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_bookdrag0n's review against another edition
3.0
Now, I love me some Emma Hamm. And I did enjoy this, though maybe not as much as some of her other novels.
It was good, and I do plan to finish the series.
We have half-elf Lorelei (Lore) who is blackmailed into a mission by a Rebellion leader to kill the evil king. Like hinted in the synopsis, the main love interest is the king's head guard, a Dragon. The Last Dragon.
The descriptions were great as far as the setting, magical system/magical creatures, etc.
My issue is development of certain characters. The King is a monster, he's horrible, and he's our main bad guy, but honestly he just gets portrayed as an immature, petulant child. I wanted darkness and evil and really just didn't get that. I found him to be more annoying as opposed to evil. I wanted mean, cruel, charismatic, evil.
The rebellion leader (Margaret) who blackmails Lore, we get told they've known each other a long time and that she used to be close to Lore's mother, and the whole while with absolutely no reasoning we just see her treating Lore like crap and talking down to her - calling her names like "spoiled brat"... I mean it's a normal response to not want to go on a suicide mission for a cause you're not part of. She's just a b**** for no reason at all.
I loved Abraxas and my heart broke for him.
Lore herself was constantly just referred to as "not like other girls" and it got a little tired after a while. She was very rough-around-the-edges, and i never honestly fully connected with her because she never opened up throughout, not really.
Beauty was a sweetheart and I loved her interactions with everyone.
The Eggs were my shining star and what i cared most about throughout the book.
I would have loved to see the relationship grow a little more than we did between Lore and Abraxas - It started as her using him sort of, to her hating him, then instantly it flipped like a light switch to loving him. all the while he was intrigued by her from the start in an instant-infatuation. I wanted to see the transition from dislike, to genuine like, to love. More chemistry and bonding.
It was good, and I do plan to finish the series.
We have half-elf Lorelei (Lore) who is blackmailed into a mission by a Rebellion leader to kill the evil king. Like hinted in the synopsis, the main love interest is the king's head guard, a Dragon. The Last Dragon.
The descriptions were great as far as the setting, magical system/magical creatures, etc.
My issue is development of certain characters. The King is a monster, he's horrible, and he's our main bad guy, but honestly he just gets portrayed as an immature, petulant child. I wanted darkness and evil and really just didn't get that. I found him to be more annoying as opposed to evil. I wanted mean, cruel, charismatic, evil.
The rebellion leader (Margaret) who blackmails Lore, we get told they've known each other a long time and that she used to be close to Lore's mother, and the whole while with absolutely no reasoning we just see her treating Lore like crap and talking down to her - calling her names like "spoiled brat"... I mean it's a normal response to not want to go on a suicide mission for a cause you're not part of. She's just a b**** for no reason at all.
I loved Abraxas and my heart broke for him.
Lore herself was constantly just referred to as "not like other girls" and it got a little tired after a while. She was very rough-around-the-edges, and i never honestly fully connected with her because she never opened up throughout, not really.
Beauty was a sweetheart and I loved her interactions with everyone.
The Eggs were my shining star and what i cared most about throughout the book.
I would have loved to see the relationship grow a little more than we did between Lore and Abraxas - It started as her using him sort of, to her hating him, then instantly it flipped like a light switch to loving him. all the while he was intrigued by her from the start in an instant-infatuation. I wanted to see the transition from dislike, to genuine like, to love. More chemistry and bonding.
laurasbookhaven's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
dwinprincess's review against another edition
4.0
Great story. Characters really came to life for me. I hated some and loved many of them. The world building was really good. I look forward to the 2nd book in this series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
booktalkcandy's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the plot and a few of the characters - it’s somewhat predictable but it’s difficult to find a book that isn’t in this genre; I do want to read the second book to see where the story goes.
amybraunauthor's review
4.0
I can never say no to a classic fantasy story with dragons and elves. While this didn’t quite tick all my boxes, it was a fun romp that is perfect for anyone who just wants to relax.
The story follows a reluctant rebel half-elf named Lorelei who crosses paths with a dragon bodyguard while trying to kill his king. Sparks fly as they meet and she is forced to complete her task.
The action was exciting and the book moved quickly near the beginning and end. A couple of the action scenes felt like they began and ended too quickly, but I did find Lore to be quite intense with her skills.
I couldn’t quite connect with Lore. I think she came off a little too brusque and didn’t seem to have any major struggles. While she does go through quite a bit, I never truly felt like she were in peril. I was more attached to Beauty, who is the sweetest of sweethearts.
Abraxas had a complex relationship with King Zander, which I found really interesting even though Zander is a complete jerk. Their forced bond was not easy on the dragon and I liked seeing it unravel as Zander continued pushing Abaraxas too far.
The romance also moved a little too fast for me. I didn’t feel that there was enough drama between Lore and Abraxas to justify a romance (there should have been a LOT more struggle on her end), though Abraxas was sweet with his lady.
Despite my nitpicks, I did enjoy the book. It’s a casual, de-stress popcorn book that doesn’t demand much of its reader. A good choice for a fantasy fan looking to read something fun and quick and filled with dragons!
The story follows a reluctant rebel half-elf named Lorelei who crosses paths with a dragon bodyguard while trying to kill his king. Sparks fly as they meet and she is forced to complete her task.
The action was exciting and the book moved quickly near the beginning and end. A couple of the action scenes felt like they began and ended too quickly, but I did find Lore to be quite intense with her skills.
I couldn’t quite connect with Lore. I think she came off a little too brusque and didn’t seem to have any major struggles. While she does go through quite a bit, I never truly felt like she were in peril. I was more attached to Beauty, who is the sweetest of sweethearts.
Abraxas had a complex relationship with King Zander, which I found really interesting even though Zander is a complete jerk. Their forced bond was not easy on the dragon and I liked seeing it unravel as Zander continued pushing Abaraxas too far.
The romance also moved a little too fast for me. I didn’t feel that there was enough drama between Lore and Abraxas to justify a romance (there should have been a LOT more struggle on her end), though Abraxas was sweet with his lady.
Despite my nitpicks, I did enjoy the book. It’s a casual, de-stress popcorn book that doesn’t demand much of its reader. A good choice for a fantasy fan looking to read something fun and quick and filled with dragons!
aefy's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting premise, execution is somewhat lacking. Dragons + half-elf + rebellion sounds neat, but the writing is really inconsistent and juvenile. It's a lot of surface level characterization and it falls into a lot of YA traps.
adelie_wants_books_and_snacks's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this story! Loved the chemistry between Abraxas and Lore. And that cliff hanger omg can’t wait to get started on the next one!
But it felt like it was missing something. Like the pace of the story felt a little bit off at times. Like too descriptive at times that felt unnecessary and then other parts that felt like it was skipped over (like their afternoon together in particular).
But it felt like it was missing something. Like the pace of the story felt a little bit off at times. Like too descriptive at times that felt unnecessary and then other parts that felt like it was skipped over (like their afternoon together in particular).
mimig312's review
4.0
My first Emma Hamm read and I found it very enjoyable! The world building was light but the characters were great. The love story had a different tone compared to other recent fantasy reads, which I liked a lot. The final act had some surprising twists which made an otherwise predictable ending more enjoyable and set up the next book nicely.
4 Stars
4 Stars