Category Archives: 4 Flames

THE DARK-HUNTERS, VOL.1
Authors: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Art by: Claudia Campos
Source: Personal Purchase

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; First Edition edition (July 7, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312376871
ISBN-13: 978-0312376871

In the war against vampires, mankind has only one hope: The Dark-Hunters. Ancient warriors who died of brutal betrayal, the Dark-Hunters have sworn themselves into the service of the goddess Artemis to protect us. 

It’s a pact with pretty good perks. Immortality, power, psychic abilities, wealth and a cool wardrobe. But it comes with a few drawbacks: fatal sun poisoning and a new, irreparable dental problem. But aside from the fangs and nocturnal lifestyle, it’s not so bad.  Until Kyrian meets the most frightening thing imaginable. An accountant who’s being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. If Amanda Devereaux goes down, so does he and no offense, he doesn’t want to die (hence the whole immortality thing). And he doesn’t want humanity dead either which is a good thing for us since he and Amanda are all that stands between us and oblivion. Let’s hope they win.  

From the wild imagination of Sherrilyn Kenyon comes the humorous and suspenseful manga debut of the #1 internationally bestselling Dark-Hunter series. The world of manga will never be the same again.

Let me say that I am in no way a huge Manga fan.  My daughter reads Manga and she is constantly trying to get me to try them.  I on the other hand, would rather have a book rich in words than a book rich in illustrations.  Call it the bookworm in me, but books are made to be read, not to enjoy an illustration with dialogue like a comic book.  So after constant nagging from my daughter, I caved into to reading a Manga novel.  I did have one requirement — it has to be a Manga based on a book by an author I know.  So decided to start my Manga journey with The Dark-Hunters series by Sherrilyn Kenyon.


While I wasn’t a big fan of the illustration — due to the fact that Kyrian looked too girlish —the writing was actually great.  Granted, author Sherrilyn Kenyon edited this book and it was from her voice, so it made it a better experience than what it would have been if done by just any Manga author I think.  I loved the witty dialogue throughout the Manga that was true to the authors voice.  I actually read it so fast that the book was devoured within an hour. 


If you are worried about reading Manga, I suggest that you do the same thing I did and read a Manga book from an author you love already.  Consider it an easier transition into the world of illustrated and comic book feel of books.

CRANK
Crank #1
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Source: Personal Purchase

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 544 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books; Original edition (October 5, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0689865198
ISBN-13: 978-0689865190

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina — she’s fearless. 

Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul — her life.

I have read so much about the series of books that Ellen Hopkins has out featuring all sorts of addictions and obstacles that teens can face.  When I picked up Crank, I was intrigued to see how an author was going to portray the drug abuse that can run so rampant through teenagers without going overboard.  I wanted to read something that stayed true to the abuse and didn’t portray it lightly since it is a serious subject to begin with.
Ellen Hopkins did everything I wanted and more within the pages of Crank.

When Kristina meets her Father again after years of abandonment, she gets a glimpse into the world of drugs and the world her mother suffered through before breaking free of him.  With her first hit of crank, we see the downward spiral that Kristina begins to fall into and brings out the persona of Bree.  Through the heartache of romantic breakups, the lure of numbness from drugs,  and the acceptance of being an addict, we see how drugs can easily grab hold of someone and refuse to let go. 

I will say though that I wasn’t a big fan of the verse writing in this one.  While it may have worked for some people, I found it to be too much.  The story alone had an impact on the reader and the verse writing was overkill in my opinion.

If you are looking for a book that touches on a serious subject that effects teens everywhere, then I recommend sitting down with Crank and prepare for a dark ride.

SHUT OUT
Author: Kody Keplinger
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Poppy (September 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316175560
ISBN-13: 978-0316175562

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it’s a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy’s car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend’s attention

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players’ girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won’t get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don’t count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling…

After reading The D.U.F.F. some time back, I just knew that I would have to read any other books by author Kody Keplinger in the future.  She has the talent to write from a teens point of view that truly captures the spirit of what teens are feeling in this angst filled part of life.  So when the publisher sent me Shut Out, I dived right into the world of teen drama and relationship heartbreak!


Most schools have a rivalry between other schools and their sports teams.  Unfortunately, in Lissa’s school the rivalry is between their own soccer and football team.  Pranks are common, up to the point of injury, while the girlfriends are neglected and thrown into social circles for the separate teams.  Lissa is tired of the bickering and the girls having to choose sides according to the teams. What is a girl to do? Go on strike with all of the girlfriends and refuse any type of romantic contact including make out sessions and sex if need be.  Yes parents, this book does have the dreaded ‘sex’ in it but honestly, what teen doesn’t know about the birds and the bees by high school?  I applaud the author for using this as a plot point for the book.  


What this book also touches on is the power that women have in life.  Not just sex, but women also have the power to do things they set their mind to including using their brains to stop an old feud.  I also enjoyed the reference to the play, Lysistrata. I actually found myself checking it out at the library so I could have a better understanding of the book within this book.  


The only thing that I did not enjoy about this book was the fact that it could be predictable.  Yes, you know what the outcome is going to be, but the way the author writes the characters you just forgot about predictability and enjoy the story unfold.


A great new young adult book that adults will enjoy as well.  If you are a fan of this authors previous work, then you won’t be disappointed in Shut Out.

GIRL STOLEN
Author: April Henry
Source: Gifted

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (September 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0805090053
ISBN-13: 978-0805090055

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what’s happening, their car is being stolen–with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin’s dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes–now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

It would be horrifying in itself just to be kidnapped as a teenager, but add in the fact that you are blind and it has to be the worst thing imaginable!  When I first received Girl Stolen, for some reason I kept shoving the book to the back of my reading stack.  The book wasn’t really on my radar and I hadn’t read many reviews at the time for it.  So when I finally picked it up again, I decided to give it a go and see what it was all about.


The point of view in this book alternates between Cheyenne and Griffin.  Cheyenne was in her stepmothers SUV while she was in getting Cheyennes prescription for pneumonia.  Cheyenne had left her seeing eye dog at home and soon realizes that was a mistake.  Griffin jumps in the SUV and steals it with Cheyenne in the backseat.  When Griffin realizes that Cheyenne is in the SUV, he panics and realizes he has made a major mistake.  Not knowing what to do, he takes her with him to his house where his Father comes up with a plan to hold her hostage for ransom money.  


It was refreshing to read about something that could happen so easily in our world today.  I liked the twist of having the victim be blind as it caused some story arcs that wouldn’t have been there if she wasn’t.  I wanted to dislike Griffin so much, but like Cheyenne I started to see a softer side to Griffin and realize he didn’t really want any of this to happen.  His father is abusive and I can see him doing this as a way to gain his fathers approval.  As the story progressed, I was cheering for Cheyenne and Griffin.  I wanted them to both overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown at them.


If there was one thing that I didn’t like about this book, it is the ending.  I absolutely can’t stand open endings that are left open for the readers interpretation.  I like closure when I finish reading that last page of a book.  To me, it always feels like the author just decided not to finish the story because they got tired of it.  I like to read a finished product!  Some people might enjoy these types of endings, but I am not a fan of them.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM
Author: Jill Shalvis
Source: Library Loan

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (February 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425239810
ISBN-13: 978-0425239810

Co-owner of the town’s only kennel, Lilah Young has lived in Sunshine, Idaho, all her life. Pilot-for-hire Brady Miller is just passing through. But he soon has Lilah abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire.

It’s Brady’s nature to resist being tied down, but there’s something about Lilah and her menagerie that keeps him coming back for more.

After getting hooked on the writing by author Jill Shalvis,  I have been snatching up as many books as I can find by her!  I recently read Animal Attraction is ARC format, and desperately wanted to read the first book to catch up on the town of Sunshine.  


In Animal Magnetism,  we get to learn about Brady and Lilah.  Brady is the foster brother of Dell and Adam.  He never really has claimed a “home base” to put down roots.  He comes to Sunshine to help out his brothers by rebuilding a helicopter to help in the aid of animal rescue.  Lilah is such good friends with Dell and Adam that they feel she is like a little sister they never had.  Lilah is owner of the local animal kennel and she is also working on getting her degree through online school.  When she goes into town one morning, she accidentally runs her Jeep into Brady’s truck.  This is the beginning to their wonderful and delightful romance. 


I fell in love with Brady just as fast as Lilah did.  He was sexy and very Alpha in personality that made me swoon whenever he got protective of Lilah around other men in town.  I also loved how Brady and Lilah interacted with Dell and Adam.  They were playful and the dialogue was witty and had me laughing out loud several times.  


If I had one complaint about the book, it was the fact that there weren’t many obstacles for the couple to over come to be together.  Lilah had a life that was pretty much set in knowing what she wanted and where it would go.  Brady had the only real obstacle of having a job somewhere other than Sunshine, but he also had one he could have at a drop of a hat with Dell and Adam.  While it is mentioned that Brady doesn’t like to stay in one place for too long,  I felt that this wasn’t enough of a conflict to keep the book going. Yet, even with the lack of conflict, I still enjoyed reading about the couple.  I also enjoyed the blossoming relationship between Dell and Jade who will be featured in the next book in the series. 


If it is a sweet romance with lovable characters you are looking for, author Jill Shalvis delivers in her Animal series!  I have said it before and I will say it again that I am thrilled to have found the works of Jill Shalvis.  If you haven’t read any of her works before, you really need to jump on the bandwagon of fun romance!