Review: Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Title: Firelight
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publishing Date: September 7th 2010
Pages: 326
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy Romance
Series: Firelight #1
Source: Hardcover

  

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 drakis 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.

I was drawn to this cover right away. Without know what it was about I bought the book from a used book store. I got it home read the synopsis and thought to myself, should be good. Not many dragon books out there. So I dug in. WOW I loved it!!! The story was very original for me, exciting and romantic.

The story is about Jacinda, a draki who can live in human form. Jacinda’s family lives in the draki community where Jacinda is treasured among her pride, she is rare, a fire breather. Jacinda causes trouble among her pride when they are out on a flight expedition, she is spotted by a draki hunter. To protect Jacinda and to allow her to keep her freedom, Jacinda’s mother takes them on the run and they settle in a new town. Jacinda and her sister enroll in public school and attempt to live a normal life. Jacinda is feeling trapped, she needs to be free to be in her draki form. She is missing her pride and would do anything to get back home, until she meets Will.

I became very attached to Jacinda in this book. She was a very strong, determined, selfless (most of the time) heroine. Everything she did affected so many others and she continuously struggled to make the right choices. Her life really wasn’t her own. In the Draki community she fit in, she was special, but when she is moved outside her community she was different, out of place. Her sister was now the star. She wanted her life back but she didn’t want her sister to suffer. Her mother also seemed happier and she really wanted to keep her happy. I really admired her for trying to make the best decisions for everyone even when it seemed hopeless.

Will was just amazing. He also lived in life where he was suffocating. He did not fully agree with the way his family hunted and killed. He knew what was expected of him, to be a great Draki hunter. I fell for Will pretty quickly. I knew there was something special about him from the moment Jacinda met him.

The love story between these two was very passionate, the chemistry was amazing and I wanted nothing more than for the hunter and the hunted to be together. The story is centered on this love story but leads into so much more. Their forbidden love causes some major issues that end up causing many sacrifices.

The book was a major page turner for sure, and I didn’t want to stop reading. When I did (stupid work and crazy house) I found myself thinking about it constantly. This will be a series keeper meant for many re-reads.