Trying to find your place in life is a daunting task, and being a college freshman seems to exacerbate the journey. When supernatural occurrences begin happening on campus, Ansley is forced to question everything she knows about life, and about herself, all while trying to save her own skin.
Arcane Sunflower is a fast-paced dark fantasy novel that pits shape-shifting werewolves hungry for blood against college students, and well, a few vampires thrown in the mix. Interlaced among the excitement is a bit of romance between Ansley and the mysterious vampire, Morgan, and as Ansley begins to learn about life’s supernaturally dark secrets, she starts discovering some within her own muddied past.
Summerlin’s voice is fresh, on point, and straightforward. Her tone is light and engaging, and she has an amazing style of gripping the reader within the first few pages. While this novel is self-published and would benefit from a professional editor to pick up several homonym and grammatical errors, it is a great first novel for Summerlin, and I look forward to her next installment. Young adult dark fantasy fans will welcome Summerlin’s unique take on the idea of vampires, werewolves, and magic among us. She has embarked on a new direction for dark fantasy that will help keep the genre fresh, alive and kicking.
Reviewed by: Kelly Fann