If I were giving away prizes for the most stupid heroine in all of Young Adult lit, it would be a photo-finish between Jacinda from Vanish (Goodreads) and Nora from Hush Hush (Goodreads)
Really, how is it possible that a normally intelligent girl can turn out to be so dumb when a boy enters the scene? And a boy she's only known for a weeks too! *eyes rolling* I just don't buy it. I have three teenage daughters and - I'm claiming no brilliance here - none of them have ever been so stupid as to lose all reason, all focus, all sense when a boy enters the picture.
Wait!
Stop.
Think.
Damn!
Recant.
That is exactly what my daughters do too.
That is exactly what my daughters do too.
Sigh.
Okay, back-peddle on Jacinda and the love of her life, Will. Or is it Cassian? Dang . . . how must I know when she's utterly clueless? Anyway, maybe she isn't as annoying and irritating as I thought she was with her constant whining about wanting to be with Will - while devouring Cassian's kisses!
Thinks again.
No. She's still annoying.
For those who haven't read the book, let me fill you in: Jacinda is a draki - a human girl who can manifest as a dragon. Just please don't ask me what she looks like in dragon form, because I have no idea. She has hands and hair, along with wings and slit eyes, but no mention of scales or tail. All very confusing.
But I digress.
She's supposed to bond with (marry) Cassian - the draki hottie slated to be the next pride alpha. Of course, being a hormone-riddled sixteen-year-old, she falls in love instead with a human boy named Will. Who also happens to be a draki hunter. Ho-hum . . . teenagers really know how to push the melodrama. Just so you know, that all happened in book one Firelight. (Goodreads)
Anyway, in Vanish Jacinda spends her time trying to escape her fate as Cassian's mate so she can be with Will. That leads her into real trouble - can't say what because of spoilers - but instead of blasting the bad guys away with her much vaunted fire-breathing skills, she wheezes out a puff of smoke and then . . . nothing. As a result, Cassion's sister Miriam is kidnapped.
So much for kick-butte drakis. If the pride is relying on Jacinda's fire-breathing talent to protect them for their enemies, then they'd better come up with a plan B - fast. Did I mention that Jacinda irritated me in this book?
Although I have lot's of gripes about Vanish - much eye-rolling - there were a few very tense scenes which managed to snatch it from the clutches of a two star meh into a three dragon talon read . . . Just.
At the end of Vanish - spoiler's stop me revealing more - Sophie Jordan sets up what I hope will be a rollicking read in the next book Hidden (Goodreads) Here's me holding my breath. . . . But if Hidden is a rinse and repeat of Jacinda bemoaning her miserable life while dithering between two boys, then Sophia Jordan has lost me as a fan. That would be a pity because she writes well and the Firelight series has an interesting take dragon-lore. Do I recommend Vanish? At this point yes, because it may just be a horrible link to another good read.
I'd love to hear your views, so don't be shy to leave a comment.
Cheers
Gwynn
PS. In case you're wondering, I'm definitely:
