Vanish: A Firelight Novel [Hardcover]

Sophie Jordan (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 6, 2011 | Series: Firelight (Book 2)

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?

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

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Vanish:“With thrilling fights and several escapes…[an] impossibly handsome love interest and star–crossing impediments to love…[Vanish is] imaginative.” (Kirkus Reviews )

Praise for Firelight:“Firelight soars to dizzying heights, combining forbidden love, scorching romance, and thrilling danger.” (Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy )

“Magnificent and masterful! A world so captivating, you’ll never want to leave!” (Kerrelyn Sparks, New York Times bestselling author )

“Jordan’s compelling addition to the supernatural star–crossed lovers theme is equal parts taut suspense and sensuous romance.” (Booklist )

“Just surrender to the sizzle.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Jordan executes a refreshing and exciting tale of forbidden supernatural love and desire. Jacinda is strong and spunky, just like her story. Readers won’t be able to put down this remarkable YA debut. An ethereal series start, Firelight should not be missed.” (Romantic Times Starred Review )

“Jacinda and Will’s intensely sexy scenes together will leave romance readers fired up for the planned sequel.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )

“This imaginative and intense story leaves you wanting more.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas Hill Country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet Cherry Coke are preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her family), and cramming her DVR with true crime and reality TV shows. Sophie also writes young adult romance novels for HarperTeen.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (September 6, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061935107
• ISBN-13: 978-0061935107
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.

website: sophiejordan.net

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unexpected Emotional Roller Coaster September 7, 2011

By anne-marie

Format:Hardcover

The forbidden fairytale comes to an abrupt end for Jacinda. She's done the unthinkable, revealing her draki nature to humans, all to save her hunter boyfriend, Will. Now Jace and her family are on the run trying to get out of town and back to the pride.

Leaving Will was hard, but coming home again is proving unbearable for Jacinda. Her rockstar fire breathing status has been downgraded to total loserdom. In a strange twist of fate there's been a complete role reversal between Jace, the newly named outcast and her twin Tamra, who is now the darling of the pride. Though happy for her sister, Jacinda can't help but see through all the fawning to the heart of why her mother risked so much in fleeing, she and Tam are only valued for their gifts as property instead of people.

With her mom's steady decline into depression, and the separation from her sister just to start, the pride's punishments to force compliance are doing more to damage than to tame Jace.

Jacinda's increasing isolation and loneliness is only punctuated by the loss of Will and the knowledge that he won't remember why she left or worse forget her all together. But does the heart that truly loves ever forget.

Sophie Jordan takes us on a roller coaster ride of excitement and fluctuating feelings. With an emotional whirlwind worthy of a Disney or Hallmark movie. Vanish opens the story with their great escape and continues the journey alternating between internal turmoil and thrilling peril inside and outside the pride.

Sure Sophie follows a typical series arc of: Book 1. Fall in love, Book 2. Anguish so you can appreciate love, but it's what you do with the tried and true template that counts. Vanish is anything but typical. Jordan doesn't skimp on the raw angst, anguish, and the common trappings most women, young and old, face in relationships or in society. There are some great lessons wrapped up in this love story about the difficulties of not fitting in and being valued for the person you are and not as a commodity.

I can't find fault in Vanish. There was plenty of action and in the quiet moments I found myself drawn into Jacinda's story. Empathy overtaking me, to the point of teary eyes at some embarrassingly inconvenient moment. Public displays of literary induced sobbery aside I was very pleased with this book and Jordan's unexpected emotional array of storylines.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters, awesome story and hot romance September 6, 2011

By flamingo1325 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The Short Version:
Kicking up the overall emotional intensity, Vanish picks up quickly after the close of Firelight and doesn't bother recapping previous events. With the same strong writing and bold storytelling, but building both the world and characters in surprising ways, this one raises the bar from the first book while still playing on the great elements of Firelight. Tying things up with a great plot and stunning writing, Vanish will lure the reader in and not let go.

The Extended Version:
Jacinda goes through an immense array of emotions in this one, suffering some major setbacks and heartaches but seeming to always be able to find a way to push through. Her motivations are very clearly defined and presented while still leaving plenty of things for readers to get subtly and between the lines. Though she is caught up on Will quite a bit at the start, it's understandable why and Jordan doesn't only rely on this element to propel things. Jacinda's internal strength grows in this one, and her drive to find the good at the end of a hard road is endearing and refreshing.

Cassian has a stronger role in this book, and a presence that is hard to describe but completely appreciated. Intricate in nature and intense in personality, there are some very key and poignant scenes between Cassian and Jacinda that truly speak to not only the characters but Jordan's innate writing ability. Tied by what he wants and what he's expected to do, the full nature of Cassian's life and personality comes through in fantastic ways that really build him to be something great.

The plot of this one is certainly filled with plenty of unexpected twists, and is, in whole, unpredictable. Readers will get a great look into not only the day to day of the pride, but see the ways being part of it has impacted Jacinda, even if she can't fully see all of them. With bursts of action interspersed between periods of bold character development, and never coming off as a data dump, there is an engaging and smooth flow that grabs the reader and doesn't let them go.

This isn't one that has a love triangle just for the sake of it, nor does it rely solely on that triangle to make up the bulk of the plot. Jordan has put clear thought into the full scope of things, and even each scene is smoothly inserted but has a notable purpose. From cute and sweet to gritty and rough, the full range of emotions and reactions is covered, and handled expertly throughout.

Jordan's writing is practiced and unyielding, holding tremendous word economy while still being rapt with gorgeous descriptions. Not to mention, this is one author who certainly knows how to ramp up the tension yet bring even the sweetest of moments to life. From passionate kisses to heartbreak, Jordan makes the reader feel what Jacinda does and never breaks stride in the process.

From the enhancement of the world to the great strides in character development, Vanish not only brings in new elements but keeps readers guessing. Though the ending definitely qualifies as a cliffhanger, Jordan still ties up much of this book's biggest plot points but opens up numerous doors for what is guaranteed to be a stellar third book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Vanish September 6, 2011

By Loves FAB Romance

Format:Hardcover

*SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1*
When Firelight, the first book in the series, leaves off, Jacinda and her family are fleeing home to the Draki pride they ran away from, narrowly escaping hunters. Jacinda's betrothed, Cassian, came back for them and is bringing them home. She's leaving behind her boyfriend, Will. Her twin sister, Tamra, had previously been believed to be "dormant", but in the last few pages of Firelight, she surprised everyone. (I'll admit, I totally did not see it coming, lol)

As Vanish begins, Cassian, Jacinda, her mother, and Tamra are rushing back to the pride. As soon as they arrive, they take Tamra to someone who can heal and train her in her new talents. Jacinda and her mother, however, are placed under house arrest. They're traitors for leaving the pride, and are treated with suspicion and derision. Jacinda is having a hard time going from the pride's "golden girl" to a pariah. Her mother's response to the situation is to lose herself in a bottle, ultimately forcing Jacinda deal with her situation on her own.

Cassian is still pursuing her, but now she's aware that her sister is also a suitable candidate to mate Cassian. She's pining for Will, and being pursued by Cassian's uber-creepy cousin and watched by the pride. When a series of events leads her back outside the pride, she's going to be in more danger than before, but this time she's not alone...

My thoughts:
Vanish is an excellent follow-up to Ms. Jordan's YA debut, Firelight. The stories are so different: In firelight, Jacinda flees the pride only to find acceptance in the forbidden love Wil provides. In Vanish, she's back in the pride that needs her, but now she's an outcast.

I was thrilled to see more of the inner workings of the Pride, the individual roles and day-to-day activities that take place. As archiac as some of the social mores were, it was interesting to read and made me smile each and every time Jacinda rebelled.

The love triangle in Vanish is skillfully written: Where Cassian seemed to be a roadblock to Jacinda's happiness with Will in Firelight, in Vanish he becomes a viable hero and this particular reader is firmly on the "Team Cassian" side, lol. His patience and tenderness towards Jacinda when the rest of the pride is cruel stole my heart.

As with Firelight, Vanish leaves us with a cliffhanger ending - big things are about to go down and everyone involved may not survive the experience. I cannot wait to find out what happens next in this fabulous series!