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ehmannky's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Another fun foray into bonkers erotica from Ruby Dixon. I did have fun reading this, but I think part of the reason I love the Ice Planet Barbarian books so much is that there are no human men and the world, for all its ice dangers, just doesn't fundamentally suck like this world does. I'm intrigued enough to eventually read the sequel (I am interested in seeing if they ever build a community since that's also what I felt was kind of lacking) and again, it's a weird good time, but it just wasn't up to my usual enjoyment of Dixon's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Violence, and Gun violence
smuttymcbookface's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Coming from Ice Planet Barbarians, I felt like I was ideal candidate for Fire in his Blood. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.
I found that the plot was very slow, and the world building didn't go beyond "a rift opened in the sky and sucked us all through." Maybe the rift will be explained more in the future? And I get that only so much can happen when a lot of the book is them trapped in the top floor of an old skyscraper, but I've read books with forced proximity for the majority of the plot that I did not find dull.
Add on to that, I did not like the FMC at all. I get that she was all survivor instincts, considering everything through, but I just did not find her likeable. Particularly whenshe was genuinely considered yeeting her "best friend" off the back of a dragon; her friend who has a broken arm and likely fractured ribs because she tried to help FMCs sister out.
Also, fair warning that there was more non/dub con in this than IPB (which I didn't mind).
I found that the plot was very slow, and the world building didn't go beyond "a rift opened in the sky and sucked us all through." Maybe the rift will be explained more in the future? And I get that only so much can happen when a lot of the book is them trapped in the top floor of an old skyscraper, but I've read books with forced proximity for the majority of the plot that I did not find dull.
Add on to that, I did not like the FMC at all. I get that she was all survivor instincts, considering everything through, but I just did not find her likeable. Particularly when
Also, fair warning that there was more non/dub con in this than IPB (which I didn't mind).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Blood, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Gun violence, and Violence
tostita's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
I was drawn into the post-apocalyptic world that's set up here and I could identify with the main female character even if I didn't always appreciate her choices, but I did not care for the male main character. He really felt like an animal and not a person at the beginning of the story, and even by the end he was not a person I would care to spend any time with. The consent issues are numerous. This is probably my least favorite book in this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault
kb33's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
This was half smut in a book that really needed more plot. Claudia lives on earth after it’s been flooded with violent, destructive, murdering dragons, and lives inside Fort Dallas. And we know from the synopsis that she falls in love with a dragon and wants to save her sister and her best friend, but there isn’t much more to it than that. Claudia doesn’t even ask Kael why the dragons came. And she’s so hypnotized by good d that she doesn’t ask about her injured, kidnapped friend for a week. That’s the book in a sentence. A woman gets hypnotized by good dragon d.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Animal death, Blood, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Pregnancy, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Domestic abuse, and Confinement
torilovesheas's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 ⭐️
Well. I’m finally doing to dragons. And while this is pretty different than any other Ruby Dixon book, it still had so many of the elements I love to see in her stories: obsessed MMC, humor and levity mixed in with the seriousness, and unique sci-fi worldbuilding that’s equal parts fascinating and easy for my pea brain to understand.
A post apocalyptic earth (which we saw in Icehome!) overrun by dragons that have pretty much destroyed everything isn’t your typical romance set up. But if I love anything, it’s gritty post apocalyptic romance settings. Claudia has pretty much gotten the shit end of the stick with life, even in an absolutely hell hole world, so when she’s sacrificed to a dragon by really god awful military dudes, it’s just one more thing heaped on to her.
Obviously this is RD, so Kael just wants to love her and care for her but between the language barrier and her desperate desire to return for her sister and bestie, Claudia is a bit of a pain in the ass. At least a pain in MY ass. Kael is a smitten kitten, burning cows for her meals and finding her lakes to bathe in like a gent. Plus everytime he calls her Claud-ah, I laughed like a hyena. What a dork.
But Claudia is one of those characters that frustrates me. I understood her desire to return for her sister and best friend to save them but she refuses to use the one weapon in her arsenal the humans can’t destroy: Kael. There’s a good chunk of the book with her lamenting her lot instead of USING this devoted dragon to fuck up the city’s shit.
If this wasn’t an author I love and trust, I probably wouldn’t continue the series, but much like Hannah and Bridget from Icehome and Liz from IPB, I’m going to lump Claudia in with the rest of Ruby’s “lovable pain in the ass crew” and go to the next one, which is Claud-ah’s bestie’s book and I am INTRIGUED.
Well. I’m finally doing to dragons. And while this is pretty different than any other Ruby Dixon book, it still had so many of the elements I love to see in her stories: obsessed MMC, humor and levity mixed in with the seriousness, and unique sci-fi worldbuilding that’s equal parts fascinating and easy for my pea brain to understand.
A post apocalyptic earth (which we saw in Icehome!) overrun by dragons that have pretty much destroyed everything isn’t your typical romance set up. But if I love anything, it’s gritty post apocalyptic romance settings. Claudia has pretty much gotten the shit end of the stick with life, even in an absolutely hell hole world, so when she’s sacrificed to a dragon by really god awful military dudes, it’s just one more thing heaped on to her.
Obviously this is RD, so Kael just wants to love her and care for her but between the language barrier and her desperate desire to return for her sister and bestie, Claudia is a bit of a pain in the ass. At least a pain in MY ass. Kael is a smitten kitten, burning cows for her meals and finding her lakes to bathe in like a gent. Plus everytime he calls her Claud-ah, I laughed like a hyena. What a dork.
But Claudia is one of those characters that frustrates me. I understood her desire to return for her sister and best friend to save them but she refuses to use the one weapon in her arsenal the humans can’t destroy: Kael. There’s a good chunk of the book with her lamenting her lot instead of USING this devoted dragon to fuck up the city’s shit.
If this wasn’t an author I love and trust, I probably wouldn’t continue the series, but much like Hannah and Bridget from Icehome and Liz from IPB, I’m going to lump Claudia in with the rest of Ruby’s “lovable pain in the ass crew” and go to the next one, which is Claud-ah’s bestie’s book and I am INTRIGUED.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Animal death, Sexual content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy
beccaand's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
don't really ~vibe~ with the "mates but i can't communicate properly with you" trope (is this a monster romance, a Ruby Dixon, or a Fireblood Dragons thing? needs more research)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Kidnapping, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
sdemo08's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Finally getting around to this branch of RB books and absolutely in love. Ice Planet Barbarians and Ice Home were amazing. Then came the Corsairs with the co-authored Motorcycle and Shifter series mixed in between serials. At this point, I'm convinced there isn't anything RB can't do!
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
meluhnie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I was so tired of the constant mentioning of “my mate” and calling her by that instead of her name. It was annoying. But it had everything I like in a story: alpha male, dystopian, a bit dark, mind blowing scenes, fast paced, a bit of adventure, conflict…I will continue the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
Minor: Rape, Violence, and Gun violence
sidhewitch's review
2.5
Audiobook Narration. Dual narration. Both narrators do a fine job, I just don't think the male narrator fits the role.
I tried really hard not to hate Claudia. The problem is that a lot of her issues are born of a total unwillingness to ask basic questions, or stop to think for two seconds about the evidence in front of her. Even when she has time to do so. I can accept when a character, in dire circumstances or exhausted or in a moment of emotional turmoil, makes dumb choices. This was just too much, especially from a character who we are told is supposed to be so savvy. In the back half of the book, this all just becomes even more apparent as the same issues are rehashed, things you'd thought were resolved are brought back up again for seemingly no reason.. and then in the end, she just kinda shrugsabout her friend, who was sexually and physically abused, who was never given any agency WHICH WAS THE WHOLE THING CLAUDIA WAS UPSET ABOUT FOR HERSELF, now having been kidnapped away by a dragon who will also give her no agency?? Just because he probably won't hit her??? There were a million ways to end this book and the fact Dixon chose this one is just baffling to me.
The dragon was nice, the spice was fine, the world has potential, it started off pretty good but I had to drag myself through the final 25% of this book.
Not a promising start to the series.
I tried really hard not to hate Claudia. The problem is that a lot of her issues are born of a total unwillingness to ask basic questions, or stop to think for two seconds about the evidence in front of her. Even when she has time to do so. I can accept when a character, in dire circumstances or exhausted or in a moment of emotional turmoil, makes dumb choices. This was just too much, especially from a character who we are told is supposed to be so savvy. In the back half of the book, this all just becomes even more apparent as the same issues are rehashed, things you'd thought were resolved are brought back up again for seemingly no reason.. and then in the end, she just kinda shrugs
The dragon was nice, the spice was fine, the world has potential, it started off pretty good but I had to drag myself through the final 25% of this book.
Not a promising start to the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Minor: Sexual assault and Domestic abuse
Sexual Content: The smut you are here for.Fatphobia: The mayor is fat, and Ruby Dixon repeatedly describes him in this way to paint him as a grotesque horrible selfish person. Like it's blatant. Grossly so.
Animal Cruelty / Death: Lots of animal hunting, and a few short but disturbing descriptions to go with.
Sexual Assault / Domestic Abuse: A character (not the MC) is being abused by a third party we never meet, and we repeatedly see the evidence of this. I'd also go to far as to say the MC's narration is a little slut-shamey in regards to the situation this person is in?? It was kind of off-putting.
iamsammie27's review
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Police brutality
Minor: Sexual assault