Firelight: Read. This. Book. Seriously, read this book.

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.

Book Review:
Firelight by Sophie Jordan

5 stars out of 5

Read. This. Book. Seriously, read this book. I've read stacks of books this year, and this is in my top 3 because it sucked me in completely. I read it in one sitting (finishing at 3:00 a.m.) because I could NOT put it down. It was original, refreshing, and ROMANTIC. You can tell Sophie Jordan's a romance novelist--the romance in this book had me swept away with every glance, every little touch between Jacinda and Will. I LOVED THIS BOOK. Can I say that loudly enough?

It all started when my friend passed me a copy of this book and said, "Read it. It will be like reading Twilight for the first time." What she meant was it will suck you in, you'll stay up all night reading it, and you'll feel like a teenager in love all over again. Now, I read my share of the classics and the deep, literary-type books, but I LOVE a good escapist read. Firelight was one of the very best "let's get away from it all and escape into a fresh, new world" books I've read all year.

The premise (a race of human-like creatures descended from dragons) felt fresh and original. I've read about WAAAAAY too many werewolves this year, and Sophie Jordan's world felt new and exciting. AND THE ROMANCE. Seriously, I LOVED Jacinda and Will. They felt real and complex and had AMAZING chemistry. They become people I cared about, and by the end of the book, my heart was breaking, too. I was also intrigued by Cassian. I can't wait to read more about his motives and his true intentions regarding Jacinda in the sequel. And speaking of sequels, fall 2011 is feeling like a long way away right now! I have some predictions regarding Tamra's future, and I can't wait to find out if I'm right!

Jacinda was a strong heroine trying to find her place between two worlds, and I thought her anxiety and emotions felt very realistic. I didn't find her whiny at all---her mother was trying to kill a very real part of who Jacinda is in her mother’s attempts to protect Jacinda, and of course Jacinda's going to fight that. I have read the inner thoughts and MANY whiny heroines this year, and Jacinda's voice felt fresh and real in a good way.

Seriously, buy this book. After I read it, I had to have it for my shelf. It was the most "Oh my gosh--they're looking at each other and I can't breathe" book I've read in a long time. Intriguing characters, original premise, lush prose, and intoxicating romance. I am waiting with bated breath for Book 2...