Vanish

October 1, 2011

Gr 8-11-Jacinda is a draki-she can shift from human to dragon form on command. She's done the unthinkable-shown her true form to a human, and a hunter at that. But she did so to save his life, because she happens to be in love with him. Jacinda is rescued by her sister, who suddenly manifests her draki form for the first time, and by Cassian, son of the draki pride leader. Jacinda and her sister both have powers that have not been seen in the pride in several generations, and so they stand out-yet Jacinda repeatedly risks her life and the secrecy of the pride to be with Will. Resting on touches of a "Twilight" story line and the shape-shifting many-powered beings does not help this supernatural romance stand out of the pack. A sequel to Firelight (HarperCollins, 2010), it opens mid-action, leaving first-time readers feeling a bit left out. There is not enough character depth to believe Jacinda's obsessive school-girl love, and the setting is only lightly developed. The draki world may have been formed in the first book, but does not carry through to the second. The ending leaves no doubt that there is more to come. Purchase where there is a following for the first book.-Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2011

What's a dragon-girl to do when she's in love with a boy who hunts dragons?

In this first sequel to Jordon's Firelight (2010), Jacinda and her family return to the hidden mountain home of the draki "pride." Her twin sister, Tamra, finally manifests into a draki that can cloud humans' minds, making her as valuable to the pride as Jacinda with her fire-breathing ability. However, their mother and, especially, Jacinda face punishment for the infractions they've committed. Jacinda decides to take her lumps, try to fit in again and forget her heartthrob Will—until Will shows up in town (you knew they'd meet again somehow). Meanwhile, Jacinda also finds herself reluctantly attracted to Cassian, the young draki prince Tamra loves. Although the romantic entanglements fit the usual romance-novel pattern, the author manages to keep suspense high with thrilling fights and several escapes. Additionally, she touches on a theme of freedom versus authoritarianism within the essentially dictatorial draki society. Despite the fact that it's the second in a series, this installment stands on its own quite well. The author manages to explain the essentials from the previous plot without taking up too much space. Staple genre plot points abound, such as the impossibly handsome love interest and star-crossing impediments to love. Characterizations work well despite this.

Overall, predictable but still imaginative, formulaic but still suspenseful. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2011
Grades 8-12 Jacinda returns to the draki pride in their mountain village in this sequel to Firelight (2010), but her joy is short-lived. She is shunned for her transgressions, while her sister becomes a celebrity after manifesting into a rare shader draki. Jacinda works hard to earn the pride's forgiveness and forget Will, her human lover, even beginning a semi-reluctant but smoldering relationship with Cassian. None of this matters when Will appears and the reunited pair impulsively decide to run away. There are plenty of suspenseful fights and escapes, but this middle book is focused on the steamy love triangle, driven by Jacinda's frustrating lack of foresight. Though predictable, this paranormal romance series remains compelling.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)