Firelight
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...
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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.Publishers Weekly"magine loving someone... so much that you would give up all you ever wanted for yourself." It's one of the more insidious myths girls face: the need to lose one's very self to love. It's also the goal of Jacinda, the dragon-human "draki" for whom it's love at first sight when "bad boy" draki-hunter Will calls her beautiful. While the notion that women find their highest calling in self-sacrifice is common in romances, paranormal or otherwise, it's distressing to see it presented so plainly. Jacinda does have one other option: she can allow herself to become a flightless "broodmare" with the son of the draki pack alpha instead. The rest of the plot--the usual high school posturing, human/draki tensions, a mother who doesn't understand, a bratty sister--comes down to this choice of one romantic obliteration or the other. The prose in adult romance author Jordan's YA debut is solid, and there's no reason these star-crossed, cross-species lovers should be any less popular than their vampire and werewolf counterparts, which makes Jacinda's lack of independence all the more disappointing. Ages 12 up. (Sept.)
\ Publishers Weekly"magine loving someone... so much that you would give up all you ever wanted for yourself." It's one of the more insidious myths girls face: the need to lose one's very self to love. It's also the goal of Jacinda, the dragon-human "draki" for whom it's love at first sight when "bad boy" draki-hunter Will calls her beautiful. While the notion that women find their highest calling in self-sacrifice is common in romances, paranormal or otherwise, it's distressing to see it presented so plainly. Jacinda does have one other option: she can allow herself to become a flightless "broodmare" with the son of the draki pack alpha instead. The rest of the plot--the usual high school posturing, human/draki tensions, a mother who doesn't understand, a bratty sister--comes down to this choice of one romantic obliteration or the other. The prose in adult romance author Jordan's YA debut is solid, and there's no reason these star-crossed, cross-species lovers should be any less popular than their vampire and werewolf counterparts, which makes Jacinda's lack of independence all the more disappointing. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)\ \ \ \ \ Booklist“Jordan’s compelling addition to the supernatural star-crossed lovers theme is equal parts taut suspense and sensuous romance.”\ \ \ Children's LiteratureIn the world of the draki, human-appearing creatures that can manifest as dragons, Jacinda is unique. She is the first fire-breathing draki in generations and, as such, is valued by her pride as a breeder and marked to marry a future alpha male, Cassian. Her non-draki mother and sister are treated scornfully by the pride and decide to leave, taking Jacinda with them, to a desert town where the arid climate will suppress dragon tendencies. Jacinda turns into a sulky teen who rebels when her mother forbids her to have a relationship with Will, dark, broody, and the scion of a family of dragon hunters. Opposites attract, and who could be more opposite than a hunter and his prey? Still, something about Will calls to Jacinda and ignites her inner fire, in the most literal sense. Also, the pride has not given up on Jacinda as the mother of fire-breathers, and Cassian pursues her into the mortal world to win her back to his mountain lair. The triangulation on love and brawny young men who easily profess their love with no adolescent awkwardness, closely mimics the Twilight books, so there will be a ready audience for Firelight and its inevitable sequels. Author Jordan is a writer of historical romances, and this book is full of the heavy breathing and dark secrets of that genre. However, there is no actual bodice-ripping, so it will be appropriate to recommend this copycat novel to teen girls looking for equal parts of romance and fantasy. Reviewer: Lois Rubin Gross\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 7 Up—Jacinda is extraordinary—even for a draki (descendants of dragons who can shift into human form): she is a fire-breather. Unique and invaluable to her "pride," the 16-year-old is kept on a short leash, and it has already been ordained that she will mate with the alpha male, Cassian. Jacinda's determination to do things her own way finds her nearly captured by dragon hunters, but a surprisingly kind young hunter named Will allows her to escape. Rather than suffer the pride's punishment for her daughter's risky behavior, Jacinda's mother decides the family should flee to live among regular humans. Masquerading as a typical high school student would bury Jacinda's draki nature until it died out. When Will turns out to be a classmate, Jacinda finds that her inexplicable attraction to him keeps her feel of fire and flight alive. Being near a hunter is the most dangerous choice Jacinda can make, yet her desire for him—and need to preserve her inner dragon—cannot be ignored. This distinctive twist on the popular supernatural romance theme will appeal to fans of the genre, even if a lack of resolution at this story's culmination may frustrate some readers. "Twilight" fans ready to move beyond vampires will jump right in.—Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ\ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsDragon shapeshifters steam more than sparkle in this romantic fantasy. High schooler Jacinda is the treasure of her "draki" pride, the first firebreather in centuries. But after flouting the rules once too often, she is forced to flee to a "normal" human life that leaves her dragon-self withering--until she meets Will. Although his family hunts her kind, she can't resist the immediate attraction. But any involvement with Will endangers all dragonkind, and her intended draki mate isn't ready to let her go. The first-person, present-tense narration fires up the intensity with short choppy sentences and vivid sensual descriptions. Jacinda's self-centered viewpoint scarcely acknowledges any other character--even Will displays little personality beyond being Beautiful, Tortured and Desperately in Love. Some might cavil at the instantaneous passionate bond between lovers who keep so many secrets and wonder at the implausible logistics of draki society. But this isn't a story for skeptics; it's all about swooning at the tragic star-crossed love, savoring the brooding jealousy of the obligatory triangle and agonizing over the abrupt cliffhanger ending. Just surrender to the sizzle. (Paranormal romance. YA)\ \ \ \ \ \ Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“Jacinda and Will’s intensely sexy scenes together will leave romance readers fired up for the planned sequel.”\ \ \ \ \ Romantic Times Starred Review“Jordan executes a refreshing and exciting tale of forbidden supernatural love and desire. Jacinda is strong and spunky, just like her story. Readers won’t be able to put down this remarkable YA debut. An ethereal series start, Firelight should not be missed.”\ \ \ \ \ The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books“Jacinda and Will’s intensely sexy scenes together will leave romance readers fired up for the planned sequel.”\ \
