ARC Review: FIRELIGHT

Author: Sophie Jordan

Format:Hardcover

Dimensions:336 Pages, 6.6 x 9.03 x 1.4 in

Published:September 7, 2010

Publisher:HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS

ISBN - 10:0061935085
ISBN - 13:9780061935084

List Price: $18.99 CAD; $16.99 US

Purchase At: Chapters , Amazon

Rating: 5/5

 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 of her kind, she nearly pays with her life, only to be spared by a beautiful stranger sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki--a descendant of dragons whose ability to shift into human form is her best defense.

Forced to flee into the mortal world, Jacinda struggles to adapt. The one bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irrestibly 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 a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

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

I was extremely lucky to have the chance in reading Firelight before its release date. It is a book which has been on my radar and found itself on my Need to read - it became an obsession to say the least.

Firelight introduces the YA world to draki - evolved dragons who can manifest and demanifest, keeping their human form. Their human form allows them to be protected from the humans who hunt them. Our heroine, Jacinda is a rare breed of draki and the first fire breather to be born in her pack - actually the first to be born in generations. This makes Jacinda an extremely sought after commodity by the more dominant members in her pack.

Jacinda is brave and craves flight. Flight however is hard to par take in without mountain cover, lush greenery and fog. Without these elements, it is easy for the hunter to find the draki. Draki are hunted and Jacinda is no exception. The opening pages sees our heroine fighting for her life.

This story took me on a completely unexpected ride. Firstly, it's about dragons - draki who have adapted taking human form to survive a world full of greed. I found it beyond interesting how Sophie created this world. It takes from myth about dragons existing and the ways in which they have had to adapt to the ever growing threat of humanity. Secondly, the novel was completely engrossing. I found myself not being able to put the book down. I needed to be with Jacinda. I needed to feel the wind on my face, and the thirst for water and moisture on my skin. Her character is so compelling, you feel as if you are sorrowing through the clouds beside her - you feel her pain as her body tries to do the impossible. The different types of draki was also intriguing. I hope the different draki are explored more in the next book.

There are a lot of struggles that our poor Jacinda has to go through. She’s a fire breathing draki, who lives for flight and can’t understand the decisions her mother has made. Then of course there is her battle with herself. Jacinda finds herself battling what she wants and the needs of her family (her mother and sister) - there’s also that small problem of the two guys in her life, Cassian and Will. Even with all the inner struggles Jacinda sees herself dealing with, she is still strong and determined. She is willing to fight for both what she wants and the responsibility of making her mother and sister happy. I also loved how determined she was to keep her identity - there is no strive to conform and be accepted as something she is not.

Then of course you have Will. Will is the male version of Jacinda - struggling to be free of his family, who doesn’t understand him. Like Jacinda, he is forced into an unwilling role for his ability. Will is caring, loving, understanding, and protective. I can't wait to see where Sophie takes his character next.

I could feel the raw emotion in each of the characters as the novel progressed and their relationships intensified. Sophie Jordan’s Firelight was an exhilarating ride, filled with characters who I couldn’t get enough of! If you have yet to read anything on dragons, I highly recommend Firelight. I also recommend this novel for the YA paranormal/unique lovers out there. This book soared past all of my expectations and I couldn't be happier. I know I'll be picking up a hardcover copy...will you?

*I would like to thank Melissa at HarperCollins Canada for this ARC copy.

-Ashley