Firelight

I loved the original concept of this book. The draki are their own race within the paranormal community. They have various powers that are very intriguing and I thought it interesting that the ability to breathe fire was rare.

The characters are well developed. We get a strong sense of who Jacinda's parents, sister, and draki friends are, in addition to those she meets when in human company.

However, I think the author need to expand on the origin and history of the draki a bit more. We are just given a vague premise for their origin and their powers are not fully explored.

Personally, I also thought it was a bit depressing how Jacinda's relationship with her sister and mother have been irrevocably damaged ever since she manifested the power to breathe fire.
~ quirky fate press @ blogspot.com

The first two chapters were intensely captivating as Jordan writes of the Draki and the exhilirating chase with the hunters. I really thought I'd get to read more about Jacinda's life as a dragon creature, however was depressingly disappointed when Jacinda became a school girl who either wanted to be with Will (a hunter) or didn't every second page. The story was a let down in that love sick romantic aspect and ended even worse. Sorry, but not really looking forward to any sequels.

This book is somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet story...except that Juliet is dragon, the first fire-breather in centuries, and Romeo is sworn to kill her.

I found the book to be exciting, interesting, and even a little sensual, without being crude or innapropriate for youth readers. I would buy the next in the series and will pass this onto my daughter.

The general premise of this book is great: dragons have developed the ability to live as humans in order to survive... now that's intriguing. However, while reading it becomes disturbingly clear that the author is way more interested in trying to make the next Twilight franchise than in fully developing any literary appeal of the story. The constant repetition of the burning in the main character's lungs every time she feels any kind of emotion becomes tiresome, and the unnecessary reveal of her draki to her enemies at the end is nothing but confusing. My advice is to not even bother reading this one, nor the very obviously-set-up sequel I'm sure is coming. You too will only become depressed at its inability to live up to the potential that is so clearly there.

I checked this book out from my local library, and I have to say that I enjoyed it (I'm almost done with the second book, Vanish). There were a few things I found a little cringe worthy, such as the high school setting, but overall it was a good read. I'm a junior in high school, so I'm not exactly the targeted audience for this kind of book (though I have to say, you're never too old for stories like these). If I were a few years younger, I'd have to say I would love it (as much as giving it 5 stars). I would have died for a story like this when I was younger, but now that I'm older, I see myself getting bored of high school love stories. I'm giving it 3 stars for the high school setting, because it really did make the story a bit unappealing (to me at least). It would have been much more appealing if Jordan wrote the story without the high school setting. Also, Jacinda, the main character, really upset me (even more in Vanish). I was no very pleased with her actions. I literally had to put the book down to digest what was happening in this story, and then proceed.

All in all, I recommend this story to young readers who would die for a dragon story with forbidden romance.
Since I enjoy Vanish a lot better than Firelight, I may as well buy this book in the near future. I mean, if you enjoyed a book (even a little bit), it wouldn't hurt to add it to your library, right?

I was instantly pulled in by Firelight. Between the cover and the fact that I'd never read a dragon-shifter book I was lost to it immediately. To me the concept of people who can turn into dragons was very exciting. Thank goodness Firelight was actually as good as I thought it would be!

Summary:
Jacinda is a bit rebellious, but who wouldn't be when everyone is planning your life for you and you have no say in anything. After a close call with hunters she begins to question some things and can't stop thinking about Will. Jacinda is forced into making a huge sacrifice for her family, but she hopes that maybe... eventually it won't be so bad. She also beings to learn many secrets abut the people she loves, the people she fears, and a few reasons behind her mother's hurry to leave. In the end she will have to make a very hard decision, but she shouldn't have thought her life would be easy.

I liked that for once in a shape-shifter book the author describes how a character feels when they shift (kind of a play by play of what's happening during the shift). Jacinda's helplessness is definitely overshadowed by her incredible strength. While trying to keep her mom and sister happy she ultimately risks losing a part of herself. I found myself really being able to understand how Jacinda feels the further into the book I read and I loved how I was able to feel close to all the characters. I also thought it was good to see the change in roles between Tamra and Jacinda. Slowly as Firelight comes to a close we learn more about Will and are perfectly set up to start Vanish.

What I liked:
-Jacinda. Even though I hated her name—it sounds like the name of a Fanfiction Mary-Sue—I still liked her character. She could get a little whiny at times, but she had every reason to be complaining. I loved her refusal to let her inner Draki die, and I liked how hard she was fighting to keep it alive. She didn’t seem like the brightest girl around, but I could overlook that because her emotions were so powerful.
-Draki. I love dragons. Always have. They’re mystical and powerful and beautiful, and I love the connection Jacinda had to her inner draki. I love the idea of humans having such a powerful force deep inside of them, and I loved the deep relationship Jacinda had with her inner draki.
-Opening scene. I loved the detailed transition from girl to dragon, and the flight over the lake, and then the subsequent chase. Because of the writing, I felt like I was right there with Jacinda, flying for my life. I could feel her fear as she hid, and it was enough to hook me right into the story.
-Writing style. I love first person present tense because it really allowed the reader to experience the story along with the characters. The writing was a little bit choppy at times with the very short fragmented sentences, but it was still very beautiful, and it was full of emotion.

What I disliked:
-Pace/plot. Not a whole lot happened after the first couple of chapters. The sense of mystery and drama and suspense disappeared and was replaced with a boring case of insta-love. After Will and Jacinda met, the entire story become about them and the way he made her feel. It was a little boring to read about at times.
-Will. I felt like he didn’t have much of a personality. He was just kind of gorgeous, mysterious, and a hunter. We didn’t really learn anything about his life other than the face that he was dangerous to Jacinda, but didn’t want to hurt her. He was flat and boring, and I think I much prefer the thought of Jacinda being with Cassian. Cassian only got a few pages throughout the entire book, but he had more of a personality than Will, and that’s not good.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, entertaining read that I finished in a couple of hours. It’s written in my favorite style of writing—first person present tense—and I liked the subject matter a lot. I would recommend this book to any fans of paranormal romance or dragons, because this book was pretty good. 4.0

After reading a lot of contemporaries and New Adult fictions lately, I thought I won’t have time to read another book about mythical characters. But then, I saw Firelight standing out among other Fantasy books on the YA shelf of a famous bookstore. I’m a sucker for gorgeous book covers and Sophie Jordan’s book instantly caught my attention. It doesn't matter if I'm no longer a young adult, as long as there are dragons, I'm going to read it :)

Firelight is such an interesting and thrilling read. I’ve learned a great deal about dragons and their descendants – the draki. In this book, we meet a one-of-a-kind firebreather, Jacinda, who was pursued by the Prince of Draki and envied by her twin sister who never had the chance to manifest. Jacinda struggled to live the human life when it was decided that her “wings be clipped” by her fellow draki.

Just when she thought she was safe from them, she fell in love with someone who belongs to a pack of dragon hunters. Will is a hunter. He is trained to kill Jacinda’s kind. Her best defense is shifting to human form, but it presents a whole new set of problems.

This story is one of a forbidden love, one with an impossible ending. Definitely one of the better Dragon stories I’ve read and the ending surely left me on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Jacinda, a teenage draki, is considered special among her pride. Like other draki, she’s descended from dragons and able to take on human form to disguise herself among mankind. What sets her apart, though, is that she’s the first fire-breather born in over 400 years. Eager to breed more fire-breathers, the pride's leaders propose to have Jacinda married off at 16 to start breeding. This kind of medieval thinking does not sit well with Jacinda's mother at all. Desperate to save her daughter from life as a brood mare, she uproots their family from the lush mountain wilderness to the stifling desert landscape of urban Las Vegas. Moving away from the wilderness will eventually cause the family’s draki spirits to wither and perish, leaving them trapped as helpless mortals. This is a fate that terrifies Jacinda, but it’s something that her mother is willing to let happen if it gives her daughter a chance at “normal” teenage life. Then Jacinda meets and falls in love with Will, a handsome boy from her new high school whose physical proximity gives off enough nourishing power for her draki spirit to thrive. The problem with this, though, is that while Will is sweet and caring, he also comes from a family of vicious hunters, who make their living off harvesting the draki for their meat and bones. As she struggles to embrace her cumbersome new life, can Jacinda make things work out?

Sophie Jordan's Firelight takes the common dilemma of teen identity and self-discovery, interweaves it with fairy tale elements, and sets it against a high school backdrop. A strong protagonist, well-developed love interest, and realistic antagonists make this a very satisfying romance novel. Recommended for fans of Twilight and other supernatural YA romance, Ages 16-18.

This was a really good story. It was a refreshing change of pace. I liked how the author described the transformations of the characters, and how they struggled with their different worlds.
I did become rather irritated with Jacinda's mother and sister throughout most of the book- what selfish people!
Jacinda also goes back and forth between common sense and selfish foolishness on almost too many occasions.
Overall, I liked the story. Be advised that you'll want to read book 2 (Vanish) as soon as you're finished with this one!

Before my obsession with wolves developed I was crazy about dragons and still am to a certain extent thus I was very excited to read Firelight. My only experiences with dragon literature to-date comes from fantasy novels so this was my first young adult adventure. This story is very different from the ones I've read but in a good way. I enjoyed Sophie Jordan's take on dragons and her writing style flows nicely. Jacinda and Will are great characters whom I loved from the get-go. The teen agnst side wasn't overdone and contrasted nicely with the young woman's struggle to find her place in the human world.

Sophie Jordan's approach to dragons is original and very detailed. Her wold-building skills are impressive and interesting. I liked how she included key draconic lore such as gemstones, pride life and different breeds. The draki element is also a great addition. Not only does it make for great camouflage but not everyone who's born into this life actually sprouts scales. This fact becomes very important later on in the book and is the main cause behind some of Jacinda's biggest problems. The various pride members also have very different opinions on what it means to be a draki. Some see it as a blessing while others see it as a burden. All of the dragons have different gifts depending on their breed as well.

The villains are especially loath-worthy in this tale and they're split up into two distinct groups: hunters and fellow draki. The hunters I expected and their goals are similar to most poachers'. They relentlessly hunt down these beautiful creatures for their blood and skin. They reminded me of Cruella from 101 Dalmations in that they want everything they own to be made from something draconic. Surprisingly, Jacinda's other nemesises are her fellow pride members, especially Cassian. His priorities are warped and he wants to be mated to her for entirely selfish reasons. He made my skin crawl from the very beginning and the feeling grew more pronounced as the story progressed.

I pitied Jacinda for almost all of the 323 pages of this book. Everyone keeps pulling her in different directions while thinking that they know what's best when in reality they're only thinking about themselves. Her own mother and sister are among them. I found her mom to be a very poor excuse for a parent; encouraging Jacinda to kill off the part of her that makes her unique instead of embracing her differences. What kind of role model does that? Not a very good one in my opinion! Will finds himself in a similar situation except that he's human. He's a real sweetheart who's perfect for Jacinda. If I wasn't so dead-set against not developing fictional crushes on Young Adult characters, Will would definitely be on my list!

Firelight is an entertaining read that also incorporates some important problems that all teenagers face. I enjoyed Sophie Jordan's dragons and her characters are endearing. The ending annoyed me a little; I understand that the author needed to leave room for the sequel but I think it could have been done differently. Other than that though, this book was a pleasure to read and I look forward to reading Vanish in the fall. Be sure to check out the cover if you haven't done so already, it's gorgeous!

Jacinda is not just your average teenager. She holds a secret that under no circumstances can be known by anyone other than those in her Pride. She is a Draki and a rare one at that. Jacinda's talent is that she can breathe fire which just happens to be a Draki attribute that was thought to have died out. Once it was clear that she could breathe fire, Jacinda was catapulted to the top of her pride and right into the eager clutches of the Pride Elders. With hopes of creating more fire breathers, they aim to bond Jacinda to the soon to be Alpha Cassian. Only Jacinda has no intentions of being with anyone without it being her choice.

Fleeing the strict confines of the Pride, Jacinda and a friend sneak out to enjoy some flight time in the sun. Their joyous flight soon comes to a halt when they are spotted by humans. But these humans only have one thing on their minds - hunting dragons. To save her friend, Jacinda leads them away only to find herself in dragon form and looking into the eyes of Will.

Will is a dragon hunter with his own secrets. He doesn't enjoy the hunt as the rest of his family does and is just buying his time until he is able to escape. That all changes one day when Jacinda enrolls in his school after escaping from the Pride. Will finds himself drawn to Jacinda and wanting to save her but will he still feel the same once he discovers the truth about her identity?

I have been eager to read Firelight by Sophie Jordan since I first saw the cover. It is so intriguing and beautiful! I find myself so pressed for time these days, that I decided to buy the audio book version of Firelight. Perhaps the element that I most connected with is Jacinda's need to be where her Draki survives. She needs the fertile soil and damp mountain air to feed her spirit. When she escapes and moves to a desert, the change is almost unbearable. Feeling her inner Draki dying in the dry heat, Jacinda longs for home.

However, I did find at times that I wanted to yell at Jacinda during some of her temper tantrums. She had a bad habit of making everything be about herself even though she claimed it was for others such as her twin sister whom never manifested. Overall, I enjoyed listening to Firelight and the narrator, Therese Plummer, did a wonderful job at making the emotions realistic.

I wanted to like this book. The story seemed interesting and the first two chapters were good,up to where Jacinda and Will met had the potential to be a good read.But unfortunately, it was misleading and I wasted my time hoping it would get better.The the more I read this book, the less I liked Jacinda. Her interactions with mostly everyone was childish and selfish. The whole thing with her and Will was so annoying. She couldn't make up her mind about him, kisses him one moment and then pushes him away the next. I stopped reading this book after about 20 chapters and up to this point, most of the book took place in high school and her indecision over this. Her actions and thoughts made no sense. I seriously wanted to slap this girl.For example, she runs 7 miles to Will house to retrieve a t-shirt because her blood stain on his shirt will turn a color which will identify her as a draki. And she knows Will family is hunting her race. Her stupidity just gets worst when she gets invited into the house. I cannot believe an author can create such an idiotic character. Had to stop reading because I could not take this story or girl anymore.

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I've seen these book around blogosvere, goodreads, bookstores and I have never felt the urge to pick them up. Until I felt the need for something new. I haven't read a book about dragons since Eragon and I came to love those creatures back then. I found the covers in the Firelight series beautiful and felt like I needed to give these books a fair chance. I'm really happy I decided to do that, because I quite enjoyed the first book.

QUOTE
"A hunter in love with his pray."

Jacinda is a drakin aka dragon. Their species have been hunted by hunters, humans with the knowledge of draki's existence and who are set out to kill them, for ages, but what the hunters don't know is that draki can manifest into humans. This is the most guarded secret of drakis. Jacinda is the first fire breather in her tribe over a period of long time and her destiny is somewhat decided: she is to marry Prince Cassian and protect the tribe with her special abilities. She's not so ecstatic about that herself, though. One day, Jacinda and her best friend Az find themselves being hunted and after that things turn into chaos. Jacina, her sister Tamra and their Mother run away from the tribe and, much to Jacinda's dismay, start a new life among humans. This is where Will comes into play.

Will is a human who is destined to kill Jacinda, because he comes from a long family line of hunters. He doesn't know Jacinda is a draki, but Jacinda knows he is a hunter. Even as she tries to resist him, she soon realizes that she cannot stay away. It's a story about magical creatures, true love, temptations, lies, adventures, games and testing one's limits. Jacinda struggles between wanting to stay for Will, but yearning to be among her species, her own kind, friends, her home. It's a tough choice, but ultimately, she has to make one. What will she choose?

I enjoyed the romance, which was probably the main focus here. I think Will is a great guy and Jacinda is a strong protagonist. The characters were easy to relate to - adjusting to new environments, being a teenager, falling in love and testing oneself. The relationships felt organic and real. I was fascinated by draki in general and I can't wait to learn some more. After how it ended, I'm sure we will get the answers we are graving for. I'm excited to see how Jacinda and Tamra's relationship enrolls from here and if they can finally be the sisters they need each other to be. Overall, it was decent start to the series.

I've actually been dying to read Firelight by author Sophie Jordan for such a long time now. I have finally gotten my paws on the novel and I cannot express with words how much I am (in love with Will) I adored the novel. Everything about it was just perfect and it was one of those novels that I just couldn't put down, I needed to know what happened next after each chapter finished and in short (for the twenty-four hour period it took for me to read it) I was obsessed with Firelight and couldn't be any happier with that fact. A novel with people who can turn into dragons, falling in love with your mortal enemy and fearing that somebody might tear you two apart? Oh my gosh, you had me at people who can turn into dragons...

Firelight is the story of Jacinda, a teenage drake girl who can breathe fire. Despite how cool that sounds, Jacinda is condemned to have to be with Cassian the prince of her pride so that she can breed more fire breathing drake. When Jacinda is caught by a group of Draki Hunters when she is flying out in the forest with her friend Azure, she finds herself face to face with a Hunter and to her surprise, he doesn't kill her and lets her go. Upon returning to the pride, Jacinda's mother decides that Jacinda and her younger twin sister, Tamra are going to abandon the pride to live in the human world. Against her will, Jacinda finds herself going to a human high school where she ends up seeing, against all odds, the same Hunter that let her go. His name is Will and at a first glance, he falls in love with Jacinda. Jacinda does everything she can to keep her distance from Will, being near him causes her draki to manifest and she knows how dangerous he and his Hunter cousins are... But he's different. Jacinda can't deny that there's something between the two of them that would cause her to risk everything she has to remain with him.

The one thing that really appealed to me about Firelight was the whole humans-becoming-dragons aspect of the novel. I really liked the idea and I liked the way that the author portrayed it all, but I'll admit that the descriptors used in the novel had me confused with what a draki should look like in my imagination. At the mention of some descriptions I saw full on dragons (like the type of stuff you'd find in Skyrim or something), at others I saw these demented half dragon-half human creatures--I assumed that when she manifests, Jacinda turns into a dragon, but I was still left a bit confused on that part of the novel. Other than that, everything else was absolutely magnificent.

What I think made the novel really appealing was Will. The romantic male lead, Will is everything that I love in a teenage guy character. He's tall, dark and brooding, but at the same time he's caring and sweet and does everything in his power to get Jacinda to open up to him and face the fact that he's in love with her and vice versa. When he learns what she is, he doesn't call the cavalry to come and kill her and he doesn't fear her--he just seems to love her more because of it. Seriously? How romantic is that?

Considering the heart stopping ending and how many emotions Jordan's writing style managed to stir up within me, I am going to go insane if I don't get to read the sequel ASAP. I would recommend Firelight to fans of YA fantasy who want a modernized twist, readers who want a YA romance that will have you falling in love right along with the characters and those of us who just think that the premise of the novel is interesting. I say, read the novel, you won't regret it. Easy as that.

For all those who delight in twilight esque works and paranormal phenomenons, I would highly recommend adding Sophie Jordan's work to your bookshelves for her writing is outstanding. This well-drawn, deeply engrossing novel is one that had me glued to the pages hypnotized by a mystical tale. Fueled by electric tension and exciting fast-paced drama, you will be swept into a fascinating world filled with danger and sinister secrets! The intoxicating romance between Jacinda and Will is as dazzling as Lauren Kate's fallen series or Twilight Saga, and as compelling and believable as any star-crossed lovers in real life. `Firelight' is a story which will glow brightly throughout, with a colorful cast of captivating characters bringing the dynamic saga vividly to life...

A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Jacinda is special. She is hunted by those who dislike Draki (a descendant of Dragons who can shape-shift into human form). Forced to flee into a mortal world, she encounters Will, who is a dangerous threat for he is a hunter. Despite knowing this Jacinda cannot ignore the intense connection they have, and lets her feelings cloud her judgment - for supernatural desire comes with a price.

Inspired and pure genius, I felt almost as if I was reading `Eragon' with a strangely singular supernatural twist. Deeply beguiling and highly readable, this is a fantasy tale to get lost within as the momentum intensifies as you turn each page. I was so impressed with how the author cleverly combined fantasy/ paranormal elements with a fresh contemporary `feel' within such a competitive and popular genre. I was physically glued to my seat, constantly wanting to find out more and anxious to discover what would happen to Jacinda, as she fell hopelessly in love with someone considered to be her enemy.

Simply breathtaking - this is a novel of epic proportions and a definite must-read!

Jacinda Jones is a draki - a descendant of dragons - and is the only draki in her pride to have the ability to breathe fire. This makes her something of a "hot" commodity (pardon the pun), but when she breaks one of the pride's rules, her mother, twin sister, Tamra, and Jacinda flee the pride to avoid the consequences of her actions. While trying to adjust to a completely human existence, she meets Will, a smoldering boy at her school, who makes her want to manifest into draki form. There's only one problem: Will is a hunter, the draki's main predator. Jacinda knows she should stay away from him, but soon realizes that this is impossible, as Will is the only thing keeping her draki from withering away and dying.

So, this book. I read the synopsis and my initial reaction was, "Yay, something new that isn't angels/vampires/werewolves!" And then I saw the mixed reviews and thought, "Hmm, maybe I'll be one of those who loves this!" Oh, silly self. While this book isn't terrible, it reminded me pretty significantly of Twilight and Hush, Hush, which I've read more recently. And I don't say that as a compliment. Overall I found myself irritated with Jacinda, and only reading the latter half of this book just to finish it. Not what I wanted at all; to say this was a disappointment would succinctly sum up my thoughts.

I'm not going to go on and on about what I didn't like, but here are a couple of brief summations: Jacinda was unbelievably indecisive. "I need to stay away from Will. I can keep my draki alive myself." Then on the next page, "I couldn't do this myself. I needed Will." Lather, rinse, repeat. Also, we have another case of insta-love, in that Will sees Jacinda in the hallway and is instantly interested. And Jacinda's been smitten with him since she first met him in her draki form. It was all a bit too much. Will is a bit of a stalker, too - he watches her from afar, visits her house late at night (and never mind that he convinced the school secretary to give him her address), picks her up unannounced for school one morning, etc. The one thing I will say about their relationship is that Sophie Jordan definitely knows how to write make-out scenes; Jacinda wasn't the only one bursting into flames at Will's touch. :-P

This entire book was one big, "I want to be with him but I CAAAAAAAAAAAN'T because we're ENEMIES, but I NEEEEEEEEED him and can't live withOUT him,"-fest and it got really irritating after a while. The only interesting bits were when when Cassian (who is the next alpha-in-line of the pride) showed up; he helped move the "plot" along, at least. But overall I was left with the impression that this book was a bit too long and far too heavy on the "forbidden love" theme. I would have liked to see more about the drakis and their world, instead of being thrust into a high school setting where the new girl gets the hot (and previously uninterested-in-dating) guy. I wanted more struggle for Jacinda to hold on to her draki ancestry, not an easy and sudden fix once she starts spending time with Will. I don't know. This book just really didn't do it for me.

Also, there were a few lines that made me think immediately of Twilight, and I will share one of those: "He's an addictive drug to me that I can't quit." Hmm, sound familiar? As if we needed MORE to draw the comparisons between the stories.

Anyway, to wrap this up, this wasn't a great book by any means. I found the main character irritating, the plot pretty formulaic and the surprises completely not. Portions of it were enjoyable, but the things I didn't like definitely outnumbered the things I did. Definitely not going to rush out to read the sequel.

Jacinda is the first fire-breathing draki in her pride in centuries. She's always been one of the favorites of the pride, while her twin sister, Tamra, a draki, that has not manifested, lives in her shadow. Her pride is always fearful of hunters which killed their father several years ago.

Jacinda loves being a drake but hates being under the constant watch of Cassian, the alpha's son. They pride has been trying to pair them together ever since she finally manifested into her draki. Cassian used to be friends with both Jacinda and Tamra until Jacinda manifested and Tamra didn't. The problem is Tamra has always had feelings for Cassian but Cassian hasn't paid attention to her since.

Jacinda and her best friend, Az, decide to go flying in draki form during the day, which is against the rules of her pride. Both of them get spotted by hunters, and Jacinda finds herself cornered in a cave by one. However, he lets her go. When the pride finds out that they broke the rule, Jacinda's mom knows they have something terrible planned, so she sneaks Tamra and Jacinda to Chaparral, a desert where the twin's parents went on tour.

Tamra's thrilled to finally be able to not be an outcast, but Jacinda doesn't want to leave the pride. Living in the desert will kill her drake, which is something that Tamra and their mom want to happen. At school, Jacinda meets, Will, the hunter that saved her. Will Jacinda be able to keep their cover or will her desire for him cost her family the normalcy they crave?

I've wanted to read this book for awhile, but always found another book to read. I've only one other dragon book, and didn't really like it. I think it was mostly because it was fantasy, and I can be very hard to please in the fantasy genre. I soooo loved this book. This was definitely a page-turner for me. I thought it would take me a lot longer to read this book than I did. I love how sweet Will can be. I think I may be leaning more towards him than Cassian. I thought based on reviews I read, and Cassian's character in general would make me like him more, but I guess how it seems he has shunned Tamra got me annoyed.

I did feel bad for Tamra in how the pride treated her, but she annoyed me with how she treated Jacinda. Then again, there is probably definitely a lot of resentment she feels towards her sister.

(Originally posted at my blog, That Artsy Reader Girl. I bought my copy from a seller other than the store.)

The story of Jacinda and Will grabbed me from page one and had me reading long into a night I should have spent sleeping instead of reading. I've often wondered if my bookishness is detrimental to my health and personal well-being, but I digress! Back to the subject at hand... I'm having a hard time reviewing this book, and I'm not sure why. I've written a review probably 5 times already, and I'm still not happy with it. Maybe it's because the story has a lot in common with other YA Paranormal romances out there. I'm not saying it's not worth the read, I'm just not sure what I can say about it that's new, other than the fact that we're dealing with dragons. I'll try!

Jacinda's glowing orange skin and intricate wings are not all she has going for her. All Draki have a special talent. Some can breathe underwater, some can control human minds, and some can fly extremely fast. Jacinda breathes fire--a talent that was thought to have died out long ago before she was discovered. Thus, she is extremely valuable to pride. Things were planned out and set in motion for her to marry the Draki prince, Cassian, and create a ton of little fire-breathers just like herself. This unappealing future, mixed with her rebellious nature, mixed with the fact that she barely came home alive after being tracked and shot by a group of hunters prompted her mother to sneak Jacinda and her non-draki twin sister, Tamra, out of the pride and move to Arizona. Her mother chose Arizona because drakis can't survive in such dry and barren conditions. Jacinda's draki would eventually die off just like her mother's, and they could live normal, safe lives as humans. Jacinda was not ok with this and did everything she could to keep her withering draki alive. Then, she saw Will--one of the hunters she encountered the night her mother forced them to flee. He was the one who stared into her draki eyes that night and let her go, leading his family of hunters away from her. They lock eyes in the hall at school, and an instant connection is made. He ignites the draki within her, and she captivates him for a reason he can't quite figure out. Even though he's the one who keeps her draki alive, she has to constantly fight her attraction to him (and resist his to her) and keep her distance. She can never let him know what she is without risking the lives of all those she holds dear. The hunters can never find out their best-kept secret--that draki can take on human form.

I really enjoyed this book! First off, how refreshing is it to finally have the girl be the paranormal one? Yes, there are a few mythical heroines out there, but we all know it's usually the guy. It was fun to read how a girl deals with being different. Jacinda is SO driven by her emotions. She goes through highs and lows, and she's always freaking out about everything. She's not calm, cool, and collected like our mainstream paranormal heroes in other novels. I'm not saying she's spastic and annoying. She certainly handled things better than I would have. I just enjoyed reading about her inner struggle rather than a guy's, like I usually do.

This book moved really quickly! The tension built up fast, and I found myself trying to read faster than my brain could handle. There was no lollygagging in this book, and I really enjoyed that about it. I never got bored.

The romance between Will and Jacinda was believable, but maybe not for their age group. I never thought of them as high school juniors. They have a very mature relationship, which I was happy about, as I have a hard time enjoying the whiny teenage romances. Even though the romance did not seem realistic for their ages, the high school life was pretty real to me. I remember when I moved to a new high school, I struggled with fitting in. I was picked on. Jacinda went through the same motions I did, and I felt for her and could relate to how she was feeling. She was a total fish out of water, with only one friend who wasn't even really a friend--more like a person to sit with and talk to. High school's really hard, and Jacinda dealt with it.

Unfortunately, there were not a lot of characters to like in this book. There was an overabundance of villains: the alpha of her pride (who wanted her for selfish reasons), her mom (who lied to her frequently, and tried to kill off an important part of Jacinda), her sister (who should have tried to be more supportive of Jacinda's situation), Will's family (who were complete and total jerks to Will, and almost perverts towards Jacinda), the school bullies (who tried to make her life a living hell, and even attacked her). I'm not used to only liking the two main people. I guess the author chose to do this in order to emphasize the odds against Will and Jacinda, but I really wanted to like more people!

I loved that Jacinda was so true to herself, against all these odds. She didn't just sit back and let her mother get what she wanted (a draki-free Jacinda). They argued and fought all the time. Her mom kept so many secrets from her, and then when she finally told Jacinda the truth, she wasn't even nice about it. This woman is just not a good mother figure--and I found her character to be a bit hard to believe sometimes. I know she was trying to protect Jacinda, but she rarely ever showed any compassion, empathy, or even love.

For the most part, I enjoyed the writing style. Several reviewers have mentioned that the book was laced consistently with sentence fragments, which got rather annoying. I totally agree. This is definitely not a book for people looking for pristine literary writing. I had to re-read and re-think some of the passages, just because my mind was not following the choppy writing style. It helped to add to the suspense, but it detracted a bit from everything else. Other than that, the action scenes were done very well and the author's descriptions left little to be desired. She gave me enough information to be able to picture everything in my mind, but not so much that my mind couldn't take a few liberties and allow my creative juices to fill in the gaps.

Regardless of a few complaints, I loved the premise, the story, the character development of both Jacinda and Will, the fact that Jacinda is such a likeable heroine, the descriptive passages that painted pictures in my mind, the fast-paced storyline that kept my eyes glued to the pages into the wee hours of the morning, and the fact that now I think dragons are sexy.

I really enjoyed the originality of this book. The fact that there weren't any vampires or werewolves excited me, not that I don't love vampires and werewolves, I just wanted something different but still within the paranormal realm. Also, dragons are simply cool. The story where a girl basically transforms into a dragon (known as draki) was just so appealing to me. I genuinely liked Jacinda's character and her complete disregard for the rules. I mean, who likes reading about a girl who always does what she is told? The story begins with Jacinda breaking the rules, and then follows the consequences of her actions. Naturally, when Jacinda meets Will she falls for him, even though he is exactly what she should stay away from (a hunter).

One of the first thoughts I had when reading this book was, "Ugh another Will!" All I could think was that this Will had very large shoes to fill (Will of The Infernal Devices and Will of the Angelfire Series). Needless to say, this Will was up to the challenge. I really enjoyed reading about his character, and I genuinely felt that he cared for Jacinda.

I am a sucker for impossible romances, and Firelight delivers just that. Jacinda and Will's relationship seems nearly impossible, but they fight to make it work. The other thing I really enjoyed about this novel, is that the girl is the special one. Normally the guy is the one with special powers that the ordinary girl falls for. However, in this case the girl is the one who is special and the guy is pretty much ordinary. If you enjoy pararomance, you will enjoy this book.

Rating: 3

The Low Down: Jacinda lives with her mother and her twin sister, Tamra, in the mountains in an area hidden from most people. They live in a community of draki, who are the descendants of dragons and they can take human form. Taking a huge risk, Jacinda and her best friend, Azura, take their dragon forms to fly during the day. They know of the hunters that stalk them for their skin and blood, but they seem so far away. Unfortunately for Jacinda and Azura, they are spotted by a huge convoy of hunters, and Jacinda is shot. Plunging into the water of a nearby lake, she attempts to conceal herself in a crevice in the cliffs surrounding the lake. She is not so lucky - a hunter finds her there. Then, in some incomprehensible twist, the hunter leaves and tells his partners that the draki is gone.

The pride finds out about the attack. Since Jacinda has put them all in danger with this encounter, the leaders decide to take harsh measures to keep this from happening again. They won't expel Jacinda because she is the first draki in long, long time to manifest as a fire breather. The elders are obsessed with this power and plan to have Jacinda marry the prince of the pride. She feels like she is nothing but a commodity to them.

In the middle of the night, Jacinda's mother packs up the family and they steal away. At first, Jacinda is furious. Without the pride, without her draki heritage, what is she? She does not want to give up the part of herself that she loves the most. Her mother has long ago let her draki die and thinks Jacinda ought to do the same. Tamra has never manifested and has always felt like an ignored outsider in her own community. She is thrilled to be leaving and to be given a chance at a "normal" life.

Their troubles aren't far behind them, however. The hunter is Will, a handsome boy who attends school where Jacinda and Tamra end up. Then the prince, Cassian, finds them and tells Jacinda that she must return to the pride. It is no longer that simple, especially when she discovers Will's secret and he, hers. Is it possible for hunter and prey to fall in love? What will happen if their secrets are revealed?

Best Thang `Bout It: The dragon theme is something that is completely unusual, so I give props to the author for coming up with it.

I'm Cranky Because: This book was on my list to read for the Austin Teen Book Festival. I actually started it twice before I finally read it the third time. I felt like the book was good, but it never reached the heights that I would have liked. For a book that needed to soar, it spent a lot of time plodding on the ground. Also, the double love triangle. Too much. It was enough that the two romantic characters were from horribly different worlds; did we need even a single love triangle on top of that?

Should You?: If you like books that combine fantasy, romance, danger and love triangles, then you will definitely like this one.

Firelight by Sophie Jordan was published on September 7, 2010 by HarperCollins.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction Fantasy Romance
Ages: 14 and up

Every once in awhile I read a YA paranormal novel that may follow the standard format but still stands out above the rest. This is the case with "Firelight" by Sophie Jordan.

Our main character, Jacinda, is a draki, or a dragon type creature. She lives in a hidden pride with her mother and twin sister Tamara. Her mother hasn't shifted to her draki in a very long time and is now mostly human. Tamara has never manifested and is largely ignored and looked down upon by the pride. Jacinda is the prize of the pride because she has the rare (nearly extinct) talent of being a fire breather. But Jacinda breaks a rule and meets a human boy -a hunter- named Will. When her pride determines Jacinda must be severely punished, her mother leaves town with Jacinda and Tamara to begin a human life.

There is a very real sense of danger and desperation throughout the book. It creates an urgency that kept me racing to the end of the book. I almost couldn't put it down. The pride, including the leader's son Cassian, is trying to find Jacinda. Jacinda runs into the human boy at her new school. His evil family are hunters. Will's cousins especially have it in for Jacinda immediately.

The romance is one of my favorites. It's a tale of forbidden love between a hunter and his prey. Will has obvious distaste for what his family does. He is biding his time until he can get away from them. Jacinda and Will are drawn to each other in a very compelling way. I liked Will from the start. He is a good guy with a horrible family. He wants to keep Jacinda safe when his own family poses her the greatest danger. Unlike in many YA romances, I actually found the relationship between Will and Jacinda to be very believable.

The other characters are equally fleshed out. Jacinda's mom wants to do what is best for them, but she resents being a draki and being stuck with the pride. She loves Jacinda but still wants Jacinda to `kill off' her draki. To Jacinda's way of thinking she might as well kill herself as kill the draki part of her. Tamara thrives in their new human life. After always being ignored by the pride, she loves being able to hang around normal people who take a real interest in her. The relationship between sisters is very complex. They don't seem to like each other all that much, but still they are very connected.

The book just brings together many common elements and ideas in a way that is bright, unique and fun. If you have missed out on reading "Firelight" and enjoy YA paranormal fiction, I encourage you to remedy that right away!

Every once in awhile I read a YA paranormal novel that may follow the standard format but still stands out above the rest. This is the case with "Firelight" by Sophie Jordan.

Our main character, Jacinda, is a draki, or a dragon type creature. She lives in a hidden pride with her mother and twin sister Tamara. Her mother hasn't shifted to her draki in a very long time and is now mostly human. Tamara has never manifested and is largely ignored and looked down upon by the pride. Jacinda is the prize of the pride because she has the rare (nearly extinct) talent of being a fire breather. But Jacinda breaks a rule and meets a human boy -a hunter- named Will. When her pride determines Jacinda must be severely punished, her mother leaves town with Jacinda and Tamara to begin a human life.

There is a very real sense of danger and desperation throughout the book. It creates an urgency that kept me racing to the end of the book. I almost couldn't put it down. The pride, including the leader's son Cassian, is trying to find Jacinda. Jacinda runs into the human boy at her new school. His evil family are hunters. Will's cousins especially have it in for Jacinda immediately.

The romance is one of my favorites. It's a tale of forbidden love between a hunter and his prey. Will has obvious distaste for what his family does. He is biding his time until he can get away from them. Jacinda and Will are drawn to each other in a very compelling way. I liked Will from the start. He is a good guy with a horrible family. He wants to keep Jacinda safe when his own family poses her the greatest danger. Unlike in many YA romances, I actually found the relationship between Will and Jacinda to be very believable.

The other characters are equally fleshed out. Jacinda's mom wants to do what is best for them, but she resents being a draki and being stuck with the pride. She loves Jacinda but still wants Jacinda to `kill off' her draki. To Jacinda's way of thinking she might as well kill herself as kill the draki part of her. Tamara thrives in their new human life. After always being ignored by the pride, she loves being able to hang around normal people who take a real interest in her. The relationship between sisters is very complex. They don't seem to like each other all that much, but still they are very connected.

The book just brings together many common elements and ideas in a way that is bright, unique and fun. If you have missed out on reading "Firelight" and enjoy YA paranormal fiction, I encourage you to remedy that right away!

***May contain spoilers***

I hate when I read reviews and people have compared books to "Twilight" saying that the book that they read is a blatant rip-off of "Twilight" and whatnot, because a) "Twilight" ain't the most original story out there and therefore it should not be the book that all other books are compared to and b) the majority of the time the book that the reviewer has said is just like "Twilight" isn't. At. All. A lot of time I go out of my way to defend these books because, as mentioned, in the majority of cases they are not like "Twilight" and in my opinion, I think that by comparing them to "Twilight" people who are completely anti-"Twilight" will set these books aside thinking that they are cliche-ridden books with lots of teen angst and sparkly hot male characters and not read them- and I think that in not reading them they are missing out on some really great stories.

Now you may be wondering where this is all leading to? Well, I must admit... I found the first half of this book to be entirely reminiscent of "Twilight" (hangs my head in shame, I know, I know... I am totally being hypocritical) and then the second half of the book seemed entirely reminiscent of Claudia Gray's "Evernight" series.

Now how was this book so similar to "Twilight"? Well first off, Both Bella and Jacinda move before they feel pressure to do so, second, they go to their new school and meet a boy, a boy who happens to hang out with a crowd that the entire school seems to worship/ hold in awe- the boys family. Though all of the girls at the boys schools throw themselves at said boy he never shows any interest in them until new girl comes along. New girl and boy start to develop feelings for one another, but boy keeps telling girl that she shouldn't hang out with him because he is dangerous. One of one's family members takes a weird interest in girl and tries to intimidate her whenever possible (ie. Rosalie and Xander). Both boys (and their families) disappear from school for days at a time (one uses the excuse of fly fishing, one uses the excuse of camping). When boy is gone from school girl becomes overly dramatic moaning and groaning about how she misses said boy and how her life is a little less bright without him in it.

And how is this book similar to Claudia Grays "Evernight" series? Both boy and girl are keeping major secrets from one another. Girl is a paranormal/ fantastical being and boy is a hunter, a hunter who kills said paranormal/ fantastical being. Despite knowing about one another's secrets, both fall in love and all seems doomed because of their families/ occupations. Both girls also have boys of their paranormal/ fantastical race who wants to be with them, pretty much at whatever cost, and both boys get kinda jealous when girl chooses "the enemy" over him.

All in all? I think that despite the similarities between "Twilight" and the "Evernight" series this is still a good book, but I just wish that it had been a bit more unique. I must say that I do prefer Jacinda over "Twilight's" Bella because Jacinda actually has a personality, though I prefer Bella's/ Edward's family over Jacinda's family, mainly because Edward's family was supportive of him (I cannot comprehend whatsoever what is going on in Jacinda's mothers head. Yes, I understand that she wants to keep her daughter safe, but pretty much forcing her daughter's draki to die? Not cool. They could have moved to a town like Forks! Where it was always rainy and tree-y and everything, where Jacinda could have really thrived, instead she forced them to move to the dessert where Jacinda was pretty much in pain 99.9% of the time). And the ending? Well, I wouldn't consider this to be a full story whatsoever. There are a ton of loose ends that were not tied up, nor even touched upon! It seriously just ended, probably with one of the worst cliffhanger endings I have ever read before.

When all is said and done, I will read the second book in this series, which comes out in September, "Vanish", here's to hoping that it is more unique than this book!

In the fourth grade we got a homework assignment where we had to pick our favorite animal and write a short paragraph about it. I, of course, picked a dragons. Oh a bit of info, I studied at a Catholic school. Enough to say that I got a big fat F not only because dragons are not real, but because they're considered demonic. Oh well. That only increased my love for them and to this day you can ask me point blank which is my fave animal and I'll say dragon. ^__^' So, reading the blurb on Firelight I was immediately excited. Finally! A YA book about dragon shifters!

The story starts well enough. Jacinda hates how she is treated like a prize or a possession in the draki community she lives in. She is all rebellious and wanting to change her life. Then because of her rebel attitude, she gets into deep trouble almost getting trapped by draki hunters. It's horrible how they're hunted like animals. The hunters even refer to them as `it'! So in an effort to save Jacinda from the hunters and the pride, her mom forces her to leave the drake community. They move to a desert kind of place, and then all Jacinda can think about is returning to the pride. Her mother believes she is doing the best, but for heaven's sake killing a part of your daughter's being is never the solution. I'm glad Jacinda resisted her and found a way to keep her draki alive.

After that I kind of got lost in Jacinda, because honestly I didn't get her...at all. Her inner monologue changed between utterly broken and depressed, to cunning, heartless, and callously using Will. The she would open her mouth and was totally in your face, and in control. A little bipolar? Maybe. Then there's the issue of Will. Jacinda starts by using the poor guy, because through him she can keep the draki alive. She doesn't even care for him seriously until the very last chapters. All the time is `I will stay close to Will, so I can keep my draki alive' or `I will stay close to Will, so I can find other prides to which I can move to' or my favorite `I will stay close to Will, so I can get more information on him and the hunters'. Oh and this is a true quote, "All he can ever be for me is a temporary fix." What can I say? At least she was being up front about it, I'll give her that. Still, poor Will. Oh and the indecision! I just wanted to screat at her "Stop torturing Will Jacinda! And stop torturing me with your indecisions!" I love him, I love him not. I can be with him, I can't be with him. Someone please make the decision for me because I'm too scared to go after what I want. I just wanted to slap her and point to Will, because that is where she belonged the whole time.

Will. Sweet, loving, sexy, humble, persistent Will. You so did not deserve to be treated like that. That's alright though. You persevered, listened to your heart and though you doubted you never gave up. It was actually kind of scary the intensity he has for her. If I keep reading this series, it will be because of you. Oh...um sorry. You and Cassian. At first I didn't like Mr. tall-dark-and-cocky, what with the arranged marriage and everything. But Jacinda's later interactions with Cassian left me with mixed feelings about him. I think he has the best intentions, but just like Jacinda says he will always put the pride's will before his own.

Overall I have mixed feelings about Firelight. Some things I liked, some things I didn't. I think I will read book two, but I'm still debating it. Still, I would recommend it to any dragon obsessed lovers out there.

Firelight starts out fast and doesn't let up even as the last page is turned. Jacinda is a fiesty and fiery heroine who struggles to understand the full weight of her decisions, Will makes breaking the rules too tempting to deny and their relationship singes the pages with it's sizzle. With the promise of action on every single page and a unique writing style, Firelight will has its reader up long after bedtime, turning "just one more" page after another.

Jacinda isn't like most girls you find in YA. As the supernatural creature, she is sure of herself and who she is, even if her family wants her to be something different. While I understood her mother's concern, I found myself angry with her for wanting Jacinda to literally kill a piece of herself and did get frustrated with Jacinda for taking into account so much how everyone else felt about her being her. I would have rathered her not flip-flop so much but it is in her deep caring for others that makes Jacinda such a wonderful character. I liked that she knew who she was and I just wished she'd held that a little more often. Her voice felt natural and I reveled in learning her secrets and those of her pride.

Will made bending the rules an easy decision. With his intense eyes and that first moment he saw Jacinda, there was no denying that he was an amazing character. Hunter falling for prey is also a sexy premise for me anyways, but Will devotion, fascination and respect for Jacinda bring even that plot into an entirely new light. The slow progression between Will and Jacinda is addictive. Their hot and cold relationship and the obvious attraction and love they have for eachother is undeniable: a slow tingle that bursts into flames at every touch. While they do end up together pretty quickly, their reasoning for being together and for being drawn to each other feels real and is easy to understand.

Firelight excels in it's simplicity. Though Ms. Jordan creates an entire new species that lives in a completely different world, there isn't too much information flying around. She doesn't feel the need to over expalin everything from the beginning, sprinkling details throughout to build a solid foundation. While I was really interested in figuring out more about the world Jacinda is forced to leave behind, I was happy to learn it in snatches when it was necessary rather than having it flung in my lap at the beginning. The way draki change from form to form is interesting, it's fun learning about the different types and they way draki thrive all are unique, adding to the allure of the world. Jacinda's voice feels geniune, more like she sprang up formed and just is rather than something that was created. It also helped to keep the plot from becoming too convulted. After Jacinda's family leaves the pride, the story becomes about her and Will falling for each other and the author lets that be.

I'd tweeted earlier that this is the type of novel that makes me want to write better. I feel ike Ms. Jordan's writing style is similar to mine and that makes me want to be better. The writing is so eloquent and passionate while remaining simple and in that simplicity lies its beauty.

Firelight is one of those gems, beautiful in its uniqueness and simplicity. Jacinda and Will will carve themselves into your heart, are the type of characters that won't leave long after the book has been closed. You can bet I'll be devouring Vanish because Firelight is addictive.

Jacinda has always been special. She's a fire breather, something her Draki pride has not seen in centuries. A fact that they seem to think gives them the right to control her life. But Jacinda isn't just special, she's also a rebel. She does not like being told where she can't go, when she can't fly, and especially who she's suppose to love, or at least marry someday. It's because of this rebellious side of her nature that she decides to fly, just once, in the morning sunlight. It's pride rule that the Draki, descendents of the long extinct dragons, are only allowed to fly under the cover of night. Flying in the sunlight is dangerous, not only could they be seen by humans but also by Hunters, and if a draki is seen by a hunter the chances are slim that they'll make it back to the pride alive.
Jacinda decides to brave the dangers but she realizes, when she hears the thump, thump of helicopter blades, that the rules are worth following. The hunters have spotted her. She tries desperately to out run them but they manage to injure her wing. That leaves her only the option to run and hide. She does manage to find a hiding spot but not fast enough. They have an idea of where she is and they send in one of the hunters to look for her. It's a boy, not much older then her and when their eyes meet she realizes that its not cruelty in his face but curiosity. For some reason, he doesn't alert the other hunters but instead studies her. She studies him back and is surprised to realize that he's beautiful. He reaches out to touch her and a spark flies between them and he whispers one word before he leaves her in her hiding spot alone.
As Jacinda makes her way back to her pride she can't stop thinking about that strange hunter but that quickly changes as her pride comes to meet her, along with her mother. They're all furious. Risking herself, the gem of the pride, just to fly in the daylight. The pride threatens severe punishment and that threat seems to fill her mother with terror. Once safely back home with her twin sister, Tamra, her mother informs the girls that they are leaving the pride. Jacinda is horrified, Tamra is thrilled. Tamra never manifested during puberty so she is basically just human but the pride is Jacinda's life, as much as she hates how controlling they are she can't imagine living with out them, outside of her mountains. She has no choice however, as always.
Jacinda's mother takes her daughters to a desert city where Jacinda can feel her draki shriveling inside of her. The draki need the earth's life to stay strong and here, in the barren place, there is no sustenance. Just when she feels like hope is gone, she sees the hunter from the day that changed everything at her school and he seems to strengthen her draki. They're drawn to each other from their first glance even though he doesn`t seem to recognize her. This strange reaction may be exactly what Jacinda needs to give her mother and sister the chance at the life they've always wanted. There's just one problem, Will's not the only hunter in her school and with all the prying eyes around it may not be so easy to keep all that she is hidden inside.

Firelight is an amazingly imaginative book. I haven't read anything quite like it. I've always been a fan of dragons but this twist is something new and interesting. I was caught right from the beginning. Jacinda is an intriguing character. She's a strong minded individual who is not willing to let anyone rule her life, not even her mother and sister. At the same time, she wants so badly to make her mother and sister happy and tries to change for them. But, ultimately, she can only be herself. It's a common theme in books, to be yourself at all costs, especially for YA books but it never seems to get old. I am excited to read the next book in the trilogy, Vanish. It promises as much excitement as Firelight and, of course, I'm anxious to know what's going to happen in the new and complicated relationship of Will and Jacinda.

Jacinda is a member of the draki...beings descended from dragons. She appears human most of the time, but now and then her inner-dragon manifests itself, allowing her to stretch her wings...literaly. Her pride lives separately from humans deep in the Cascade Mountains under the heavy cloak of magic fog. One morning while taking a flight around the forest with her friend, she is attacked by hunters...a group of humans who know about the draki and hunt them for the wealth that their hides and blood will bring.

When a teenage hunter traps Jacinda in a cave, she fears her life is over. Instead, the boy seems in awe of her and lets her go, protecting her from discovery. As the pride's only fire-breather, the pride wants to teach her a harsh lesson for her protection, but her mother sneaks Jacinda and her twin sister away in the night to go live among the humans.

Now Jacinda finds herself trying to fit in to a human high school and failing miserably. The only bright spot is Will, the young hunter who let her live. He doesn't recognize her in her human form, but is drawn to her through an unexplainable bond. She must decide whether her feelings for Will are worth the risk that getting close to a hunter can bring to her and her family.

I loved the author's take on the dragon myths. We aren't given a lot of details about how dragons evolved into draki, but the idea that these beings could exist in the modern world is thrilling.

Jacinda is a fun character, but flawed. She is genuinely a strong girl. I say `genuinely' because there is a disturbing trend in YA where the female character is a total pushover, but every once in a while, the author makes a point in telling you how strong she is. It's like if they say it enough, the reader will believe it. In Jacinda's case, we see her struggles to suppress her draki, while at the same time fighting to keep it alive. This inner-conflict tells a lot about her character.

While her strength is admirable, Jacinda has a strong selfish streak that can be off-putting to some readers. Because her sister Tamra never manifested, she is treated as an outcast by the pride, and she has to watch on as Jacinda is fawned over. When their mother moves them to the human world, it is Tamra's turn to shine, but Jacinda gives little thought to her sister's needs...she only wants to go back home. She is also very angry with her mother for moving them away from the pride, even though her mother was only acting to protect both of her daughters. While Jacinda is selfish, I think this is common among young people and it will give her character room to grow in future books.

My favorite character is Will. He is filled with compassion and courage. In his family of hunters, Will is both revered and an outcast. A brush with death in his youth left him with an ability to sense draki, making him the most powerful of the hunters, but he doesn't want that mantle bestowed on him. It will be interesting how Will's situation plays out in the end.

Overall, I give Firelight...

Plot- 4 bookmarks
Character Development- 4 bookmarks
Love Story- 4 1/2 bookmarks
World Building/Mythos- 5 bookmarks
Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) -A young Amy Adams (Jacinda/Tamra), Josh Hutcherson (Will), Kellan Lutz (Casius)

Firelight by Sophie Jordan was one of those books that had been sitting on my bookshelf for months and months, one that I'd always been meaning to read, but that I'd never gotten to. Now that I've finally read it, I feel like I should be banging my head against the wall demanding to myself why the heck I didn't read it before!

I really loved this book, once I picked it up I could hardly put it down! I've never really read many books about dragons, so reading Firelight was something refreshing, exciting and new! I've always found dragons to be fascinating creatures and Sophie Jordan's unique spin on them made this book different and unique in the best way possible!

In Firelight, the draki, descendants of ancient dragons, are able to shift between a dragon and human form, as well as each possessing a special talent, magic or power. They live in large groups together called prides, secluded and hidden from humans as well as hunters. I found the dynamics of life in Jacinda's pride to be quite interesting for many reasons and look forward to delving deeper into the way life works and what goes on in the pride in future books in this series!

I also really liked Jacinda, I found her to be quite fierce and spunky. She is so proud of her draki blood and it is such a huge part of her life and who she is. I liked the fact that she wasn't willing to give up such a huge part of who she was even under the constant pressure from her family to give it up and under other harsh circumstances. She did everything she could to fight to keep such a vital part of herself alive and I really respect her for that.

Will, our main love interest, who just so happens to be a draki hunter, was also a really great, complex character. I feel like he and Jacinda both suffered from having to deal with their families forcing them to be something they're not. Although there were so many factors that brought these two together, I think that learning about one another, realizing that both of their families were forcing them into lives that they didn't want (lives that would also force them apart), as well as discovering the truth about what each other was and accepting it were the most important points in their relationship.

Overall, I really loved everything about this book! The plot was gripping, the characters were intriguing, the love story was enthralling, and the whole dragon aspect was pretty darn awesome! Not to mention the fact that Sophie Jordan's writing was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, without a doubt :)

Jacinda is a draki, descended from dragons and has the ability to shift into a human form. She has a very rare ability to breathe fire. This makes her very special to her people. However, when she rebels against the rules set by the elders, her family is forced to flee into the human world and her draki spirit begins to fade. When she meets Will, her draki spirit revives. The only problem is his family hunts her kind. With danger on every side, can Jacinda and Will be together?

I absolutely loved this story! I loved the way Sophie Jordan has created a world where a dragon could transform into a human. Usually, it's a human that transforms. This, in my eyes, makes this book stand out from the crowd.
Jacinda is an interesting character. She is a teenage draki, who is one of the rarest of their kind. She is the only fire-breathing dragon to be born for centuries. Unfortunately, she also has a stubborn streak. When she defies the law, her mother flees with Jacinda and her twin sister, Tamra, to a city called Chaparral in the desert. When she meets Will and her draki spirit wakes up, she finds she is unable to stay away from him.
Will is gorgeous! Unfortunately, his family is very dangerous to all draki - they are dragon hunters. Will feels drawn to Jacinda, but does't know why.
I was totally enthralled with this book! The idea that dragons evolved into people was novel to me, but with all the myths and legends in history, I'm surprised I didn't think of this before! Sophie Jordan has taken a "what if" and turned it into a fantastic tale that has captured my imagination. I'm looking forward to reading the other two books in the Trilogy. Vanish is out in hard copy now, but the paperback is only due for release in September this year. I highly recommend this YA Paranormal Romance if you love a fantastic story that leaves you begging for more.

Jacinda is different from her kind and because of that she is treated differently for she is special for them and because of that they wish her to marry the alpha to be Cassian. It's not only the fact that no one asked her if she ever wished to be with Cassian, Jacinda also respects the wishes of her twin sister Tamra who has had a crush on him since they where kids.
Trying to feel free Jacinda and her best friend Az take a little trip that goes against the rules of her people, and gets into trouble. They are being hunt down and Jacinda and Az separate and the hunters get really close to catching Jacinda, but thanks to a mysterious young hunter that lets her get away she is safe to return home.
At home everyone is worried, glad and mad at seeing Jacinda come back, the threat of a punishment worries her mother enough that she decides to take her twin daughters out into the dessert so they could have a chance at a normal life.
In her new life Jacinda is fighting to survive while her mother and sister only wish for her to forget about the past and adapt, but that will turn out to be more difficult than they think when Jacinda is reunited with the young mysterious hunter.

Jacinda may have done some stuff that could be called stupid, I call it rebellious with a mother to afraid of it all and playing always on the safe side of things only encourages her behavior and her sister Tamra that is more interested in fitting then her own sister. Both mother and sister made me feel for Jacinda is now trapped in an environment that she must do everything she can to survive.
I give the mom credit for standing out to her people (even if it was by running away) but she hides behind safe way to much and Cassian the guy who everyone wishes to pair up with Jacinda, might have been a little weird to the point of where we could think he is creepy but as you read you find that he has a more that meets the eye.
But it's Will, Jace love interest that steals the show with his sweet and kind nature, the fact that he is a hunter yet he doesn't wish to be one and that secret he keeps.
Overall I liked the book, but at times it was somehow repetitive and a couple of times predictable. Yet it seems to redeem itself with a couple of twist and good writing.

I love shapechanging dragons, and was pleased to find that this book had them in scores. Sixteen year-old Jacinda Jones is all but promised to Cassian, the alpha male heir-apparent to their isolated mountain community of dragonkin. The draki society contains several different subtypes of draki with different powers. They live mostly as humans, only occasionally taking dragon form. Jacinda is a super-rare fire-breather, and the other draki in their village can't wait for her to start having children, hopefully repopulating their kind with fire-breathers again. Jacinda's a bit of a rebel and a risk-taker and the last thing she wants is to mate with pushy, demanding Cassian. After a forbidden sunrise flight, and a close call with draki hunters, their tribe wants to clip her wings - all but tying her up to force her to breed. Her hard-edged mother decides the only way to save her is to relocate to the desert - hoping the hot dry weather will kill off Jacinda's draki half and shapechanging abilities altogether.

Once they've made their escape from the cool, foggy mountain home, Jacinda's younger twin sister Tamra is delighted to finally not have to play second-fiddle to her superstar older sister. Tamra loves the opportunity to finally be able to go to a normal high school and quickly makes new friends. While Jacinda has never been attracted to Cassian, and is glad to be free of the pressures and politics of the draki society, she loves flying and doesn't want to give up her dragon form. She's desperately holding on, by sneaking out for a few nighttime practice flights, and winds up meeting sensitive, handsome Will, who, it turns out, is the youngest son in a family of murderous draki hunters. There's a real forbidden Romeo and Juliet aspect to their romance. I can't wait to dig into the sequel, Vanish.

Quick Thinking: Unique and exhilarating was this first look in this draki-filled world of Firelight, where these outwardly human-lookalike descendants of dragons isolate themselves in beautiful, secluded areas to protect themselves from being exposed to the hunters looking to obliterate them for personal gain. Here YA book readers will find themselves enraptured by the mystical beauty and power of these dragon-like creatures, engrossed in Jacinda's story of attempting to acclimate to human society, her struggle to reinstate a part of herself which her family seeks to hide and destroy, and a sizzling romance that sparks in the midst of all the angst and danger within the pages of this novel.

My Thoughts In-Depth: *Note: May not be spoiler-free.* When I think Firelight, intoxicating quickly comes to mind. For me, the best part of reading this book was learning all I could about the draki in Firelight. They were a constant source of fascination that carried throughout the book. Just visualizing them for the first time right in the opening scene when first meeting Jacinda, the way their skin and hair look, their eyes, and the wings that spring up from their backs like another set of limbs. Fascinating, I tell you!

The plot was indeed what got me the most: the backstory of the draki, the reasons for the hunters tracking and killing their species, and what their intended next move was going to be toward these clusters of draki known as 'prides'. I wanted to learn the inner-workings of how the pride functioned, how it's leaders were chosen, how the location for their settlement was agreed upon. The mystery behind Jacinda's father's untimely and suspicious death. Never before had I been so absorbed in a story before!

I was a little disappointed in the character development department. I didn't get to really know the characters, there was no relationship or connection between we two, The Reader and the character. And more, I turned up not liking most of them. The mom angered me totally, though I tried to view their situation as if I were her, or better yet a mother. And I'm still not sure if Jacinda's mom is making the right kind of choices. Jacinda's sister, Tamra, I did pity some and sympathize with. I mean, in love with a guy who would never look upon her, ostracized by a society scared of those not like them, and losing the attention of nearly everyone she'd ever known because her draki sister had an extremely special and important gift. Jacinda's love interest's cousins were anything less but entertaining and everything frustrating and creepy. Even Will himself wasn't all that remarkable or standout-ish. There's nothing eye-popping about him.

Which brings me to the romance. I love that Will accepts what he knows of the real Jacinda. But, who is the real Jacinda entirely? Does he even know or understand? Honestly, their passionate scenes were wonderful, but how often did this couple actually talk and discuss things. No lifestories needed. Just some basic background and personal information. I don't mind the excitement that comes with all this newfound love. But, I didn't get to see any real depth to Will. And that wasn't much fun. However, on the flip side, I loved that Will, though he was a hunter, could easily accept the other side of Jacinda, the draki side, and willingly. It was plain to see that he fell in love with part of her too, which was awesome and in a strange way moving! It all goes back to accepting a person and loving them anyway. I just really wish they talked more!

Cassian was not the best of people to read about. I didn't enjoy him as a character. He was too arrogant and possessive for my taste. I saw a hint of underlying sweetness in his character but without getting to know him very well, it's too early in the series to decide completely on his whole personality and whether or not he has any redeeming qualities.

So, this I-guess-you-could-call-it-that love triangle didn't score too high with me.

And the ending didn't entirely satisfy me either. I don't mind cliffhangers, but I just felt like the ending kind of popped up out of nowhere. I didn't even realize the ending was fast-approaching until I noticed how few pages were left. All around, it wasn't a satisfying closing to this first novel, for me.

The biggest thing and most fascinating aspect of Firelight was learning about Jacinda's world and species. Learning about the hunter's plans, as well. An added bonus was learning of Will's own abilities as one of the best trackers in his hunter family. I'm not necessarily anxious to get to the sequel, but I'll be excited for it's release nonetheless. Overall, Firelight was interesting and unique which took precedent to the parts of it that displeased me.

Recommended: If you enjoy discovering a whole new world and breathtaking and one-of-a-kind species, as well as an action-packed, angst-y ya paranormal romance read, you'll definitely like Firelight.

Favorite Scenes/Quotes:

"I know the precise moment he sees me. He freezes, stills in the water, sinking low, his lips brushing the waterline.
We stare at each other...
Then he moves, swims closer in an easy glide...He looks...curious.
He slaps a hand on the ledge and pulls himself inside. With me...Our gazes crawl over each other. Two strange animals inspecting each other for the first time...
He lifts a hand. I don't even flinch as he closes a broad, warm palm over my arm. Feeling, testing. His touch glides downward, and I'm sue he's comparing my skin--draki skin--to human skin. His palm stops, flattens over the back of my hand, rests over my long, talonlike fingers. Heat zings through me at the contact.
He feels it, too. His eyes widen..." (17-18)

'I would be mad, if I could.' He frowns. 'I should be.' He inches closer to me on the couch. We sink deeper into the tired cushions. 'This is impossible.'
'This what?'
...For a long time, he says nothing. Stares at me in that way that makes me want to squirm. For a moment, it seems that his irises glow and the pupils shrink to slits. Then, he mutters,'A hunter in love with his prey...'
I don't even mind when he stops and watches my skin change colors, or touches my face as it blurs in and out. He kisses my changing face. Cheeks, nose, the corners of my eyes, sighing my name like a benediction between each caress. Hid lips slide to my neck and I moan, arch, lost to everything but him. In this, with him...I'm as close to the sky as I've ever been" (258-259).

Firelight is captivating with its shining characters, exciting storylines and wonderful concept. I've always loved dragons and was absolutely delighted to see a novel with them as the central creatures! In fact, this was my first dragon novel and I am very proud to say that I am a fan. Jacinda Jones is a draki with the power of fire-breathing, a power not possessed by any other for over four hundred years. Jacinda's rare ability makes her a prized possession of her pride, but her mother and sister are determined to live their lives with humans as neither understand her desire for the dragon lifestyle. Firelight deals with Jacinda's struggles to save her dragon before it is killed by being dormant in the hot, suffocating desert of her new home, and I think this novel is a brilliant start to a series that will surely excite any fans of the supernatural, romance and action genres!

The novel is filled with beautiful descriptions of the landscape and dragons. Firelight showcases many types of these creatures, each with their own unique ability which you will love. Whether the dragon controls the earth, water, fire, invisibility, strength or speed, there is something for you! But not everything's fun and games: Hunters capture draki to sell them to enkros who desire their magical blood, beautiful flesh and ability to find gems in the earth, so when Jacinda is captured but released by Will, she is confused by the hunter's sympathy as he takes them on a journey they both never thought possible. After her mother selfishly kidnaps the family away to live a "normal life", Jacinda must attend a public school which the mysterious Will also frequents... Cue the amazing romance! The two have the kind of unconditional and passionate love we all love to read about and this couple has easily made it onto my list of favourites. Your heart will thud in happiness and devastation throughout the book but no matter what, you will love them. Watching the hardened hunter and wary dragon fall in love was exhilarating. How can you not love their easy banter, longing gazes and protective embraces?

If you don't just want a typical romance with some dragon thrown in, you can definitely expect to find some mystery and action! Some people aren't as they seem and you'll have a lot of fun trying to figure them out. Of course, those hunters are still desperately trying to capture Jacinda and her family so...we're in for a bumpy ride! There will be shocking twists in this heart-stopping novel to trip you up and have you holding your breath in wait...

I had my reservations at first but can easily say that I was very stupid to be! How could I doubt Sophie's writing? It's spellbinding and will hold you in its clutches until the very end. The first novel of the Firelight series has most definitely set itself up well for the future books! Cliffhangers are always terrible....aren't we lucky that Vanish has already been released?

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: [...]

At the beginning of the book, I was captivated. The struggle between Jacinda and her mother and sister, Tamra, and her problems with the pride, and then her attraction to the dangerous Will - it was all set up nicely and made me interested in how it would turn out.

But as the story progressed, I got more and more frustrated with Jacinda. She doesn't actually do anything. She waits for things to happen, mad about her situation but not forming a plan to save her draki while she watches it die slowly. She moves into action at one point to protect her secret, but there's no payout from that, no result.

Mostly she just wavers between wanting Will and thinking of protecting herself - and she wavers all too much. One or two big changes would be great at portraying her confusion, but she changes her mind just about every chapter, which makes me wonder why Will, who doesn't know her secret, would put up with her hot-n-cold.

Her relationship with Will left me wanting also. I like to see interactions, dialogue, something to show me how they get along. Jacinda and Will just kiss and awake Jacinda'a draki. There is some interaction, of course, but it's always plot-driven, and it doesn't characterize their relationship, so the whole thing felt flat to me.

I didn't not like the book. But I think I cared more about Tamra than Jacinda and Will, which is not a good thing.

(Review originally posted at ReadBreatheRelax.com)

I read Firelight in 2 and a half days. It's a-freaking-mazing!!!

Flynn Rider from the Disney movie Tangled couldn't have said it any better. BRING ON the smolder, my friends. I haven't read a romance this distraught, intense or just plain fun in a really, really long time. It was so good that I could not summon the will power to stop reading at 1 a.m. And, I went in the office with a smile on my face too. Cuz a story like this is just what I needed to officially brush off my reading slump.

Jacinda and Will. Will and Jacinda. These two struggle so much with their relationship. If one's finally ok with being together, then the other one is wavering. I'm not even joking when I say that Jacinda seriously changes her mind about 5 times.

Why all the back and forth? Well, basically these two couldn't be more wrong for each other. Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons, and Will and his family sort of...hunt draki for a living. It seems like this relationship was doomed from the beginning, but that's the beauty of this romance: even amid heavy (though very valid) doubts, this couple recognizes how much they need each other.

If I had to rate the steam-factor in Firelight, I think I'd give it a 9.99. It's hot- but in a very teen-appropriate type of way. I think it's all the tension. Jordan just builds and builds it and makes you beg for more.

Beside from the truly awesome romance in this book, Firelight actually tackles some serious issues. Jacinda deals with a lot of heavy problems, like finding acceptance from her mom, refusing to make selfish decisions and choosing between what she wants and what she thinks is best for her family.

Because there's so much internal struggle, this book is fraught with teen angst. Although I thought the romance more than made up for the whining and complaining going on in the book, I can see how some readers might become a tad annoyed.

Exhibit A:

"Once dad took us to an amusement park in Oregon. One of those brief getaway vacations from the pride Mom always made a point to plan. Back when Tamra and I were simply sisters whose chief complaint with each other revolved around sharing toys. Before I ever manifested. I plummeted twenty stories on a drop ride. Totally helpless to gravity. Unable to fly, to save myself... I feel that same helpless terror now. Because nothing I saw will divert Mom off her present course. Nothing will make her realize what she's doing to me. I'm falling. And this time, nothing will save me."

See what I mean? But, I promise that there's plenty of action, suspense and twists to make you ignore the few angst-ridden moments. The novel was well-paced with great supporting characters, who may become more prominent in the next novel.

OVERALL

I cannot say enough positive things about Firelight. I loved everything- the swooning, the thrills, the teenage drama. Although it has one killer cliffhanger, don't fear. Vanish: A Firelight Novel, the second book in the series, just came out September 6th!! Let the smolder continue!!

the store kept recommending Firelight for me, and when the price dropped on the Kindle version I decided to try it.
If you're expecting a rip-roaring fantasy with lots of action and adventure, you're going to be disappointed. Firelight is above all a romance novel where the heroine happens to have scales sometimes.
I read that author Sophie Jordan write romances under another name, and it shows. I mean that as a compliment. She knows how to write a YA makeout scene with the best of them. :)
The book follows Jacinda, who is a draki. The draki are descedants of dragons, and I think for future intsallments of the series Jordan needs to make it a little clearer exactly how the draki look when they're all "dragoned out," for lack of a better term. I pictured then as still humanoid in appearance, just more colorful with scales and wings. I didn't think the draki turned into straight-up dragons like some readers did, but I could be wrong.
The male lead is Will, a dragon-hunter with a heart who lets Jacinda escape the first time he encounters her in draki form. The big secret of draki is that they can morph into human form. So when Jacinda's mom moves her and twin sister Tamra away from their pride and they wind up in the same school as Will (a bit too convenient, I'll admit), he doesn't recognize her.
Jacinda's POV started to wear on me halfway through the book. There is a ton of angst going on, even for a YA novel. Granted, she has a reason to be upset. Her mom has deliberately moved her into the desert, a climate that will kill Jacinda's inner draki. Why? Because mom knows the pride is planning to use Jacinda for a "brood mare" (among other things) in hopes of reproducing her particular draki talent for fire-breathing, a skill thought to be extinct. The one thing that made me really stop and say, "What?!" was when Jacinda takes the news of the pride's plan with barely a raised eyebrow. She even continues her plot to try and escape back to the pride for quite a few more chapters. I'm thinking that would be a dealbreaker for almost anyone, especially a sixteen year old girl.
Despite its laws, I did enjoy this book. I recommended it to a friend who was looking for a simple paranormal romance. Sometimes, you don't want anything heavy or with a deeper meaning. As with a lot of romances, Will and Jacinda fell into almost instant love, so if you need character development and a slow-building attraction then Firelight might leave you cold. (Sorry! Couldn't resist!)
I don't mean to say there's not a plot and an actual storyline going on. There is. It's just kind of secondary to Jacinda and Will's relationship.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, and the sequel--Vanish--is already out.
Language: Can't remember anything too gritty
Sexual Content: Pretty steamy kissing but nothing beyond that.
*Review Courtesy of [...]

Firelight is the story of Jacinda, a fire-breathing dragon. As the story opens, she is preparing to fly at dawn - flying during the daytime is forbidden by her pride, because there are Hunters who hunt the Draki, dragons who can take human form. As she flies into the sunrise, she is surprised by Hunters, who trap her and her friend. Jacinta provides a distraction so her friend can escape. While she is hiding in a cave, one of the hunters finds her...and tells the other Hunters she's not there. Then he disappears.

That night, Jacinta's mother takes her and her twin sister and flees the pride. Her mother knows the elders want to mate Jacinta with Cassian, a powerful young dragon, to ensure more fire-breathers in the pride. Her twin's dragon never manifested, and her mother's dragon died from not shifting. Jacinta's mother is determined to let Jacinta's dragon die, and they will live as humans. Jacinta is miserable, until she sees him. And he makes her feel alive again.

But can she fall in love with a Hunter? Or will Cassian find her and bring her back? Can she go back to life with the pride after she's felt true love?

My thoughts:
Complete honesty? I thought this book was going to be about werewolves. Then, when I saw the cover, I was confused because the girl on the cover has scales so I thought she was a mermaid. WRONG.

Here's what happened: I received the next book in the series, Vanish, for review. Because I have BOCD (book obsessive compulsive disorder), I had to read Firelight before I read Vanish. But I guess I didn't read the blurb very carefully for Vanish because I could swear it said werewolves... So to say I was surprised once I started reading is an understatement.

That being said - I loved it! The worldbuilding is fabulous and I liked the heroine. She's a bit impulsive but hey - she's a teenager. She's special to her dragon pride - the first fire breather in about a hundred years, so she's been treated well. When her mother takes her away - she's miserable; not only does she miss her friends, her dragon is dying and she physically needs to go back to the pride. The author's use of the character's physical surroundings to emphasize her feelings makes the book come to life.

Then, Jacinta sees Will. He was the Hunter who let her go, and he goes to her school! He's attracted to her, even though he only saw her in dragon form. To say sparks fly is putting it mildly - Jacinta's dragon wants to come out and play :) But Cassian isn't out of the picture...he kinda stole my heart a little bit...

The Hunters are scary dudes - the scene when she walks into the room full of dragon hides - Oh! Poor Jacinta, I felt a little faint myself. I'm curious about the Enkros - the creatures the Hunters sell the Draki to - what do they use them for?

To summarize: Great world, interesting characters, intriguing characters. I read it in a day. So, even though I started out a bit confused, I really enjoyed Firelight! I couldn't put it down and as soon as I did I ran right over and picked up book 2 in the series, Vanish. Fair warning: it ends on a cliffhanger, you will definitely be left wanting to know what happens next.

Did you know that dragons left human descendants that live among us today? Welcome to the world of Firelight, a YA paranormal by Sophie Jordan, published by Harper in 2010.

The story- Jacinda lives a life of secrets. Unable to come out during the daytime, she can only be her true self at night, her draki self. But, like many teenagers, she breaks the rules and flies during the daytime, attracting the attention of hunters, her people's sworn enemy.

Threatened with wing clipping, Jacinda flees with her mom and sister into the dessert, far from her beloved moist forests. The dry dessert begins killing her draki side, an event that will leave her fully human. Desperate, Jacinda clings to the one thing that stirs her inner draki, a young hunter boy named Will. While hiding her secret from him, her past comes back to bite her as a young draki from her home hunts her down. Now, she is living a dangerous life, hiding from her past while pursing her future.

My Thoughts- A Romeo and Juliet type tale. The whole time you're reading the book you wonder how Will and Jacinda will make it, but of course, that is half the fun. It was different to read of the draki, half humans who can turn into dragon like creatures that fly. I haven't read a half breed dragon book in awhile, so this idea wasn't boring.

Jacinda's character is fierce, her love for her family struggles against the reality of losing a part of herself. She does what she needs to do to survive. Something you feel is necessary for her character. Her love interest, Will, is a likeable guy. From the moment he unknowingly meets Jacinda in her draki form and finds her beautiful, against his families beliefs, you are rooting for him to break the mold.

I was surprised at the ending. As I was reading, this felt like an all in one book. However, when I got to the last few pages I realized it wasn't wrapping up, there would be a sequel. The more I thought about it, the more I liked it. I really want to see what happens if Jacinda returns home. I want her to fight for her place among the draki and still be with Will. Lucky for me I did a little research and book 2, Vanish, just released last week! (Sept. 6, 2011)
[...]

Dragons! Well, not exactly dragons but dragon/human shapeshifters called draki! Firelight is a new paranormal series that's a refreshing break from the typical werewolves and vampires.

Jacinda's rare fire breathing ability is prized and highly protected by her pride. Unfortunately, this special ability means a strict and suffocating lifestyle for Jacinda. To save her daughter from the oppressive life in the pride, Jacinda's mother sneaks her daughter out of the pride's village hidden in the mountains and into a human town in the desert.

Although far away from the overbearing rules of the pride, Jacinda is no longer in the cool and wet climate which enables the draki to thrive. Their new and dry desert home threatens the survival of the form that brings Jacinda the most freedom. To keep her draki from withering away, Jacinda is driven into the arms of the alluring and dangerous draki hunter, Will. In the presence of a hunter, draki instinctively manifest to protect themselves. Jacinda knows that her connection to Will is the only way to keep her inner dragon alive but her relationship may put her and the entire draki world at risk.

Although this is Sophie Jordan's first Young Adult novel, she has written many adult novels and her experience is evident in her writing. She uses beautiful descriptive language and her sett and she clearly is a pro at writing romance. When describing Jacinda's moments with Will, I could feel the electric connection between them. Their forbidden attraction is intriguing and keeps you reading.

I thought the author's concept of human/dragon shapeshifters was really very original. The draki evolved from dragons and have many varying traits and abilities within the species. Jacinda's best friend, Azure, is a water draki with the ability to form gills and stay under water for long periods of time. Some have invisiblity while others are onyx black and can fly at high speeds. The whole draki concept is refreshing and creative. I want to learn more about the many different types.

My only complaint about the book is that it was difficult to visualize the draki. When describing them, the author interchanges descriptions of human features with dragon features. They have dragon-like skin, eyes, wings, but the author also describes Jacinda as having hair in draki form. This was confusing to me as I really didn't like the idea of reptile having human hair. Also while in draki form, Jacinda huddles and rubs her calves for warmth. To me this is a very human movement and struck me as odd.

I wanted to envision a dragon but the author kept interjecting these images that didn't go with the dragon image I had in my head. This didn't ruin the book for me but it was a little distracting. I looked passed the this, envisioned the draki the way I wanted to, and still had fun reading it.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Firelight and I am very eager to find out what happens next in Vanish (Firelight #2). I have a tiny inkling of what the title could mean and I'm anxiously awaiting it's release in September 2011.

Jacinda is the only fire breathing draki in existence. This makes her a valuable asset to her pride, and they have big plans for her. Plans that involve the future alpha of the pride, and lots of little baby draki. After Jacinda makes a poor choice that exposes her to the men that hunt her kind, her mother makes the decision to flee with her daughters. They move to the dry desert climate where Jacinda is expected to let her draki side die, just like her mother did years prior. Jacinda struggles with doing what is best for her family, and what feels right in her heart. She also falls for a boy who she should consider an enemy.

Oh my! I am madly in love with this book! I devoured it in one sitting. It was that good! I didn't know what to expect going in. While I love paranormal/fantasy novels, this is my first with a main character that is a dragon. After 50 pages I had forgotten all other supernatural creatures, and decided I want to be a dragon when I grow up. A girl can dream, right? :)

This is a story that gets in your head, and won't let you stop thinking about it. My heart ached for Jacinda, and the sacrifices she would have to make to safely hide from the draki she left behind. Yet, at the same time I agreed with her mother's choice to hide her. I thought Jacinda having a twin was a great addition to the plot. The rivalry was present, but it didn't add unnecessary angst to the story (which it easily could have). Not to say there wasn't conflict. Things between Jacinda and her family was strained, but not over the top emotional craziness. Whenever they were together I could feel the tension. It was like being a fly on the wall. I love when a book can make me feel that invested in the characters and their struggles. The chemistry between the characters was right on. Love interest, Will, was definitely dreamy. Forbidden love or not, I'm rooting for him and Jacinda!

It isn't often that I finish a book and feel like the author managed perfection. Firelight is one of those books that I can say encompassed everything I crave in a story. This is a case of straight up book love ' My shelf of keepers needs a finished copy ASAP.

Now for my mommy disclaimer :) This is what I'd consider a pretty clean read. I liked that instead of dropping *F* bombs the author would just state the character cursed. A couple steamy kissing scenes, but it wasn't enough for me to discourage the younger crowd from picking this one up. I actually plan to recommend this to anyone that will listen. Endearing characters, an engaging plot, and captivating writing. What's not to love! The ending packed a serious emotional sucker punch. I can't wait to see what is in store for Jacinda as this series continues.

I'm also thrilled that this author has a slew of historical romances (my guilty pleasure) published. Love her writing style, and I hope to pick up a few of her other novels while waiting for the sequel to Firelight.

Firelight is a solid four-point-five stars.

From this point on in reviewing, I'm going to start a rating system. It will contain the following:

Plot: This section will summarize how I felt about the story, what I liked and about it, including a rating.
Characters: This section will detail how interesting and original the characters are and what I think of them, including a rating.
Writing: This section will explain what I thought about the author's writing style and detail, including stressed infodump warnings, including a rating.
Organization: This section will explain how cohesive and organized I thought the plot was, including a rating.

PLOT: 5 stars
The plot of Firelight, in one word, was intense. Sophie Jordan is a very talented writer, and her style reminds me of Lili St. Crow but with shorter sentences. She uses the most languid phrases to describe the simplest things, and it's very refreshing to see that in the YA genre, as opposed to the standardized simplistic writing.
Jordan is also a master at adding tension to her stories. I found I couldn't stop reading, and when I had to, I really didn't want to. Firelight is one of those books that makes you surprised you've been reading for two hours when it doesn't feel like it at all.

CHARACTERS: 4 stars
Jacinda was supported by a wonderful cast of unique, differentiated characters, but I felt Jacinda herself was a little bland, a little "cardboard," if you will. While she did have her moments of undiluted passion, most of the time she was resenting her sudden move away from her beloved area where she'd spent the rest of her life until her dad died and she was almost caught by the Hunters, a league of people whose sole purposes are to hunt the Draki and sell their valuable skin and scales. I wasn't too impressed with her throughout the novel.

WRITING: 5 stars
Jordan's writing is gorgeous. See the PLOT section for more explanation (they were kind of interwoven).

ORGANIZATION: 4 stars
Firelight was well organized. All of Jacinda's moves made sense, and they weren't just there for advancing of the plot. They were what teenagers would do. If I wasn't such a fast reader, I'd probably have thought the plot was running a little slow in the first half, but it didn't bother me.
The arrival at the ending of the book brought on a major cliffhanger, one that was expected and in no way satisfying. This book would've been an amazing stand-alone, and the addition of the cliffhanger has me concerned about what's going to happen in the second book, other than the inevitable resolution.

I'm freaking out here! Seriously. What an anxiety inducing cliff-hanger at the end of Firelight! Luckily I have an eGalley copy of Vanish (the second book in this series) waiting for me, and I am dying to start reading it RIGHT now!

Oh, my, gosh! This book was amazing! I love a YA romance that gives me the tingles, gives my stomach butterflies and does a couple flips; and this one causes all these tingling emotions throughout the whole book. And even better, this romance story is set in a completely new type of fantasy world where humans can shift into a dragon-like form (they're called "draki".) The main character in this trilogy is Jacinda, and when she first manifests her draki, her people discover that she is a fire-breathing draki, the first in generations. Her people believed fire-breathing draki were extinct, so she is very important to the pride (the society of draki people), and the pride is determined to see her conceive more fire-breathing draki.

In the very beginning of Firelight, Jacinda goes on a rebellious daylight flying adventure with her draki friend, Az, which ends in a near disastrous draki-hunter attack. But during Jacinda and Az's desperate escape attempt, one of the hunters, Will, finds Jacinda (in her draki form) hidden in a cave. Will (my heart *tap, tap, tap*) is mesmerized by the beauty of Jacinda's draki form and tells the other hunters there's nothing in the cave, essentially saving Jacinda's life.

But after the hunter attack, the draki pride is so upset at Jacinda's foolishness and near-death experience that they are determined to see that Jacinda never has the chance to put her life in danger again (so she can breed more fire-breathing draki!) So, Jacinda's mom takes Jacinda and her twin sister, Tamra, and runs from the only life they've ever known.

While reading, I kept debating with myself over which sister was the most selfish. Jacinda is extremely upset they needed to run from the pride, but Tamra is thrilled (you'll find out why when you read Firelight!) Yeah, they're both extremely selfish but I understand Tamra's point of view, and, at the same time, I also felt bad really bad for Jacinda.

This is a book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good YA Urban Fantasy Romance. So, read up and enjoy!
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The back of the ARC describes Firelight perfectly, "Mythical powers and irresistible passion ignite" to make Firelight one book that I was so enraptured with, I read it in one sitting. I've always been intrigued with the mythology of dragons, but I haven't read a book that made me really fall in love with them until I read Firelight. Sophie's characters and her world building hooked from page one and left me wishing her sequel was already out.

Firelight introduces a whole new character in the paranormal world- a Draki. Draki's are descendants of dragons who can shift between both dragon and human forms. While the pride closely guards their secret and where they live, they can easily blend in with humans and no one would know it.

Jacinda's rare gift of fire breathing makes her a unique Draki who's excepted to be with Cassian, the brooding, hot, Draki Prince whom she was once close to. Now that she's closely watched by her pride, and doesn't have a say in her future, she yearns for freedom. Wanting to get away, Jacinda goes against the pride's rule and flies during the day. This not only puts her in warms way when Draki hunters spot her, but she endangers the whole pride. She also wouldn't have met the Draki hunter Will, who finds Jacinda's Draki just as fascinating as Jacinda finds him. What's even more surprising, is that Will protects her from the other hunters.

Jacinda's already lost her father. In order to protect Jacinda and not lose her to the Draki world as well, Jacinda's mom flees from the pride with Jacinda and her sister 13 yr Tamra. Living amongst human's isn't easy for a Draki and living with a mom and sister who can't under Jacinda's Draki needs is even harder. Jacinda struggles with her new life, finds herself at a new school and face to face with the hot Draki hunter Will.

Sophie's talent for writing romance makes for some amazingly hot chemistry between Jacinda, Cassian and Will. Will and Jacinda have an undeniable attraction that left the pages of Firelight smoldering. It's not only one of danger as she's a Draki and he's a Hunter, but there's something more to it. I was really drawn to it. That isn't to say there's no attraction with Cassian, but Jacinda fights it. She doesn't want to be with someone who she thinks rule over her. She yearns for her freedom and wants to be loved for who she is, and not what she can do. Personally, I think there's more to Cassian than how Jacinda portrays him. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them together in the sequel.

With it's hot chemistry, a captivating world, and an amazing dragon mythology, Firelight is one book I'll be reading over again. If you're looking for a fresh paranormal book to read, I highly recommend picking up Firelight.

The first scene of Firelight consumed me, figuratively speaking (but somewhat literally?). Even in that short scene, Sophie Jordan was able to pack so much meaning and character development that I was definitely hooked into the world of draki and their hunters. These scene is a defining moment for Jacinda, ever-present throughout the book, filling her mind and giving her insight into the situation she faces.

So many paranormal YA books are revisiting known and loved paranormal creatures, but the draki people, at least in the scope of what I've read, are very unique. Descended from dragons in the past, they are shape-shifters who obtain their power for the earth and from being in nature. Their skins and blood have magical properties that are so valuable as to put them in danger of hunters who would kill them to make a profit.

And into this mix is thrown Will. Sexy, angsty, velvet-voiced Will. Anyone who reads this blog with any regularity knows that I like my boys angsty. I never tire of that in my literary boys if it is done well. And, boy, is it done well in Firelight! He has a huge struggle to endure, being a talented hunter who isn't quite convinced about his family's lifestyle. He oozes mystery, and I have a feeling we have only really cracked his surface so far.

Jacinda's internal conflict is another of my favorite things about Firelight. She has some hard choices to make. Does she want to be true to herself and her heart and have freedom (and Will!) but deny her people and the only home she has ever known? Or does she want to stay with what she knows so well, what is familiar, and potentially be held captive to others' wishes and demands? It's a struggle that anyone, teen or otherwise, can identify with.

This book just kept me breathless along with Jacinda in her feelings for Will. The emotions portrayed are intense, very realistic and well-done. I think the crowning glory of the novel (aside from Will's very essence, of course) are the sensory descriptions. Reading it, I was completely enveloped in Jacinda's world and feelings and everything that surrounds her. I'm amazed at how Sophie brings out the breathtaking elements in such visual and sensual detail without ever bogging down the emotional intensity. It's something that few writers can do so powerfully.

I've had this book on my shelf for a while and became distracted and busy from review copies, and I'm glad I finally put those aside and read it! I am absolutely astounded at this book's greatness! It's such a sexy, powerful, breathless read... And one thing I appreciate about it is that, though it's spicy and I love it, it's also appropriate for me to put on my "special" shelf in my classroom without fear! Yay!

I was really skeptical to read this book because A) I didn't know anything about Dragons & B) I thought I would never have a taste for them. (I was like, "Dungeons & Dragons? umm...no thanks!") But i picked up Firelight anyway, for two reasons:
1) The cover! How freakin' gorgeous is that!
& 2) The back excerpt...*dies,while swooning* I am such a fictional whore it's not even funny. But go read the back of Firelight & tell me you don't already love that boy, whoever he may be!

Anyway I can officially say Sophie Jordan converted me to Team Draki! The imagery all through-out the book was spectacular! Honestly nothing short of breathtaking! "Purple-bruised sky" is one of the most beautiful descriptions I've ever read! This book is a fast paced thrill that will have you frantically flipping pages & reading till all hours of the night!

I adored Jacinda, she was strong willed and true to herself. She practically begged to keep apart of herself alive, her Draki. She was willing to risk everything & follow her heart. But her mom wasn't very supportive or accepting towards either idea. Granted I'm sure she had her reasons, moms always do right? But it still made me upset. Jacinda and Tamra's relationship is so easy to relate to! The love/hate between sisters was played out perfectly! One minute they hate each other and can't even look at each other. But then, if the other one was down or in trouble they would risk anything to help one another. That's what sisters are supposed to do!

Next comes Will Rutledge... cue fan-girl review: SQUEEEEEE!!!

*Sighs* Will, oh my hot-tight-wet shirt, Will Rutledge he is....ugh so freakin' sexy! *SWOONS!* Me wants! Will is so sweet and cute and hot and cute and sweet and i loved all the parts he was in!! You know from the very beginning that Will is just a good guy...ah! Such a good guy! He is absolutely adorable trying to flirt with Jace! But then he skips that & just asks if she wants to go out. A boy who knows what he wants! *dies.....again*

If you want to read like THE most angstiest kisses ever to be written in YA... read this book! Jacinda & Will's relationship is so steamy! And I like that Will verbalizes his feelings for Jacinda, it's not just her that feels the strong connection. Will is needy & that's cute! (real boys, are you taking notes?) There is no other word to describe him but intense. So intense. Intensely intense. Gahh! He is perfect! <3

Wow...sorry about that,but i had to get it out! If you don't pick this book up at some point in your life, you quite possibly are missing out on one of the sexiest fictional boys to ever exist! oh, sorry! & for the boy readers there is a lot of action! NO...umm...not that kind of action! Like flying & fighting & hunting & stuff....

but cute fictional boys aside- Firelight is about staying true to yourself & fighting for what you want! It will leave you stunned & will have you spazzing for Vanish! One of my absolute favorites!

Die sechzehnjährige Jacinda ist ein Draki, ein Mensch, der sich in einen Drachen verwandeln kann. Zusammen mit ihrer Mutter und Tamra, ihrer Zwillingsschwester, lebt sie gut versteckt in einem Rudel, hoch in den Bergen. Und verstecken müssen sie sich, denn Draki haben Feinde. Sie werden von Jägern verfolgt, die es auf ihr Blut, Haut und Knochen abgesehen haben, denen besondere Kräfte nachgesagt werden.
Als Jacinda sich während eines Ausflugs vor ihren Widersachern in einer Höhle verstecken muss, trifft sie Will - ein klarer Fall von Liebe auf den ersten Blick. Doch der gutaussehende Junge gehört zu ihren Todfeinden, denn er ist ein Drachenjäger.
Aber Jacinda hat noch andere Probleme. Als seltener Feuerdrache soll sie Cassian heiraten, den Prinzen des Rudels. Ihre Mutter ist gegen diese Verbindung, und flüchtet über Nacht mit ihren Kindern aus den Bergen.
In einer neuen Stadt wagen die Drei einen Neuanfang, dann begegnet Jacinda in ihrer Highschool überraschend ihrem Feind, Will, in den sie sich verliebt hat - und er in sie.

Die Idee der Geschichte fand ich gut, vor allem die Sache mit den Drachen - Gestaltwandler mal anders. Der Gedanke, sich in den Feind zu verlieben, ist zwar nicht neu, aber auch er hat mir im Draki-Kontext gut gefallen.
Die Geschichte ist flüssig erzählt, und obwohl ich einiges daran zu nörgeln habe, sind die Seiten ziemlich schnell an mir vorbeigeflogen.
So viel zum Positiven.
Nicht so gut fand ich die Charaktere, die mir insgesamt wenig entwickelt vorkamen. Die Heldin, Jacinda, ist zwar ein sympathischer Typ, doch als Person entfaltet sie sich innerhalb der Story kaum. Im Verlauf der Geschichte störte mich zudem ihre Unentschlossenheit. Kaum hat sie einen Entschluss gefasst, verwirft sie diesen zwei Seiten weiter. Das geht über 250 Seiten hin und her, sodass mich ihre Unschlüssigkeit gegen Ende eigentlich nur noch genervt hat.
Darüber hinaus waren mir die Charaktere in dieser Geschichte zu stromlinienförmig (die Bösen sind böse und hässlich, die Guten sehen toll aus und sind nett) sowie wenig überraschend. Sie verharren in ihren Rollen und sind somit in ihren Handlungen sehr berechenbar, was die Story spätestens ab der Mitte des Buchs ziemlich vorhersehbar macht. Ein paar Ecken und Kanten hier und da hätten die Personen für mein Empfinden interessanter gemacht.

Was ich gar nicht gut fand ist, dass die Geschichte völlig offen endet. Das ist, als ob man ein halbes Buch kauft. Wenn Autoren eine Story in dieser Weise abschließen, kommt es mir vor, als hätten sie ihren Job nicht gemacht. Und wenn es eine Geschichte nötig hat, so unabgeschlossen zu enden, damit sich die Leser Band 2 kaufen, um eine einigermaßen vollständige Story zu bekommen, macht das die Geschichte in meinen Augen nicht sehr empfehlenswert. Cliffhanger sind ja in Ordnung, aber bei Serien ist zumindest ein Teilaspekt der Handlung abgeschlossen. Hier aber stimmt am Ende gar nichts. Leider kann ich jetzt nicht deutlicher werden, ohne zu viel vom Inhalt zu verraten.

Fazit:
Insgesamt fand ich die Geschichte nicht schlecht. Schön für zwischendurch, aber kein must-have.
3,5 Sterne

Firelight was a really exciting, fast-paced novel about draki. Draki are descendants of dragons that can appear in either human or dragon form. The main character, Jacinda, is free-spirited and strong-willed--unfortunately everyone is trying to decide her future for her. Never one to accept what she is told, Jacinda constantly challenges the rules of her community, which leads to Jacinda's mother forcing her to flee their home with her family for her own safety.

Even though her mother wants to protect her, Jacinda needs to stay close to other drakis or a part of her will die. There is nothing in the human world for Jacinda and she desperately longs to go home--especially because she is unaware of the dangers that await her in the home she fled. The only thing that may keep her with her family is a boy that Jacinda knows she should avoid at all costs--but he is irresistible and she just can't seem to stay away.

The romance, action, adventure, and suspense in this novel are fantastic! As exciting as the plot is, the interactions between the characters are really what make this book stand out. From beginning to end, I was anxiously turning the pages to find out if certain romances would develop and if Jacinda's secrets would be discovered by the wrong people. I'm really looking forward to Vanish, the next book in the series

Jacinda isn't a normal sixteen year old girl. She is Draki, a dragon girl, the first one of her kind in hundreds of years to manifest with such incredible powers. Since the beginning of time the Draki have lived in secret Prides. Only the Pride wants Jacinda for her unusual gifts. Fearing for Jacinda's safety and freedom, her mother takes her and her twin sister, Tamara, on the run.

Settling into a "normal" human life means new experiences for Jacinda and that is how she meets Will. Will is the most dangerous thing Jacinda could want and yet she does, she can't stay away from him despite the risks of exposing her true nature to him.

I was super excited to see something new in the paranormal-teen genre but I was a bit disappointed with how much detail I was given. Sometimes, I feel like I was being given way too much detail and other moments I felt lacking because of the absence of detail. The storyline was decent, what you would totally expect and predict, no twists, turns, or shockers in this book. I would have hoped that Sophie Jordan would have really taken the time to develop this world where dragons exists extensively. She could have been the one to mold and shape this universe into a wonderful and exciting new setting.

It was fairly short, so I made it through fairly fast, otherwise the story may not have held my interest very long. I found Jacinda and Will's relationship lacking. I hardly felt any emotion about their relationship at all and actually think I prefer the presumed bad guy, Cassian. Really, it was difficult to feel an emotional attachment to any character at all, Jacinda's mother, twin sister Tamara, even the next door old-lady neighbor, who may perhaps be the most perplexing and unimportant character in the entire novel.

Definitely would recommend this book for just the genre Young Adults looking for paranormal romance. I think this novel would sit well with most teenage girls. I'm not even sure if "Firelight" captured my interest enough for me to read the second book in the series.