Book Blurb:
EMBRACING THE DRAGON by K.L. Bone
Pub. Date: August 2018
Publisher: K.L. Bone
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 354
Can a human heart withstand the flames of a dragon’s soul?
For centuries, the dragons of Kalleen have ruled the skies. Blessed by the goddess of fire, those born of her power are destined to exist within two worlds, while fully belonging to neither.
As the youngest daughter of the dragon queen, Amelia has always been torn between her humanity and winged form. In meeting Stephen, she found a blossoming love that gave her hope of finding balance.
A dream destroyed when her sister, and future queen, sets her sights upon the same man.
Forced from her lover’s side, Amelia embraces a self-imposed exile, taking refuge in the northern mountains. In this new life of solitude, she banishes painful memories by retreating to her dragon form, sheltering the wounded girl within.
Yet it is an isolation that cannot last, as the new dragon queen’s cruelty bears down upon the kingdom, allowing an ancient enemy to rise. Drawn from her banishment by the pleas of friends, Amelia must choose. Will she embrace the destructive beast within? Or draw upon the frail humanity that lingers dimly in her soul, in a desperate attempt to help her people, and mend a broken heart?
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My Review:
4 Out Of 5 Stars
Genre: Another-World, Heart-Wrenching, Mystery, Romance, Royal-Court, Supernatural, Suspense--
Amelia has mourned the death of her mother for the last year as customary before her sister can take the throne as Queen. Amelia feels like her life is exactly where she wants it to be, at her sister's side and in the arms of her lover. But when her sister tells her she has been selected to be a seer at the temple of the Gods, Amelia is shocked. Suddenly she has no choices or freedom anymore, her life at the whims of others. But Amelia needs to make a choice- to fight or to be a pawn.
I found the delivery of this story to be really interestingly by set-up the author. Other characters that Amelia meets on her forced journey tell her their stories, but through flashbacks as if we are living it with them in present tense. It was a great way to allow some extra world building and reveal hidden truths and conspiracies without it occurring in the present. But at the same time I felt like I did not know Amelia as a character as well as I liked since at least half the story was other's perspectives. I have a very firm grasp on the world and the atrocities that are being done at the temple as well as by the new Queen, though.
The story is very much about Amelia and her harsh journey, but she is not the only voice to narrate the book. We meet Gwain, a softhearted soldier in the Queen's guard who know what it means to do the right thing even in the face of terrible odds. Chris, the mothering figure who has faced every hardship know to a woman who can't shift in this world yet would help a stranger in need in a heartbeat. And then there is Conner, the rough around the edges loner who feels a pull to an unknown blue dragon. I feel like I know the "side characters" just as well as Amelia since they were given backstory and personality just as indepth and I loved them all. I actually felt like I did not really connect to Amelia until the last third of the book when she became the person (dragon?) I wanted her to be.
I will admit that when I started the story I was a little concerned as to what kind of book I got myself into since there had been no plot or character development but at least 2 pretty detailed sex scenes within the first 30ish pages. But then the story really picked up the pace and became an adventure with self-discovery, danger, action, court politics, betrayal, friendship and heart-warming romance. I really liked the directions that K.L. took Amelia and I look forward to what the next book in the series will bring- especially with the that last chapter which brought out so many questions for me! I will check out the rest of the series and other books by this author in the future.
I reviewed a complimentary copy of this title.
Author Bio:
K.L. Bone is a bestselling author of dark fantasy and paranormal romance. Her works include the bestselling Black Rose Guard dark fantasy series. The bestselling Flames of Kalleen paranormal romance series. The Rise of the Temple Gods fantasy series. And a stand-alone science fiction novel, The Indoctrination.
Bone has a master’s degree in modern literary cultures and is working toward her PhD. She wrote her first short story at the age of fifteen and grew up with an equally great love of both classical literature and speculative fiction. Bone has spent the last few years as a bit of a world traveler, living in California, London, and most recently, Dublin. When not immersed in words, of her own creation or studies, you’ll find her traveling to mythical sites and Game of Thrones filming locations.
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Week One:
8/13/2018- Writer of Wrongs- Spotlight
8/13/2018- Bookish Revelations- Spotlight
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8/14/2018- Miss Shanza- Spotlight
8/14/2018- Spilling Words- Spotlight
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8/15/2018- Brandi’s Book Reviews- Review
8/15/2018- The Cozy Reading Corner- Spotlight
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8/16/2018- Finding Magic In Books- Review
8/16/2018- Adventures Thru Wonderland- Review
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8/17/2018- Adventures in Literature- Review
8/17/2018- Confessions of a YA Reader- Spotlight
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Week Two:
8/20/2018- Vesper Dream- Review
8/20/2018- Daily Waffle - Spotlight
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8/21/2018- Such A Novel Idea- Review
8/21/2018- BookHounds- Spotlight
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8/22/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Review
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8/24/2018- Read It & Weep Girls- Review
8/24/2018- Nerd Girl Official- Spotlight
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Review tour provided by Rockstar Book Tours
Looks and sounds great! Thank you
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