Tag Archives: dragon shifters

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Book Review: The Witchslayer, by Opal Reyne

I received a copy of Opal Reyne‘s The WitchSlayer as part of a Renegade Romance book box.

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When Amalia’s cat brought home a strange flying lizard during a terrible storm, she had no idea that it was a Dragon. Or that he would save her from burning at the stake, only to imprison her in his lair when she saw his human face. Now she is stuck in this cave with a moody, hot-tempered, and arrogant warrior – one who has killed her kind by the dozens.

She expected to feel trapped, but he somehow makes her feel unbelievably… safe.

Rurik’s only goal is to kill the Dark Witch, Strolguil the Vast. He never expected to find himself in a White Witch’s home in need of healing, or that she would be completely oblivious about his kind, or her own. He intends to abandon her, a lowly Witch, to her fiery fate, but he can’t ignore his blood-debt after she saves him.

Nor can he ignore the fierce desire that she grows in him when she roams free inside his lair.

However, there are Dark Witches afoot, and Rurik isn’t sure if he can shed years of hatred to trust the enchanting woman he has in his keeping.

my review

Meh. Honestly, I didn’t love this. I didn’t hate it either. I was just kind of bored by it. I liked the FMC, but the MMC didn’t have quite enough growth for me to ever truly like him. I merely found him tolerable. The plot was okay, but the book is far longer than it needs to be, and some of the dialogue clunks. (Too many characters asking things like “bla, bla, bla, is it not?”) I’ve read other Reyne books that I enjoyed more. But this one was a letdown.

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Book Review: Blood Feud, by Moira Kane

I picked up a copy of Moira Kane‘s Blood Feud as an Amazon freebie.
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Sophia is a bored and lonely princess, more content to live out her days locked away in her chambers than facing the increasingly grotesque suitors her father forces on her. With her younger brother destined for the throne, there isn’t much value to her but in a marriage alliance. And so, she is destined to live out her days as the trophy wife of some fat merchant or lecherous lord, occasionally bearing children to bolster the ranks of the wealthy and powerful.

But trouble is brewing in the crumbling streets of Calos. While the future king sits pretty on his throne and dines on fancy foods, there are whispers of rebellion among the poor and downtrodden people. At the same time a dragon has taken up residence in Calos Valley—the first in fifty years.

With no valiant hero like her famous grandfather, Saint George the dragon slayer, Sophia’s father turns to the old way to ward off the beast—a maiden sacrifice. What better choice than the daughter that threatens her brother’s reign?

Sophia is no trembling damsel, however, and the dragon is not at all who—or what—he appears to be.

my review

This was a book I kept seeing on TikTok until I finally gave in to the temptation to read it. But I have learned over time to approach such books with, at most, cautious optimism. The vast majority of books I come across through TikTok disappoint me in one manner or another. This, however, was a pleasant surprise.

It has a simple plot, a very straightforward romance, run-of-the-mill characters, a generic fantasy world, and pedestrian writing. But it was fun. I enjoyed the time I spent with it. And at the end of the day, that is more important to me (in the books I read for fun) than just about anything else. If you’re looking for excellence, this is not it. But if you just want a fluffy bit of fun, this is a good place to settle.


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Book Review: Forbidden Honor, by May Dawson

I picked up a copy of May Dawson‘s Forbidden Honor as an Amazon freebie.

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In my world, dragon shifters rule. Dragon shifters are always royals. They’re always male. They’re always assholes.

An orphaned servant like me? Everyone assumes on first shift, I’ll turn into a squirrel.

Instead, I grow wings. Breathe fire. Throw the world into chaos.

No one wants a girl in the Royal Dragon Guard. So I’m disguised as a man and sent off to military training.

The Dragon Royals are not a welcoming bunch. These princely scions of the four ruling families have been training to fight the plague-crazed Scourge since they were toddlers. Every girl in the city dreams of winning the heart of one of the dragon nobles, but they only care about each other.

Jaik, the cold-hearted hero who never smiles and never falters. Arren, who kills without mercy and guards his friends fiercely. Lynx and Branick, the twin spymasters with deadly swords. Talisyn, with the beautiful cruel mouth and endless bravery.

By night, I’m the servant they flirt with. I’m the one stealing Jaik’s heart and kissing Talisyn and antagonizing Arren. All the while, Branick and Lynx fret that I’m a spy, sent to destroy the Royals.

By day, I’m Lucien Finn, the man they despise and the dragon shifter they have to fight alongside.

These royals are determined to make me fall, and the princes play dirty. Can I ignore the pull they have on my heart and kick them off their thrones?

Will they break the maid… or kill the man? What will it do to us all when they finally discover the truth about who I truly am?

my review

I had mixed feelings about this book, but I mostly enjoyed it. I liked the characters well enough and the world seems interesting. But I also thought it had a little too much filler and far too strong of a ‘she’s a special snowflake who is not like other girls’ vibe. Plus, the men of the harem are given drastically uneven attention, though I suspect that is a matter of the neglected ones getting time in future books. All in all, I don’t regret reading it, but I probably won’t be continuing the series all the same.

Here’s the thing. I love the Why Choose genre, but it’s burning me out pretty quickly because of how series-heavy it is. This was book 1 of 6, and I’ve read enough such series to strongly suspect I’ll need to read all 6 books to reach any sort of satisfying conclusion (and each will end on a cliffhanger). I just am not ready (or in a position, time-wise) to commit to 5 more books. That’s not so much a criticism of the series as a comment on my condition in engaging with it. But it is what it is.

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What I’m Reading: May Dawson’s Dragon Royals series