Illuminate -Alive, She Cried by, Jamie Haden

Length: 326
Author: Jamie Haden
Publisher: Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing.
SYNPOSIS: Seventeen-year-old Talisa Santiago is the granddaughter of a shaman and going between two worldly dimensions is something she realizes she is destined to do; however, what she doesn't really count on is what fate has in store for her. After surviving the first hurricane of the season on the island where she lives, Talisa learns her life is in grave danger. She must retreat immediately to live with a secretive clan of Indians on a remote reservation deep within the Great Smokey Mountains. Her blood brothers, three shifters who have the desires of both man and animal surround her, promising everlasting friendship and protection. However, the majestic mountains hold many secrets and danger lurks in the night. And Talisa falls prey to the evil tricksters that want her dead, she unleashes an untamed passion that may get them all killed.

REVIEW:

When I opened this book I was a little confused, everything was kind of fast paced. It wasn't bad, I was just confused for the first couple of chapters
But it cleared up after that. The storyline is something I haven't read before, and it was refreshing. This book had myths and legends, paranormal, romance and suspense, plus a wicked love triangle. Which by the way pissed me off, the only thing in the book that did. I found myself wanting to beat the two main female characters with a stick. So all in all this story was engaging and exciting, I can't wait till the second book is out.

I give this book four****stars. It just was kind of confussing in the beginning.

CHARACTERS:
* Talisa- The main character, is a confussed seventeen-year-old who can't chose a boyfriend. She irritated me, but also made me sympathize with her. This is my love/hate relationship in this book. Its like she would put her clothes on backwards everyday, and then ask how did this happen. Yea--OK, there are things that are happening in her life she couldn't help. Like being a kickass Indian chick with cool powers.

*Jag-He is a male chauvinist, I mean he didn't walk around saying I'm a badass or anything. His arrogance seeped out of his skin like is was testosterone. Maybe it was a little of both. Needless to say I wouldn't of loved this douche. Oh and he is Talisa's boyfriend. Blah jerk.

*Dakota- He is the one I chose, even though him and Talisa should have come up with a better way. I fell in love with him and his overly caring heart. There were times when reading I swooned, loudly! Dakota is a hottie<3

*Miguel- All I have to say about his character is: He is a down to earth, badass musician, who loves reggae! Enough said! And the dreads aren't hurting no one :) Even though he wasn't spotlighted a lot, his character hit home for me, he felt the realest of them all. And he deserved way better then Laurens scandalous ass.

*Lauren-She is a two-faced bit**, well you get it. Through out the book she is so nice, a little too nice if you ask me. And that right there is the problem, no one ever is that damn nice, I smelled her stink from a mile away. When I was referring to beating someone with a stick, it was Lauren more then Talisa.

There are quite a few other characters in this disfuctional family, but I have stated the main five.

QUOTES:

"Well go on girl, and get Lauren. It's suvh a beautiful day," Miguel said. He looked at Jag, and then back at me, "The sun is shining, the weather is sweet,I don't know about you, but it makes me want to move my dancin' feet," he sang. His Jamaican accent was perfect in pitch, and the three of us laughed like old times, but only for a second.

"Where in the world do I go from here?"
He took my hand. " You awake," he said.
I turned to GG for comfort. Immediately, she stood and embraced me.
"Alive," she cried. "Awake my child, awake from your slumber."

" I'm a writer perceiving my reality my own way. You are your own writer to your own masterpiece and perceive reality your way. When we look out, I see my story and you see yours. No two stories are the same."