Firelight

As someone who's read fantasy stories all my life, I wondered where all the dragons had gone. Wondered when we would start seeing them pop up again in the YA fantasy genre. I love dragons, have always loved them! Usually we see them in fantasy as the supporting characters, or the beast who carries the hero off to his various victories. Sophie Jordan has given them the starring spotlight they deserve with the start of her Draki series.

This was an amazing read, and despite the fact that I would have loved to see the story delve more into the actual lore of the dragon and how the Draki came to be, it was beautifully written. I would love to see this one go to the big screen---the first scene alone would be more than worth it: the gorgeous show more sunrise, the main character, Jacinda's manifestation into her dragon form, two dragons forbidden flight through the skies, and finally the appearance of danger on the horizon. It would a breathtaking opening to a movie! But as a book, by the third page, my imagination was just soaring.

The family thread of this story had my emotions in a whirlwind. Each member of Jacinda's family had their own side of the story and I literally could not take a side. Jacinda was treated differently among the Draki tribe because she was the only fire-breather in 400 years. She was being matched with the leader of the tribe to make the tribe stronger and while she didn't hate him, they had been friends their whole lives, she resented being forced into it. So when she gets into trouble for breaking a "sacred tenet" and is about to be horribly punished (details aren't given on what that punishment entails until later in the story), her mother sneaks Jucinda and her sister away in the middle of the night. Jucinda's sister, Tamra, is ecstatic at this move. She never manifested and so she was treated like an outcast among the Draki tribe. I completely understood Jucinda's mother's actions and Tamra's eagerness to start fresh somewhere else. While Jucinda is a little relieved to not be under so much pressure and expectation as she was in the tribe, she cannot see how she can be herself anywhere else. She is even more devastated by the fact that her mother intentionally moves them to a dry hot desert, a place that she knows will kill off the Draki in Jucinda. Despite the danger it puts them in, she is not ready to let her Draki side die, it is part of who she is. While I can see each of their sides, the way each acts on her feelings is pretty extreme and not just a little selfish! It doesn't make the story bad, it adds conflict and they definitely have some room for emotional growth throughout the series! I flip-flopped between being sympathetic to and angry with all three of these characters in turn--it made for a good emotional read!

The love story was a very original take on the classic Romeo and Juliet theme: their families are enemies, or in this case, the hunter and the hunted. Will is at odds with his family's "business" of hunting dragons. Still, Jacinda takes a great risk in being around him despite the fact that she knows what he is. She is drawn to him because of their first mysterious meeting and I thought the whole dragon-thing made an excellent metaphor for falling in love for the first time. The whole idea that being near him made her Draki side come alive to the point that she would almost manifest into a dragon every time they kissed gave their relationship a lot of intensity. While I don't want to give too much away, I will say that I found the "big moment" where she opens up to him so incredibly...sweet. :)

Definitely get your hands on a copy of this one and enjoy! show less

I love, love, LOVE this book. One, shapeshifting is awesome. Two, dragons are awesome. Put them together and what do you get?

A one of a kind, action packed story, full of danger and a romance that you can't get enough of.

I have always loved dragons, I mean I even have a dragon tribal tattoo on my arm.. soo yea. To read a book like this, it was just amazing. Sophie has a way with descriptions that had me imagining at times I was turning into a dragon. I WISH!

Jacinda is different. Different from the other draki in her pride, and different from her mother and sister. She fits in nowhere and is wanted everywhere. Will is quite the same. Different from his family but stuck with them. When these two interact, its like magic. From their show more first meeting to their later ones, it's as if no one else matters and they are the only two that exist.

It was almost as if they were destined to be together and destined to be apart. The romance between them is fiery and full of heat. As much as they wanted more, so did I because they are perfect for one another. They are now one of my new favorite YA couples.

Not only was the romance phenomenal, but the story was exciting and full of energy. There were many times when I had to tell myself to slow down so I didn't miss anything, and near the end I know I skipped many sentences because I JUST had to know what was going on and what was happening. I should go reread it so I don't miss anything.

This is an upcoming release that you don't want to miss. Hitting shelves early next month, be sure to get your copy so you can enjoy this story too!

There's no news on the release date of the second book in the Draki series but I can only hope that its Spring of next year, is that too wishful thinking?? :P I can't wait to continue on this journey with Jacinda and Will. show less

Much like Die For Me and Blood and Chocolate, I really like Firelight and I don’t have a particularly good reason as to why. They’re all part of the same genre of tangled love triangles and young paranormal romance and messy YA fantasy which I usually hate but not always. It’s a tricky balance and general speaking, these are the types of books I slot into my “guilty pleasures” reading list.

Firelight is about Jacinda, a young draki, who is forcibly removed from her pride and into a desert town where her mother and sister encourage her to “be happy” and “stopping selfish” as the heat and isolation slowly kill the draki side of her. I think one of the reasons I stick with Firelight is because I genuinely like Jacinda and show more feel for her. The way she responds to things and her mix of anger and determination remind me of the person I was at her age. The people around her are overbearing and constantly trying to define her identity and it leads to her feeling trapped and unhappy for herself, but guilty about what she is doing to others, akin to gaslighting. It’s an uncomfortable place to be in, but I don’t feel Jordan has ever suggested it is “okay”.

I want Jacinda to win. I really do. I want her to find that third path that will let her pick her own destiny rather than be broken into a shape that others find pleasing. That’s why I like Firelight. I’m invested in this character. She deserves a win.

The romance itself is tacky and unbelievable. The relationships form way too quickly, the teenagers get away with a bunch of stuff, and the parents are fairly uninvolved. The “love story” borders on obsession. As Jordan is a successful historical romance writer, this swing makes sense coming from her, even if it’s a bit ridiculous. To me, the romance isn’t the plot. Jacinda’s future and identity is the plot. Other readers may disagree.

I enjoyed the draki as mythological creatures and I really want to know more about them. The closest I can describe them are dragon-shapeshifters, but Jacinda herself shuts down the word “dragon”. The mythological aspects of the world building are interesting to me even though the contemporary aspects are stereotypical and dull. The story behind the draki and the hunters rolls out slowly throughout the book, so it’s easy to see that Jordan is still presenting her world rather than info-dumping too much at the beginning, which I can appreciate.

Can I recommend Firelight as a good book everyone should read? No, absolutely not. I can recommend Firelight as an easy ready that’s a bit cheesy but has enough character and development to be enjoyable to the right reader. I like it, but I am fully aware it is no masterpiece. If you want something indulgent and quick, it’s not a bad read at all. show less

Firelight was a delightful discovery I made while I was at the library browsing the YA section. The cover caught my attention and I thought I’d give it a go.

Instead of angels or shadowhunters, I ventured into a world of dragons and their descendants known as Draki. Dragons had long ago evolved into human form in order to survive as a species. The Draki still have the ability to take on dragon form especially in “fright or flight” moments. Any strong emotion can trigger it - provocation, stress, fear and in our heroine’s situation love.

Jacinda is a Draki. She loves her world and embraces her dragon-self but not so much the stifling restrictions of the “pride” she lives with. There’s a fantastic showdown between the Draki show more and the dragon hunters featuring a cave scene with a very tender, life-changing moment. There’s talk of having her mate with Cassian, the alpha Draki of her tribe. In a desperate effort to escape the controlling hand of the pride, her mom packs up the family, including Jacinda’s twin sister, Tamra. They move to a nice quite town hoping to start a new life. Blending in is a whole lot easier for Tamra than it is for Jacinda for a number of reasons.

Jacinda struggles throughout the book. Torn between familial duty to her mom and sister, especially now that Tamra is so happy and her own desperation to stay true to that other part of herself, endeared Jacinda to me.

And then of course there’s Will, the hot guy at school (because is there any other kind in YA books?). They have an instant connection that feeds both their needs (and it’s not dirty so get your mind out of the gutter.)

I was completely enamored with Jacinda. I found her confusion and struggles so typical of many teenagers. But where Jacinda is honest with herself, Will practically runs for the hills from his own demons and ssshhhhh….secrets! I thought the author did a fine job of addressing their emotional turmoil. I also enjoyed that in this scenario, the female is the stronger, more decisive character who is working on herself and in the process helping the guy find his own voice.

I will say that after finishing the book I wish I could’ve seen things from Tamra’s perspective. It would’ve been fascinating to see how where the one sister who used to struggle, is now thriving and fitting in while the other sister feels incomplete. Obviously, that’s completely at the writer’s discretion but if she ever writes it from Tamra’s point of view, I’d love to check it out.

I definitely didn’t like the typical entitled, high-maintenance beeotch in the book but I suppose that’s inevitable in any high school. Thankfully, Jacinda and Will more than made up for that unpleasant prat.

I highly recommend reading this book, particularly impressionable teenage girls. I think that under the surface, is a beautiful message, much like Jacinda herself. She's a quiet, self-assured heroine and I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, Vanish.

Bel @ www.bibliojunkies.blogspot.com show less

I have read many wonderful reviews of this book, and while I never go for books based solely on reviews; I am so glad I picked this one up. I have been steering away from the Vampires and Were's for a bit now, and wasn't too sure about reading a book with another mystical creature as the main character. But Firelight was a great trip from the norm.
We all have read the books about fairies, vampires, were's, and even witches.. but how often do you find an engaging book about "dragons". I know that technically Jacinda isn't a dragon, but that is what I imagine a Draki really is, they are after all descended from dragons, so in my eyes they would be dragons that look more human.
We meet Jacinda and her friend Az first in the book, when they show more are breaking one of the rules of their pride by flying during the day. They are quickly pursued by hunters and Jacinda is almost caught. This is our first meeting of Will.
After narrowly escaping the cave and the hunters Jacinda is found by her pride, then shortly after that her mother packs them up and they flee in the middle of the night. They end up in this little desert town, where the girls; Jacinda and her twin sister Tamara; are enrolled into public "human" school.
Here is where you get the normal high school drama, along with getting more of the elusive Will. A rocky relationship forms between Will and Jacinda. And we meet Will's hunter cousins, Xander and Angus. Jacinda learns that being close to Will will keep her Draki alive, while the whole time her mother is hoping that by being in the desert it will kill off Jacinda's Draki.
The forbidden love of Jacinda and Will is really enough to keep me reading and then with the added intrusion of Cassin ( soon to be Alpha of the pride) I couldn't put the book down.

The ending left me wanting the next book in the series;[bc:Vanish|9436632|Vanish (Firelight, #2)|Sophie Jordan|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298940410s/9436632.jpg|14321219]; really Sept. 6th can't get here fast enough..I'm thinking early birthday present!! show less

This book is Twilight meets Nightshade. AKA: FABULOUS!

This book was fantastic. This is easily one of my new favorite series. I can't wait to read the next book. The story never dragged and was easily accepted as possible. Even when I was forced to put it down I was still thinking about the characters and the storyline. I wasn't sure how I would receive the Dragon concept, but I found the Draki history and details very believable. I never found mayself asking why or how about any of the things they said or did. I enjoyed this new paranormal spin very much. The overall storyline was very complicated without being overbearing and contained a lot of different storylines which developed smoothly throughout the whole book. It was an show more effortless read.

I love Will's character. He does remind me of Edward minus the vampire aspect. He is mysterious, steamy, and passionate, especially about jacinda. When we get glimpses into the real Will it is breathtaking. I can't wait to read the next installment where I hope we get more of Will. This book was mostly focused on Jacinda and developing her character. It is told from her perspective. She is a strong protagonist and easily likeable. The realtionships she has with all the different characters are well developed and very interesting. And they are different with all of them. I love Tamra's part in the story and how she and jacinda interact. I am very interested to get to know Cassian. I think that he is going to be like Ren in Nightshade, resented but interesting and then well liked. I think that Cassian may end up being the character we grow to like and then feel bad for.

I couldn't read fast enough with this story. I continually wanted more of all of it. There was not a lot of predictability about it. There was one part towards the end that I saw coming but it didn't develop as I thought just started as I predicted. The only complaint that I have about this book which prevented me from giving it 5 stars was the ending. Fro m an author's perspective I would say it was genius. Form the reader's perspective I found it to be a little unfulfilling. It ended right in the middle of a huge crescendo. Just as the story built and built to the point of climax, it ended. I was left saying I can't believe that's how she ended it. It ofcourse makes me highly anticipate the next installment. I am dying to know what happens next. I want to see Will develop and see what happens to Tamra and Jacinda. I can't wait to read about Cassian and what his role will end up being in Jacinda's story.

Bottom line: I WANT MORE!! Can't wait! Right up there with Twilight and Shiver series! show less

Firelight is the first book in a series about modern descendants of dragons, the draki. Draki have developed the power to transform themselves into human form to hide from the men who would hunt them to extinction for profit. Jacinda, our narrator, is the last fire-breather of her pride and the victim of her pride's high expectations. She is already promised in marriage to Cassian, the son of an elder, doomed to a life of breeding to produce another fire-breather until one day, after a forbidden daylight flight, everything changes. Cornered by hunters, Jacinda is sure she is moments from death, until the hunter sent to find her spares her. Soon, Jacinda is being swept away from her home by her mother and sister to a place where she is show more forced to deny her very nature to survive, but when the very hunter who saved her life shows up in her new life, problems aren't far behind. Firelight is a fantastic start to a new YA series. The draki's nature and way of life is cleverly fleshed out. There is, of course, a convincing forbidden love story between two characters with undeniable chemistry. Jacinda makes a great narrator, pulled in so many different directions by all the people around her, yet determined to stay true to herself and her own draki nature. There's plenty of action and suspense to keep the pages turning, but never at the expense of the characters' development. I'm looking forward to reading more about Jacinda and the rest of the draki! show less