They manage to free all the draki, including "the gray one".  There are some seriously intense scenes during this time that I can't go into due to spoilers but hang on to your seats!  Unfortunately, even after they escape the Enkros, the hunters are still after them.  Now they must get Miram back to the pride and then leave to find Jacinda's mom.  Again, nothing is ever that easy.

I loved Jacinda and Tamra in this book!  They were strong characters but caring and loyal to each other and their pride. They were smart and able to outsmart the hunters for the most part.  I loved watching Tamra's relationship with "the gray one" (for the life of me I cannot remember what his name was...sorry!) grow and of course I loved reading about Will and Jacinda's relationship. 

Cassian and Miram were also amazing characters.  Miram was so broken after her stay with the Enkros and while there was still some tension between her and Jacinda, Miram finally realized how Jacinda helped her and their relationship became a little less tense.  Cassian was bonded with Jacinda so I enjoyed how their "bond" worked and how they could feel each other's emotions.  You knew he was jealous of Will but understood that was who Jacinda picked. 

The ending broke my heart but was a good ending in all.  It tied most everything together.  I would have liked to have found out what happened to the other draki that escaped and seen the Enkros shut down but the loose ends with Jacinda, Will, Cassian, Miram and Tamra were all tied up nicely.  I really enjoyed this fast paced ending to a wonderful trilogy!



Book Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  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?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

My Thoughts:  Well, this one wasn't my favorite book but it wasn't horrible.  I read it quickly and thought the ending was full of action and it kept me on the edge of my seat. 

Really though, besides the action-packed ending, the whole book focused on Jacinda, Will and Cassian.  It was SO annoying!  Jacinda spent the whole book thinking about Will and then when Will came back, she decided she didn't want Will.  Yet, she will risk her Draki Pride to meet Will.  Then, Cassian is in love with Jacinda and she plays with his emotions as well.  It just annoyed me and made me want to smack Jacinda. 

I loved Tamra.  She came into her own and had some serious spunk and was just awesome.  I wished there was more about Tamra in the book and am hoping there will be more about her in the next book. She is very strong and I feel bad for her at first with the Cassian/Jacinda situation but I think she deserves better than Cassian.

Jacinda and Tamra's mom was a disappointment.  She came back to the Pride and then she ended up just working and drinking.  She didn't perk up until Jacinda was in jeopardy of losing her wings.  I was just hoping she would have been a stronger character.

I did like the ending of this book!  It had some twists that I hadn't predicted and was filled with action.  I can't wait to see how Cassian, Will, Jacinda and Tamra get Miriam out of this mess but look forward to a much more action filled story in the next book!