DragonDreamsJen’s #CBR4 Review #38 Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infamous is the third book in the Chronicles of Nick YA series written by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  After reading the second novel, Invincible, I decided that I couldn’t possibly wait for this next installment to come on sale or be published in a paperback format.  That is usually one of the true tests for a series.  As a voracious and speedy reader, I tend to try to stretch my book budget as far as possible.  This year’s Cannonball Read #4 challenge has made me throw caution to the wind on more than one occasion and just indulge!

Infamous begins as grippingly as Invincible ended. Nick Gautier has just discovered that the man he thought was his uncle offering advice is actually his future self trying to undo a terrible reality that brings on the world’s destruction.  Nick now knows that his father is not just a criminal, but a ferocious demon who choses to live in prison to feed off the evil energy that pools in such places.  Talk about  a heavy burden to bear at 14!  Is the future set in stone no matter what?  Will those closest to him still protect him or bring about his destruction once they learn the truth.  Can he trust his own advice from the future or is he embarking on a new path because of the brave choices he continues to make?

I am catching up this week for books I read while I was recovering. The full review can be read on my bookhoarding dragon blog.

DragonDreamsJen’s #CBR4 Review #33 Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Invincible is the second book in the Chronicles of Nick YA series written by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Like the first one, it is a wonderful romp into the Dark-Hunter world that Kenyon created, without the overtly detailed romance scenes that made her adult novels so popular.  Nick Gautier survived the zombie attacks in the first novel and is slowly adapting to the idea that the world as he knew it is not all that it seems.  While his fortunes may be turning around, the new football coach has a dark side that is far more sinister than anyone   realizes and the powers of darkness are still intent on getting him to give in to an Evil destiny which could destroy the world.  The future doesn’t have to be set in stone, but can the advice from “Cousin Ambrose” be trusted?  Will those closest to him keep him from turning into a monster to rival his father or betray him in the end?

Sherrilyn Kenyon knows how to keep a reader on the edge of their seat and laughing out loud at the same time!  The main character in this novel is so endearing and so full of teenage boy attitude that you don’t know whether to hug him or hit him at times.  His ability to struggle with what is thrown at him and the strange powers that he is developing gives readers hope that they can face challenges in their own lives with half as much determination and tenacity.  Despite incredible odds, Nick manages to find solutions that allow him to triumph in his own unique way, set against the rich, intricate backdrop of Kenyon’s Dark Hunter world. I found myself begrudging the times I had to put this book down for such mundane things as cooking supper and taking care of other household chores.  I inhaled Invincible in a day and after reading the shocking last few sentences, I knew that there was NO WAY I could wait for the third book to come out in paperback… so it was added to the basket on my very next trip to the bookstore!

Paperback format, 420 pages, published in 2011 by St. Martin’s Griffin

DragonDreamsJen’s #CBR4 Review #31 Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Author Sherrilyn Kenyon thanks her own teenage sons for helping her come up with the opening line – I am a socially awkward mandork- for this first book in the Chronicles of Nick series.  After the bleakness of reading Wither, this book drew me into a world of teenage angst, sarcasm and zombies…. what’s not to love?  Nick Gautier is having a harder time than most young men adjusting to the challenges of growing up. He lives in fairly abject poverty, raised by his mother who has to work as a stripper while his violent father rots in prison.  That is before reality begins to unravel around him and fellow classmates begin turning into living zombies.

Infinity is a wonderful introduction for teenage readers into to the Dark Hunter world that Kenyon, a #1 New York Times Best Selling Author, has created.  I recognized several key characters as the first chapters unfolded, but this pivotal story is told in such a strong male voice that I was immediately drawn in to the captivating blend of vulnerability and attitude embodied by the young hero.

There is plenty of humour to keep you  smiling at the oddest moments, plenty of action to satisfy any reader’s longing for adventure and so many incredible characters that you finish this novel craving another fix as soon as possible. I purchased this hardcover novel for half-price, but after reading it, I quickly hunted down the second book in paperback format to devour.  The series is powerful enough to make me break my rule of waiting for the paperback on principle and I may have to buy the 3rd one in hardcover, especially knowing that there will be a fourth book to come!

After reading Sherrilyn Kenyon’s story about her road to publishing, I can understand why her stories and characters are so believable.  Like them, the author has faced incredible odds and challenges without giving up.  Ever.  Some may wince at the paranormal in young adult novels, but I feel it is important to have stories which inspire young readers not to give into Darkness and to keep reaching for the Light.  The way that Kenyon accomplished this in Infinity is unique, refreshing and …infinitely enjoyable!  I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Hardcover format, 464 pages, published in 2010 by St.Martin’s Griffin