Iron Flame (Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG did I love both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame!!! I became thoroughly invested in Violet and Xaden's story because after all they are the main focus in both books besides all the other tings going on in the plot. Without revealing anything about the ending; I am a reader who really enjoys redemptive endings. Xaden and Violet have had many ups and downs in their relationship (& in their lives)---I beg Rebecca Yarros to really think about the 3rd book in the series and Violet & Xaden's love. Please write a redemptive book that gives hope...Yes, these books were violent, yes there are many evil characters, but write some kind of magic that will give Violet & Xaden a lasting relationship with their dragons that is not about killing but finding the truth.

View all my reviews

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to Donna Gola for her enthusiastic recommendation of this book! I could not stop reading about Violet's world, the dragons, her friends/riders (enemies too) in the Fourth Wing. Yarros did a wonderful world building, descriptions of Basgiath War College and the trials Violet & the other cadets must endure (many die) to stay alive and become riders. Violet is the daughter of the Commander so she already has a strike against her- she has brittle bones & is considered "frail" so why would her mother force her to become a rider rather than a scribe? This book will grab you from page 1, it is a very satisfying must read---and did I almost forgot about ruthless handsome Xaden Riosen, who also hates her? Get comfy and start reading this scintillating fantasy of dragons, lies, love, and friendship!

View all my reviews

Fury of Persuasion (Dragonfury Scotland, #4) by Coreene Callahan

Fury of Persuasion by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love this series so much and it finds Vyroth, missing for months trapped in a prison, unable to get to his pack, but a High Energy female Nikki comes to his aid, how will this turn out? You will love it!

View all my reviews

Fury of Denial (Dragonfury Scotland Book 3) by Coreene Callahan

Fury of Denial by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blind dragon warrior, Wallaig, rescues Elise's best friend and pastry chef, Amantha as the evil rogue pack of dragons closes in, Wallaig is alone against 9 dragons. Will Wallaig and Amantha become lovers or enemies.

View all my reviews

Fury of Shadows (Dragonfury Scotland Book 2) by Coreene Callahan

Fury of Shadows by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the 2nd in the Dragonfury Scotland series with pack leader, Cyprus rescuing a rare book librarian, Elise as he is fighting an enemy. Loved this 2nd book, looking forward to the next dragon adventure!

View all my reviews

Fury of a Highland Dragon (Dragonfury: Scotland, #1) by Coreene Callahan

Fury of a Highland Dragon by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a 1st book in the Dragonfury: Scotland, #1 series and introduces all the dragons but the main character is Tydrin, a 1/2human dragon who has not been able to forgive himself for accidentally killing a human couple 20 years ago. As he goes to the cemetery for his annual visit, he stumbles upon Ivy Macpherson, crying over her parents deaths, when he also sees 2 men in dark suits with guns, ordering Ivy to surrender. Tydrin rescues her, makes her his, and shows her his dragon side. I could not put this book down, loved the suspense, and the conclusion was perfect! I am going to read this whole series!

View all my reviews

Fury of Ice (Dragonfury, #2) by Coreene Callahan

Fury of Ice by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The 2nd in the Dragonfury series, this dragon romance mystery involves the turning of a human into a water dragon and on the bad side, there is an evil dragon who is abducting strong women for a breeding experiment.

View all my reviews

Burn by Patrick Ness

Burn by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book awesomely Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. I loved the audiobook version of this historical fiction book that also weaves in drag0ns, humans, goodness/evil, Russia and satellites. I loved Sarah and Jason both good, kind, honest teens who are hated by the locally racist sheriff because Sarah' mom was black and Jason's parents are Japanese. But life in 1957 is not always fair and Sarah's dad hires a dragon to burn their fields. But this blue dragon is highly intelligent, has a message for Sarah, and has evil forces working against them. When Sarah, Jason, the sheriff and the dragon clash, something awful happens, and that brings an assassin into the picture too. Malcolm is a Believer, who has been groomed to kill someone. He is great with knives and dangerous. As he falls in love with another man; another no no from the racist sheriff; they run away together and are pursued by law enforcement. I loved this book until they arrived in a new alternate universe and then the story just got bogged down bringing the reader up to speed in the new world. Evil was raging here and with Covid I find some books and what happens in them really turn me off, just like this book.

View all my reviews

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Random House Books for Young Readers for the advance reader copy Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman in exchange for an honest review. I just have to say, WHAT AN AWESOME COVER!!! Tess is such a different (not really likable all the time) character; as a child, she is always being spanked for the wrong things she says and does. But living in medieval Goredd, is not easy when you have a mother who is so angered and malevolent because too late realizes she married a man who slept with a dragon and has produced Seraphina, a human/dragon. Tess’ mother prays to the bad saints and instills this scary religion into her children. As an adolescent, Tess makes a huge mistake and puts her family’s and her own future at risk. As she mightily endeavors to get her sister married; Tess keeps making MORE mistakes. She speaks out when she shouldn’t, she punches a minister, now her family is going to put her with the nuns for the rest of her life. But Tess meets up with an old friend, who is a quigutl-a small dragon, and Patha is on a mission to meet a High Serpent (Dragon) and invites Tess to come. Dressed as a boy, Tess flees with Patha and as they try to exist with no money and food; Tess realizes she likes to work, using her hands and muscles, and she likes the adventure of the road. Tess still has her personal problems and constantly trying to forget her past- but will confronting her past and the forgiveness of the road, work for Tess? You must read this funny, heartbreaking fantasy about a girl who feels unloved and unlovable; and striking out on her own (with Patha) finds redemption on the road with dragons, and with much drama finds her place in life. I rooted for Tess from page one; readers will enjoy her adventures and growth!

View all my reviews

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Firelight by Sophie Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of my twitter chat with #yearofya January topic of 1st in a female fantasy series when we will be discussing all of our read, please join us 1/30 at 8PM EST. Jacinda is a drake which is a dragon/human. She can become a dragon and lives in a pride with her mother (her father died) and her sister, Tamra who is not a draki at all. Jacinda is also a firebreather and there has not been one for hundreds of years so the pride wants her to make more fire breathing dragons with Cassian (a childhood friend) whose father is head of the pride. Jacinda can also take human form and remain that way but if she is angered or upset she can't help becoming a dragon and that is a big problem. Jacinda and her friend sneak out one night to fly around (prohibited) but find they are being pursued by the human hunters who hunt for these draki- in the process of getting away Jacinda's wing is compromised and she must hide in a cave which is on a pond. There a human hunter, Will, finds her but does not alert the other hunters instead telling them nothing is there. Jacinda gets in so much trouble, her mom panics and makes them all leave in the dead of night, but Jacinda can't stop thinking about the hunter, his eyes and his wet hair. Imagine her surprise when this guy is at her new high school and they are increasingly drawn to each other. I loved this first in a series and will be finishing the other 2 books. When I taught an online course at Arcadia University, my students raved about this book!

View all my reviews

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved the world building, characters, and skill of Kelly Barnhill's sumptuous fantasy feast. Luna is a baby when she is inadvertently fed moonlight by friendly witch Xan. So rather than have another family raise her Xan, a swamp monster, Glerk and tiny dragon, Fyrian all lovingly tend to Luna as she grows. For luscious middle grade read, you will not get much better. An excellent fairy tale for all!

View all my reviews

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers and Random House Children’s for this ARC, Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman. This second Seraphina book warmed my heart---Half-dragon Seraphina is key to trying to save her country from war with the dragons and also help the half-dragons unite (her garden of grotesques consists of half-dragons Orma conditioned her to create and tend to every evening---very interesting). On the other hand, warmed as in made my blood boil, with the heinous half-dragon Jannuola, who has the ability to use her dragon light to possess people, hook her evil into them, and make them do her bidding. At every turn, Jannoula thwarts Seraphina while making the human/villagers believe she is blessed and a compassionate do-gooder. Rachel Hartman did such an awesome job with her deep world building, fully meshed characters (Abdo, Eskar, Camba, Ingar, and Blanche- to name a few of my favorites) and the magical, mystical history of the dragon world; I was spell bound and captivated. I rooted for Seraphina and her many conflicts. Will she deliver the ityasaari to Prince Lucian Kiggs and Queen Gisselda? A ripping good read, highly recommended for fantasy/dragon lovers!

View all my reviews

The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub Morris Challenge and what wonderful writing, storytelling, and dragons and their history seamlessly interwoven into a story that features so many strong protagonists! Siobhan McQuaid becomes Owen Trondheim's bard- she is a little nerdy, loves composing and playing music and once she and Owen are late for the first day of school- it is in detention that they become friends and partners in Owen's job as dragon slayer. Both Owen and Siobhan's parents are strong characters too with Owen's aunts (married to each other) who raised him while his father roams the countryside killing dragons. His very famous Aunt Lottie (her wife, Hannah does other kind of training but is not famous) trains him. Together they all decide to change the way dragon slayers are chosen (family lines) and re-write the dragon charter and begin enlisting volunteers to help guard against the ever increasing dragon onslaught. A ripping good read and I am looking forward to more dragon and Owen stories from E.K. Johnston!

View all my reviews