Tag Archives: dragons

Review: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

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The third installment in the Fourth Wing series started off pretty well and then was a bit of a slog in the middle before hitting with the big finale at the end. I wouldn’t say this was the best in the series. It didn’t have the same sense of purpose as the first two. Which is weird since we have three books in the world, and we have a better sense of the world and what is at stake. Part of it might have been that the scenes between Violet and Xaden were a bit tedious. Which is a problem since they are the heart of the story. This might show my age, but their obsession with each other is beyond toxic. Like, they really need to go to therapy. I do appreciate that at least other characters do call out how truly problematic their relationship is. So at least, it’s not gone on notice and younger readers will read it and think As entertaining as this story is, their relationship should not be relationship goals by any means.

My real issue with this book was the middle. It spent way more time island hopping, looking for Adarna’s dragon family. I can understand what Yarros was going for. It not only expanded the world. Showed that not everywhere in this world has magic or mystical creatures and gave more incite into the Gods of this world. I do have a feeling that they will be playing a bigger role as the story moves forward. However, I stopped caring if they ever found the Irid dragons and even forgot at one point why they were doing all of it in the first place. All I can say is that whatever was trying to be set up in this portion of the book better pay off in later books. So yeah, a good installment to the story. Not great, but good. The ending does set up a pretty interesting storyline for the next book. Let’s hope Yarros can keep the momentum going.

Review: His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

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Dragons, but set it in the time of the Napoleonic wars, this was so fun. So, this is the beginning of a series and follows Captain Will Laurence and Temeraire as they prepare to defend England from invading French forces. Temeraire is born in the first part of the book and Laurence is a naval captain and not from England’s air defense, so we’re introduced to the world of fighting with dragons as they are. Temeraire is born from an egg that was captured from a French vessel with very little documentation, so he doesn’t even know what kind of dragon he is. So many different types are explored and explained as part of this search (we also get to meet them when Temeraire and Laurence are training and deployed.)

Temeraire is the best. My friend who recommended this book to me said that he has baby boy energy, and she was right. He’s without ego, curious, hardworking, and caring. I only want what is best for him and I love when that happens with a character. Because we learn about the dragon world as he does, I got caught up in his interest in his kind and the world. When he was angry at something, I was angry at something. When he did well, I was proud of him. This first installment ended with an answer to a question and some implied future danger, so I look forward to reading the next one. It was a lovely read.

So, if you like historical fiction with elements of fantasy, dragons, characters with baby boy energy, or any and all of the above, I really recommend this. It was a fun and touching adventure!

Quick Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

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I clearly have a type because I loved this book. It was so much fun. Yes, it does have Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Hunger Games vibe to it. Violet is about to start her education as a Rider even though all her life she was training to be a scribe. She has chronic illnesses so being a rider is not a good fit for her but her mom is the General and what the General wants she gets. Even if that means putting her own daughter at risk because the survival rate of this school is low. Like 20 students didn’t even live long enough to register. Students still sign up because the lure of being a dragon rider and proctecting their country from the enemy is too big. So Violet has to live through her classes and avoid being killed by her fellow students. Including Xaden Riorson, the son of the former traitor who blames her mom for his father’s death. If you love dragons, action stories, enemies to lover romances and found family stories. This series is for you. I do wish I knew this was a series before I started reading because now I’m anxiously waiting the sequel.

Quick Review: Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa

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In some ways I’m sorry that I read this book now when I was so distracted because it was a good book and a solid ending to an entertaining series. It took me a month to get read it not because I wasn’t enjoying it but that I just had trouble concentrating long enough to get what I was reading. I’ve talked about my struggle to read while self isolating. I’ve been doing some thinking and realized that maybe it’s not just that I’ve had hard time concentrating during this time but I also have a hard time concentrating on reading on home. In the before time, I did most of my reading during my commutes to and from work. I would read at home but usually no more than a chapter or two right before bed. For me to read as many books as I did before, I have to change my reading habits on a whole to do it. This kind of makes me feel better. Also I have to remind myself that I need to stop holding myself to the standards of life before the pandemic because we are not living in the world anymore and may never again. So enough about that. Let’s talk about this book.

We we last ended our heroes, they have to race across the country to get to wish point before Genno, who has all the pieces of the scroll summons the Dragon and gets his wish. Unknown to Yumeko, Tatsumi and gang there is another person out there that has been pulling the strings and the task ahead of them is much tougher than they thought. Yumeko continues to shine with her brave spirit and kind heart. Despite the risk she always did what she could to protect her friends and complete strangers. This strength is ultimately what gets her and her friends through all the trials along the way. The ending was admittingly heartbreaking but powerful and maybe the most realistic way to end. Which is kind of funny when you think about because Yumeko is a kitsune, Tatsumi is sharing his body with a Demon and they are trying to stop the bad guy from summoning a Dragon to get a wish. If you are looking for a good fantasy novel based on mythology but want something not based on western stories, this is a good series to check out. The rich Japanese folktales that fill this series really gives it a lush setting that works so well with the fantasy it created.

Review: Inferno by Julie Kagawa

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inferno The final book in the Talon Saga was kinda of a disappointment in the sense that I didn’t really love it only liked it.  It took a really long time to get going and for the final book the lack of urgency was a strange.  The characters kept telling each other about how the end is coming soon but really didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry to prepare for it until they had no choice to and then things Finally got going.  But damn, we had to go through a lot of things to get there.  There was the unnecessary trip to Brazil to meet an ancient dragon that was never mentioned before and there was another trip to Asia for the that we all knew how it would end up.  There were past mentioned characters showing up and taking up time for no reason but fit in one more heroic arc?  I don’t know.  The finale however was worth it though.  The final battle between the Rogues, St. George and Talon made up the lackluster beginning.  It had drama, suspense and melodrama all wrapped into one.  I appreciate the theme of the series being that even though we may be different, what we all want out of life is the same.  We want to live in peace and have freedom of choice.  And authoritative governments are bad.  The best way to bring down an oppressive regime is to overcome our differences and work together and learn from each other.  I very important message for today.  That’s what you should take away from this series in the end. I just wished the last book wasn’t so bogged down in so many side trips.

Quick Review: Legion by Julie Kagawa

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**I was granted a digital ARC of this book and read it a month ago.  Thank you Harlequin Teen for the advance**

Four books in and we finally learn what makes Ember so darn special and it’s creepy.  I won’t spoil it but let’s just say I look forward to seeing the leader of Talon being taken down.  She’s a real piece of work.  I also think she’s another argument as to why immortality or really Really long life spans are not a good idea.  It makes people do some really crazy insane things.  Anyways, fans of this series will be happy with this installment.  It picks up right where the cliffhanger ending of Soldier ended.  The stakes are higher now that the truth of the Order of St. George and Talon have been exposed.  The Order is complete disarray but Talon has a secret that we as readers know about but the characters don’t. So while, it was a good idea at the time to expose the leader of the Order, it also played right into Talon’s hands.  Talon has become the real big bad of the series.  The Order, while not at all innocent, has been played just as much as everyone else.  Their own prejudices and inability or willingness to try to think differently was their ultimate undoing.  As for our heroes.  They all do some growing up.  Constant near death experiences will do that to you.  The biggest lesson they have learned is if they are going to defeat Talon, they are going to have to work together and reach out to new allies, even if that means reaching out to old enemies too.  I believe there is only one more book left which is good because the ending really seems to have set up a potentially epic final battle between our heroes and Talon.  It’s been a fun ride.  I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.