Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

 

 

Publication Date: 9-7-2010

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 336

Format: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Challenge: TBR Challenge

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Goodreads Summary:

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.

This was the first book that involved dragons that I’ve ever read, so I don’t have any other series to compare it to.  For me, it was a book all its own.  It was fresh and new to me.   

The story line was new, the elements were new, and the ending was unexpected.

Jacinda is a draki.  She isn’t quite a dragon, but rather a descendent of dragons.  She is the first in many generations of draki to be a fire-breather. She’s rare and the other draki know this.  Due to some interesting circumstances, Jacinda’s mother decides to take Jacinda and her sister Tamra out of their pride to live among the humans.  This decision could potentially cost Jacinda her life, as she is drawn to a family of hunters.  She feels this need to be around him to awaken the draki within her.  Jacinda and Will, the hunter, become closer and develop a romantic connection.  A connection that not only threatens Jacinda, but threatens her family and the rest of her pride. 

I couldn’t put this book down.  I loved the storyline and the idea of dragons living among humans.  I loved imagining Jacinda as a fire-breather, I mean, how cool would that be?  The only part I had trouble imagining was Jacinda as a dragon.  I couldn’t quite picture what she would look like.  I would love to hear what other people think regarding how she might look in her true form.  I thought I knew how the book would end, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had no idea.  I was wrong in my assumptions, which made me sad, but also make me excited to pick up book 2, Vanish, sometime soon. Overall, this was a good read and I’m glad I picked it up, even if I had never read about dragons before.