Review: Firelight (Firelight, #1) By: Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight (Firelight, #1)
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTeen, 323 Pages (September 7th 2010)
From: the Publisher, Thank You!

Synopsis: A hidden truth.
Mortal enemies.
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Review: 4.5 Stars - Firelight, the first in a series from author Sophie Jordan is filled with greatness – great characters, great plot and great writing. I found myself immersed in the pages as Jordans unique idea became clear to picture as a new supernatural creature evolved before my eyes.

Jacinda comes from a rare race of people called the Draki. Not fully human and not filly dragon, able to change between the two halves. She’s even rarer as each Draki has a set of abilities making some more valuable than others. She’s a breed that hasn’t been around for a long time – a fire breather – which the pride that she lives in and calls home has plans for in the future.

Jacinda is one tough teenage girl who’s promised to the Prince of the Draki, Cassian. She has no idea just what the elders of her race have in store for her, and once things take a turn for the worse, her mother packs her and her sister and moves them to the desert where she hopes they won’t be found and to try to force Jacinda into a normal life, away from the Draki.

While I loved Jacinda and her strength and her fighting instincts while she tries to find a way out of the corner she’s put in, her mother and her sister were a huge thorn in my side. I understood why her mother moved them, but forcing Jacinda to go down the same path as she did frustrated me just about as much as it frustrated Jacinda. And her sister! Don’t even get me started.

The initial meeting between Jacinda and Will was thrilling, fast paced and unexpected. Their relationship is one that’s doomed from the beginning. When they cross paths again she doesn’t know what to do, just that she’s drawn to him when she shouldn’t be. Will and his family are hunters of the Draki and while he doesn’t’ know what she really is, she knows what Will and his family are capable of. I more than loved the interaction between the two and the push and pull of their relationship because of who they both were. When Will finds out he has two options and its right then at that moment he becomes the person he’s suppose to be and not the one he was born into.

Of coarse it wouldn’t be a true review of this title without more mention of Cassian. Cassian, oh… can I please have some more? Lol While I didn’t agree with his actions, he has many redeeming qualities (or does he?) that come through blindly by the end (or does it?). However, it still leaves me questioning if is a good guy or a bad guy. The verdict is still out on him.

The short chapters, amazing story and characters, the ending, the romance… the mythology, all wrapped together, making Firelight a perfect addition to paranormal YA titles. I’m more than looking forward to the next book – Vanish – to see what happens next for Jacinda, Will and all the people around them.

FTC Disclaimer: I did NOT pay for this book, nor have I been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this HONEST review. **Note - I did also purchased a finished copy of this title.