Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This book was a revelation to me. For decades, writers have been warned against the perils of self-publishing; told that no one would take a self-published book seriously, that it would destroy a career before it began. There's also been a long-standing prejudice based on the belief that a book not picked up by a traditional publisher is simply not good enough to bother with. But Hunter's A Hidden Fire is a shining example of how online publishing has changed the industry. It is well edited, clearly written, and is missing absolutely nothing for having been self-published. More importantly, it's a great story. Hunter has created memorable, compelling characters and a rich, well-conceived world in A Hidden Fire. Unlike so many series popular at the moment, this book does not rely on placing the main characters in some life-threatening situation in the first chapter to gain the reader's attention. Instead, Hunter takes time to introduce us to Gio and B, showing us what these characters are like, discovering personality traits and weaknesses. It's such a refreshing change to simply watch the characters demonstrate their more interesting qualities instead of simply being told 'she's really independent and clever' or 'he's dark and brooding.' Hunter gives the reader the rare opportunity to find these details on his/her own, creating a bond between characters and reader that has been sorely lacking in recent literature. Be forewarned, the story does not move from action scene to action scene, doesn't contain melodramatic, overwrought love scenes, or mustache twirling villains. Hunter is a strong writer who has created a series that speaks for itself and doesn't depend on stale genre stereotypes to grab the reader's attention. This book kept me up all night simply because I just had to see what Gio and B were going to say next, what new discoveries they would make. The plot is well thought out and the author does a great job of laying clues for the reader to follow. My only complaints are just a few typos, (which I probably only noticed because of having English teachers for parents) and the cliffhanger ending. I understand why the author used it, and at least she has given the reader a clear end in sight, but I do prefer to have things wrapped up a bit more cohesively. But that's just me. All in all, this is one of the best books I've read this year and has really changed the way I view self-published works. Bravo Ms. Hunter!