This book is not very interesting, and I would not suggest it. (Blah, blah) ( )

review posted here: http://book-splot.blogspot.com/2009/11/temptress-four-gaby-triana-review.html ( )

Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com

Fiona and her three best friends are about to embark on a graduation cruise to the Caribbean, one last adventure together before they head their separate ways. On a whim, they agree to have their fortunes told by Madame Fortuna at the senior fair the night before departure. Madame Fortuna predicts strife and storms. Then, after turning over the DEATH card, she proclaims, "One of you will not come home."

With trepidation, the girls set sail on the Temptress the following morning, each with their own expectations of what the week may bring. On a ship where no one knows them, they're free to step out of their comfort zone and take risks. But will the bonds of their friendship be strong enough to hold them together through the storms and strife to come?

What follows is a delicious romp through a week of ship's parties, dances, scrumptious food, and romance, even if it's forbidden. The girls shop, they get a little sun, they indulge in full body massages, and, oh yes, attract a lot of attention. Imagine: four beautiful, sexy, young women trolling the decks for fun.

Gaby Triana has done a beautiful job of creating four distinctly different, yet fascinating, characters. That they are so close is both surprising and completely believable. I was intrigued when I read the blurb about the book at Ms. Triana's website and was not disappointed.

With plenty of laughter, love, and tears, this is an engaging story of a voyage into adulthood and independence that should not be missed. ( )

Best friends Fiona, Alma, Killian, and Yoli have just graduated high school. In celebration, they embark on a Caribbean cruise, and they are determined to have the time of their lives before splitting ways. But a visit to a fortune teller at a carnival forewarns danger for their trip. Alma and Killian dismiss the prediction as a trick to scare them, but Fiona and Yoli can’t help but be frightened that one of them will not come home, as foreseen by the fortune teller.

The Temptress Four is a fun story about the interwoven lives of four best friends and they struggle to find out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It is a question many teens wonder about, as do Fiona, Alma, Killian, and Yoli on their fun cruise. The girls change and grow on the trip as they learn about themselves and what they want in life. The story was not as meaningful as it could’ve been, but the message did get across to me. The seriousness of the question is offset by the tropical setting and fun opportunities provided by the cruise, which lightened the mood of the story. I would have liked the story to be told in alternate narrations between the four friends, but it was only told from Fiona’s point-of-view. This one aspect would’ve made the novel much better, because I felt that I didn’t get to know any of the characters except Fiona.

Despite its few drawbacks, The Temptress Four was a fun read for me, and got me in the mood for summer vacation. I recommend this novel for a light, fun read, possibly as a book you take along to the beach or pool on a sunny day.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com ( )