Firelight by Sophie Jordan

The descendants of dragons have been in hiding for a very, very long time. There are those in the world who would hunt them, and use the magical properties of draki blood for their own purposes. After Jacinda leaves the hidden compound and has a run-in with hunters, her clan's fury forces her family to flee. Now, she's living in the desert where it's too hot to change her shape and take to the sky. The one bright spot of her exile is Will. She knows his family are dragon hunters, but she can't keep herself from thinking of him, or seeking out his company. Can the descendant of dragons ever find a way to be with the son of a dragon hunter? And can Jacinda hold her own against her clan leader, who is determined to bring her home again?

The "Romeo and Juliet" setup has been done before, and it's the basis of many paranormal romance stories. That being said, Ms. Jordan does an excellent job of holding the tension, even while the relationship is building. Fans of the Twilight series who are looking for something similar should look no further. Firelight has everything readers loved about Twilight, with a whole new creature mythology to explore.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Astrid’s always just believed her mother was crazy. It was the only explanation that made sense. After all, who would believe a woman that ranted and raved about man-eating unicorns was in her right mind? But that was before. Now, Astrid has no choice but to accept that her mother was right. There are unicorns in the world, and not the pretty, sparkly kind from children’s picture books. Only the female descendants of Alexander the Great can take them on, so Astrid and her newly discovered distant relatives are on the fast track for warrior training. They’ve got to learn to fight the unicorns, before it’s too late.

Diana Peterfreund has managed to turn mythology on its ear with this exciting new tale. As with any book in the “everything you thought you knew is a lie” strain of fiction, there’s a lot of exposition to be had. However, Ms. Peterfreund has managed to fit the exposition in amongst the action in a near perfect balance that keeps the reader following along, always ready for more. The ending leaves open the possibility of a sequel, but the story is by no means incomplete in and of itself. Rampant is altogether enjoyable, and well worth your time.

Wake by Lisa McMann

Janie has an unusual problem. Whenever someone near her is dreaming, she is somehow sucked into the dream with them. At times, the dreamers see her and ask her to help them, but she can't seem to figure out how. She's never told anyone about her ability, or her curse; but that changes when her classmate Cabel gets sucked into one of his own dreams along with Janie. As Janie learns to control the dreams, she struggles to help the dreamers find peace. But can she also find a way to help Cabel in the dangerous life he's chosen for himself?

The premise of this book is one I don't remember seeing before, and it pulled me in immediately. Lisa McMann's writing style is the perfect complement to the story. Wake is both exciting and emotionally engaging, and I can't wait for the sequel. Fade, the second book in a proposed trilogy, will be released February 10, 2009.