01/18/2016 In a fantasy driven by romantic tension, a princess in hiding teams up with a mysterious archer to brave the eclipse that has kept their land in darkness for 17 years. Blind from birth, Luna is fearless, capable, and resourceful, while Fowler is gruff, independent, and reluctant to accept her as a traveling partner. When Luna's tower refuge is discovered by those looking to kill her, she must accompany Fowler on his quest for a mythical island. As they brave the terrifying Black Woods, where monstrous "dark dwellers" hunt human prey, and fight agents of the chancellor who usurped the throne and murdered Luna's parents, the two grow close, eventually falling for each other. Jordan's (Unleashed) somewhat implausible premise (the presumably mystical nature of the eclipse goes unexplained) is mitigated by the growing chemistry between her strong characters; Luna is a memorably competent protagonist whose inability to see barely slows her down. A clichéd late revelation significantly complicates the romance, while building to a cliffhanger ending. Ages 13–up. Agent: Maura Kye-Casella, Don Congdon Associates. (Feb.)
Praise for UNINVITED: “A riveting, disconcerting vision of a near–future corrupted by genetic profiling. Thoroughly unputdownable.
Praise for the Firelight series: “The Firelight series is a rare sparkling gem. I delved into the mystical world and discovered a fast–paced, gripping story. …Anytime my readers ask for a book recommendation, I always say, ‘Read Sophie Jordan!’
There’s more than blindness to Luna, and her sightlessness is authentically depicted as an advantage at times and a vulnerability at others. This will appeal to readers drawn to romance.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Praise for UNINVITED: “UNINVITED asks the question: will you let the world define who you are or will you choose to define yourself? Put simply: I loved this book!
Praise for the Firelight series: “This imaginative and intense story leaves you wanting more.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
12/01/2015 Gr 7 Up—Luna, an orphaned princess, has been living in a tower with her rescuers since they saved her from an assassin on the day she was born. On that day, her kingdom and all its neighbors were plunged into seemingly eternal darkness thanks to a lunar eclipse. What's worse, enormous flesh-eating creatures (called "Dwellers") came scuttling out of the ground as the endless night fell hard on the land. Now, 17 years after the eclipse, Luna happens to rescue a rugged survivor named Fowler, who agrees to travel with the princess to a fabled island free of Dwellers. What begins as a fast-paced adventure quickly gets bogged down in the quagmire of Luna and Fowler tromping through the forest, fighting with each other, avoiding getting killed, and resisting the urge to fall in love. Luna, who is blind, has heightened senses and has been trained to fight, yet she falls into the damsel-in-distress role much too readily. There are some moments of true suspense, but Luna's characterization is inconsistent. The cliff-hanger ending guarantees more books to come, though readers might not feel compelled to stick around. VERDICT An additional purchase where apocalypse and fantasy novels tinged with tame romance are popular.—Abby Bussen, Cudahy Family Library, WI
2015-11-25 Star-crossed romance smolders in a sunless fairy-tale kingdom of ugliness, horror, and grisly violence. Born on the eve of a now seemingly perpetual eclipse, Luna has spent her 17 years in darkness; alone with two loyal retainers in a remote tower, she hides from both the monstrous "dark dwellers" and the power-mad chancellor who murdered her royal parents. Everything changes after she rescues a few wanderers from Outside, including Fowler, a bitter youth particularly adept at survival. Once her sanctuary is discovered, Luna flees with Fowler, who longs to be rid of her while harboring sinister secrets of his own. Luna and Fowler alternate painfully florid narration of their journey through a far-fetched world where "everything is bleakness and death." Fowler is an archetypical brooding hero; his cynical, callous exterior merely shields a heart bruised by his traumatic past. Luna, while laudably confident and competent (despite the disability she's unaware of till he tells her about it), is also superspecial, flawlessly compassionate, and noble, with senses so implausibly acute that she almost totally compensates for it. Their inevitable romance is swoony, angst-y, and (discreetly) consummated, leading all too predictably to tedious misunderstandings, feckless self-sacrifices, and an abrupt, over-the-top cliffhanger that may inspire eye-rolls from even the most fervent devotees of the genre. All the standard tropes and clichés, only ever-so-much more so. (Dystopian fantasy. 14-18)
Effortless fantasy with high romance, REIGN OF SHADOWS keeps you intrigued until the final sentence.” — RT Book Reviews
“Star-crossed romance smolders.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Set in a dark, petrifying world of nightmares, and chock full of harrowing action, swoon–worthy romance, and a compelling, formidable pair of protagonists, REIGN OF SHADOWS was a thrill ride from start to finish!” — Sarah J Maas, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series
“There’s more than blindness to Luna, and her sightlessness is authentically depicted as an advantage at times and a vulnerability at others. This will appeal to readers drawn to romance.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“An exciting and unique fantasy, full of suspense and romance.” — Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author
Praise for UNINVITED: “UNINVITED asks the question: will you let the world define who you are or will you choose to define yourself? Put simply: I loved this book!” — Carrie Ryan, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth series
Praise for UNINVITED: “A riveting, disconcerting vision of a near–future corrupted by genetic profiling. Thoroughly unputdownable.” — Rachel Vincent, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author
Praise for UNINVITED: “this fast–paced story is a solid addition to the dystopian genre.” — Booklist
Praise for the Firelight series: “The Firelight series is a rare sparkling gem. I delved into the mystical world and discovered a fast–paced, gripping story. …Anytime my readers ask for a book recommendation, I always say, ‘Read Sophie Jordan!’” — Colleen Houck, author of NEW YORK TIMES bestselling TIGER’S CURSE
Praise for the Firelight series: “Firelight soars to dizzying heights, combining forbidden love, scorching romance, and thrilling danger.” — Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy
Praise for the Firelight series: “Magnificent and masterful! A world so captivating, you’ll never want to leave!” — Kerrelyn Sparks, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author on FIRELIGHT
Praise for the Firelight series: “Jordan’s compelling addition to the supernatural star–crossed lovers theme is equal parts taut suspense and sensuous romance.” — Booklist
Praise for the Firelight series: “Just surrender to the sizzle.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for the Firelight series: “This imaginative and intense story leaves you wanting more.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Praise for UNINVITED: “this fast–paced story is a solid addition to the dystopian genre.
Set in a dark, petrifying world of nightmares, and chock full of harrowing action, swoon–worthy romance, and a compelling, formidable pair of protagonists, REIGN OF SHADOWS was a thrill ride from start to finish!
Praise for the Firelight series: “Firelight soars to dizzying heights, combining forbidden love, scorching romance, and thrilling danger.
Effortless fantasy with high romance, REIGN OF SHADOWS keeps you intrigued until the final sentence.
An exciting and unique fantasy, full of suspense and romance.
Praise for UNINVITED: “this fast–paced story is a solid addition to the dystopian genre.
Praise for the Firelight series: “Magnificent and masterful! A world so captivating, you’ll never want to leave!
There’s more than blindness to Luna, and her sightlessness is authentically depicted as an advantage at times and a vulnerability at others. This will appeal to readers drawn to romance.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books