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Jewel of the Dragon Prince: a War of the Moon Novel
Looking into the belly of the beast, I felt no fear, even when the back of his throat began to glow as red as metal in a blacksmiths forge. No, I felt no fear, but instead a wave of love and I smiled at him as the beast roared and released a sea of fire upon me.
Emerald is a fighter. When she flees her home after losing everything, she finds a surprising ally in val, the crown prince of the dragon shifter kingdom of ignis. together, they vow to take revenge on the cruel and merciless orc king, all while navigating a building romance that took them both by surprise.
Follow along Val and Emeralds journey in the first of the War of the Moon trilogy by upcomong author Taylor Bell and keep an eye out for the next in the series Killing the Dragon King!
Emerald is a fighter. When she flees her home after losing everything, she finds a surprising ally in val, the crown prince of the dragon shifter kingdom of ignis. together, they vow to take revenge on the cruel and merciless orc king, all while navigating a building romance that took them both by surprise.
Follow along Val and Emeralds journey in the first of the War of the Moon trilogy by upcomong author Taylor Bell and keep an eye out for the next in the series Killing the Dragon King!
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2024
7 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
March 31, 2024
Reviewing this as an ARC reader - Ms. Bell, thank you for this opportunity!
When I started reading, my initial thought was that I needed more from the characters. I wasn’t getting enough about their lives, how and why they tick. Because of this, the characters seemed very shallow - no depth, very surface-level. This feeling continued well into the book, then it definitely got better.
I liked this book, however I have two issues. First, whomever edited it missed a LOT - wrong possessive apostrophes used, two dots instead of three for ellipses, not starting a new paragraph when a different character begins speaking, etc. It makes the work appear not as polished and being a journalist, it irks me!
The second issue I have is with the last part of the book. You’re seriously going to tell me Emerald didn’t flip the eff out on Val and the others for duping her? I get WHY they did it (truth serum), but come on! Her mate actually condoned this bait and switch?! She wasn’t NEARLY mad enough at them all, especially Aryn, and especially in the scene on the beach right after she’s rescued. Her parting words as she’s being captured are “You’d better hope they kill me! If I ever see you again, I’ll put you in the fucking ground, you traitor!” and she embraces him on the beach?! THAT SAID - hell of a plot twist. I did NOT see the betrayal coming, and I typically can see stuff like that coming from a mile away!
Overall, good book. I had a bit of trouble getting into it, but then about halfway through, it hooked me and I couldn’t put it down.
When I started reading, my initial thought was that I needed more from the characters. I wasn’t getting enough about their lives, how and why they tick. Because of this, the characters seemed very shallow - no depth, very surface-level. This feeling continued well into the book, then it definitely got better.
I liked this book, however I have two issues. First, whomever edited it missed a LOT - wrong possessive apostrophes used, two dots instead of three for ellipses, not starting a new paragraph when a different character begins speaking, etc. It makes the work appear not as polished and being a journalist, it irks me!
The second issue I have is with the last part of the book. You’re seriously going to tell me Emerald didn’t flip the eff out on Val and the others for duping her? I get WHY they did it (truth serum), but come on! Her mate actually condoned this bait and switch?! She wasn’t NEARLY mad enough at them all, especially Aryn, and especially in the scene on the beach right after she’s rescued. Her parting words as she’s being captured are “You’d better hope they kill me! If I ever see you again, I’ll put you in the fucking ground, you traitor!” and she embraces him on the beach?! THAT SAID - hell of a plot twist. I did NOT see the betrayal coming, and I typically can see stuff like that coming from a mile away!
Overall, good book. I had a bit of trouble getting into it, but then about halfway through, it hooked me and I couldn’t put it down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2024
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
Breaking this up into 3 parts.
Part one was fast. The story felt a little rushed and I would have liked more time to get to know the characters. It would have made the emotional aspect of what was to come more impactful. However I was still able to form some connection to the characters. I feel a little bit more world building would have really elevated this beginning. The excitement to get to the rest of the story for the author is palpable. You know she just wants to get the details out of the way to make room for the meat and potatoes. Which I understand but take your time to build more emotional connection so that when you destroy us we feel the pain a little more.
Part two is when things started to slow down and we got to meet some of the nightmare creations this author could conjure up. The pacing got better. I loved so many of the concepts she created and used to enhance the relationships that were forming. The FMC started to really come in to her own a bit. I love the addition of more world building and a better understanding of what this world is really like. I found myself imagining the aesthetics of the lands and it was truly coming together nicely. I love a mid-book plot twist and genuinely was not sure where she was going to go with it!
Part three is where she hit her writing stride. The descriptions of what was happening were intense and that was when I began feeling some big emotions. I enjoyed the addition of more back story during some very traumatic scenes so that the impact was even heavier. I think if we would have gotten more of that backstory in the beginning though it would have made a bigger impact.
Overall I really enjoyed it. I am 100% going to read the next book! For this being a newer author there were literally only two mistakes in the whole book (sighed was auto corrected to signed twice). I appreciated that so much. I have struggled through some books that have more errors than a middle schooler's first draft. This book was proofed very well.
I do need to know a few things and I genuinely hope we do not get left hanging on those. (Who smashed it?!?!) But this is meant to be a trilogy so I will be patient, if I must!
I am honored to have been an ARC reader for this book. I jumped in with very little expectation and I was pleasantly surprised. I look forward to the rest that comes from this author!
To Taylor,
You have immense potential. I truly believe that you have some amazing stories to share with the world. Slow down, don't get too excited, we will follow you where you lead us. You have proven that there is some great stuff in that brain of yours. Looking forward to what comes next!
-Until next time!
Breaking this up into 3 parts.
Part one was fast. The story felt a little rushed and I would have liked more time to get to know the characters. It would have made the emotional aspect of what was to come more impactful. However I was still able to form some connection to the characters. I feel a little bit more world building would have really elevated this beginning. The excitement to get to the rest of the story for the author is palpable. You know she just wants to get the details out of the way to make room for the meat and potatoes. Which I understand but take your time to build more emotional connection so that when you destroy us we feel the pain a little more.
Part two is when things started to slow down and we got to meet some of the nightmare creations this author could conjure up. The pacing got better. I loved so many of the concepts she created and used to enhance the relationships that were forming. The FMC started to really come in to her own a bit. I love the addition of more world building and a better understanding of what this world is really like. I found myself imagining the aesthetics of the lands and it was truly coming together nicely. I love a mid-book plot twist and genuinely was not sure where she was going to go with it!
Part three is where she hit her writing stride. The descriptions of what was happening were intense and that was when I began feeling some big emotions. I enjoyed the addition of more back story during some very traumatic scenes so that the impact was even heavier. I think if we would have gotten more of that backstory in the beginning though it would have made a bigger impact.
Overall I really enjoyed it. I am 100% going to read the next book! For this being a newer author there were literally only two mistakes in the whole book (sighed was auto corrected to signed twice). I appreciated that so much. I have struggled through some books that have more errors than a middle schooler's first draft. This book was proofed very well.
I do need to know a few things and I genuinely hope we do not get left hanging on those. (Who smashed it?!?!) But this is meant to be a trilogy so I will be patient, if I must!
I am honored to have been an ARC reader for this book. I jumped in with very little expectation and I was pleasantly surprised. I look forward to the rest that comes from this author!
To Taylor,
You have immense potential. I truly believe that you have some amazing stories to share with the world. Slow down, don't get too excited, we will follow you where you lead us. You have proven that there is some great stuff in that brain of yours. Looking forward to what comes next!
-Until next time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2024
I was a part of the ARC team for this book. This is my honest review.
First, let me rave on the fact that Taylor included an entire pronunciation page! This is huge for fantasy reads.
We are following Emerald on her quest in learning about her new life. When we meet Emeral, she has lost her entire family with the last surviving member slain before her eyes.... or so she thought. She is then whisked away by a mysterious, handsome stranger who surprisingly has her best interest at heart. She continues to stay with the stranger based on the fact that she has no other family to go back to. On top of that, she is completely in love with this man! This book grabbed me from the very 1st page and did not let go until the very end. The fated mates is not one of my favorite book tropes but Taylor executed it perfectly! The plot was adventurous for more than 50% of the entire book!
I don't want to give too much away of the plot but if you like any of the below, you will love this book!
-Dragon shifters
-Wolf shifters
-Orcs
-Fated Mated
-Found Family
-Spicy Romantasy
First, let me rave on the fact that Taylor included an entire pronunciation page! This is huge for fantasy reads.
We are following Emerald on her quest in learning about her new life. When we meet Emeral, she has lost her entire family with the last surviving member slain before her eyes.... or so she thought. She is then whisked away by a mysterious, handsome stranger who surprisingly has her best interest at heart. She continues to stay with the stranger based on the fact that she has no other family to go back to. On top of that, she is completely in love with this man! This book grabbed me from the very 1st page and did not let go until the very end. The fated mates is not one of my favorite book tropes but Taylor executed it perfectly! The plot was adventurous for more than 50% of the entire book!
I don't want to give too much away of the plot but if you like any of the below, you will love this book!
-Dragon shifters
-Wolf shifters
-Orcs
-Fated Mated
-Found Family
-Spicy Romantasy
April 3, 2024
Reviewing this book as an ARC reader! I was so excited to start this book - the cover is gorgeous and purple is my absolute favorite color, so I was already invested before opening the book. The very beginning is absolutely heartbreaking, and made me feel badly for Emerald almost instantly. I am not fond of insta love, but I kept reading through some of the earlier spice scenes in hopes that I would end up loving Emerald and Val together.
The second part of the book was slower, likely due to setting up the plot and plot twist that occurs at the end of this section. I felt like it was seriously filled with spice in a way that may have been too much for me (not a gigantic spice fan, but I can get with it when the moment is warranted).
The part from the plot twist onward had me hooked! The torture scenes were gruesome and definitely hard to read (in a good way, cause it’s torture). I enjoyed the heritage twist, as well as the second dragon egg to get home for the two men cause GOD that part wrecked me. Still wondering if we’re expected to assume that Elder caused that wreckage to occur?
Overall, there were definitely grammatical errors that irked me. It took away from the story for me at times and caused me to wind up confused about who was speaking, but I feel like most others would just read through them like it didn’t matter.
I did truly enjoy this book, and will definitely read the next! I know I can’t give half stars or quarter stars on Goodreads but I feel like this was more like 3.75 ⭐️ for me so I rounded up!
The second part of the book was slower, likely due to setting up the plot and plot twist that occurs at the end of this section. I felt like it was seriously filled with spice in a way that may have been too much for me (not a gigantic spice fan, but I can get with it when the moment is warranted).
The part from the plot twist onward had me hooked! The torture scenes were gruesome and definitely hard to read (in a good way, cause it’s torture). I enjoyed the heritage twist, as well as the second dragon egg to get home for the two men cause GOD that part wrecked me. Still wondering if we’re expected to assume that Elder caused that wreckage to occur?
Overall, there were definitely grammatical errors that irked me. It took away from the story for me at times and caused me to wind up confused about who was speaking, but I feel like most others would just read through them like it didn’t matter.
I did truly enjoy this book, and will definitely read the next! I know I can’t give half stars or quarter stars on Goodreads but I feel like this was more like 3.75 ⭐️ for me so I rounded up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
This was a 3.5 read for me. The beginning was very fast and abrupt. The characters had no development at the beginning however it did get a lot better towards the end. Overall I enjoyed this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK! 🥵🥵 it was the perfect amount of spicy, and story. I could easily picture everything in my mind perfectly as described. The characters were lovable, and it was not too over my head for me! I followed the story perfectly, and I can not wait to see what happens in the second book! So glad I got to be an ARC reader for
This book! It was great! If you love fantasy, dragons, spice- this book is for you!
This book! It was great! If you love fantasy, dragons, spice- this book is for you!
May 22, 2024
Taylor did a phenomenal job writing this book and it will hold a special place in my heart and my collection! Emerald and Val are the quintessential power couple without even knowing what is to come and the mystery and truth of Emerald. The family she found so fiercely fighting to protect her. I can’t wait for the continuation of the story!
April 7, 2024
I feel honored to have been a ARC reader for this book. This has to be one of my top books of the year by far! Val had my heart in a chokehold throughout the whole book and I feel for emerald and everything she went through thanks to the orc king! But that ending had me shook!!! I cannot wait to read book 2!!!!!! If you like sexy dragon shifts, a strong FMC, Spicy content, and adventure this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2024
reviewing as a ARC reader:
this was the first dragon shifter book I have read and it certainly makes me want to read more. the story is all there and the spice is fantastic: five out or five chili peppers. the book did start a little fast for my liking, I prefer some slow burn action personally, but the twists that turn and then unturn themselves were fantastic and really kept me wanting more. and the ending?! a cliffhanger?! Taylor please we need the next book!! overall this was a very enjoyable story. there were, however, some grammatical errors that were missed and some wrong words used (probably autocorrected in the writing process). despite that I enjoyed this book, I tore through it in a day and that hardly ever happens for me nowadays. I give it four stars because it was enjoyable and fun, but not a perfect five because of some of the issues and personal preference differences.
this was the first dragon shifter book I have read and it certainly makes me want to read more. the story is all there and the spice is fantastic: five out or five chili peppers. the book did start a little fast for my liking, I prefer some slow burn action personally, but the twists that turn and then unturn themselves were fantastic and really kept me wanting more. and the ending?! a cliffhanger?! Taylor please we need the next book!! overall this was a very enjoyable story. there were, however, some grammatical errors that were missed and some wrong words used (probably autocorrected in the writing process). despite that I enjoyed this book, I tore through it in a day and that hardly ever happens for me nowadays. I give it four stars because it was enjoyable and fun, but not a perfect five because of some of the issues and personal preference differences.
April 7, 2024
This is my first ARC reading experience. I received the book for free in exchange for an honest review. So let's get started!
Overall, I had a ton of fun reading this. I couldn't put it down once I got started. WHEW is it spicy!! I loved every gleaming minute of it! Solid 4 stars and I was a little angry at that cliffhanger! TAYLOR PLEASE LOL
Now my more in depth review:
At some points especially early on in the book, the pacing really struggled. I wanted more of Emerald's beginning story with her papa and her daily routine, maybe a training montage type of scene and more of the villagers in Hymor. I also wanted a little bit more of a slow burn with the dreams with Val before they met. I felt kind of thrown in to the story. After getting a little farther, I see why it was abrupt, but I also wondered things like when did Val know she was his Johari or was it as abrupt for him? I struggled to connect deeply with most characters until about a quarter of the way through the book.
This is where the pacing, and world and character building really started to shine. The pacing evens out and it's a wonderful but rough ride (HEHE) to the finish. There are plot twists I didn't see coming and painful moments where I cried. I really fell in love with the characters and the world. Now all I want is MORE and the first book doesn't release for a few more weeks LOL! I do believe this is the first in a trilogy.
ALSO, side note spoiler ahead for the next few sentences: I wanted Em to be madder that they all literally betrayed her, including Val. I hope you get to touch on this in the next book for sure. I am LIVID for her.
Taylor, you have immense potential and I know from here on out I will be a reader of yours. I can't wait to get to meet all of the characters and experience the stories living in your head!
Overall, I had a ton of fun reading this. I couldn't put it down once I got started. WHEW is it spicy!! I loved every gleaming minute of it! Solid 4 stars and I was a little angry at that cliffhanger! TAYLOR PLEASE LOL
Now my more in depth review:
At some points especially early on in the book, the pacing really struggled. I wanted more of Emerald's beginning story with her papa and her daily routine, maybe a training montage type of scene and more of the villagers in Hymor. I also wanted a little bit more of a slow burn with the dreams with Val before they met. I felt kind of thrown in to the story. After getting a little farther, I see why it was abrupt, but I also wondered things like when did Val know she was his Johari or was it as abrupt for him? I struggled to connect deeply with most characters until about a quarter of the way through the book.
This is where the pacing, and world and character building really started to shine. The pacing evens out and it's a wonderful but rough ride (HEHE) to the finish. There are plot twists I didn't see coming and painful moments where I cried. I really fell in love with the characters and the world. Now all I want is MORE and the first book doesn't release for a few more weeks LOL! I do believe this is the first in a trilogy.
ALSO, side note spoiler ahead for the next few sentences: I wanted Em to be madder that they all literally betrayed her, including Val. I hope you get to touch on this in the next book for sure. I am LIVID for her.
Taylor, you have immense potential and I know from here on out I will be a reader of yours. I can't wait to get to meet all of the characters and experience the stories living in your head!
April 3, 2024
Honest & spoiler free ARC review- This is her debut novel. I think Taylor has some amazing ideas & is going to be something really special in the fantasy world! I technically would rate this a 3 star story, with 5 star for spice! So I felt a 4 star was a good compromise. I feel like the story line & world building needed more depth to understand. This WAS my first dragon shape shifter book though & I am newish to fantasy, so I may have just needed more for my own personal understanding. I loved Val & Em as a couple (fated mates? yes please!) The way Taylor can write plot twist that you’d never see coming is amazing. I did enjoy this book, & will recommend to my other book friends who I think will enjoy this!!
March 30, 2024
After forcing myself to slow down to read this book because I was one of the lucky few to be an ARC reader lol I’ve finally finished it. I loved this book, the way the story flowed was really good. I would say it’s pretty fast paced for a first book in a series. You can expect spice pretty quickly it’s not much of a slow burn or anything like that the relationship between our main characters takes off pretty quickly. I have to say that I did not see that ending coming at all which was a present surprise. I can’t wait to read the second book!
March 30, 2024
Read this as an ARC and Wow! Just wow! Played like a movie in my head. It was game of thrones vibes with lots of spice, strong female main character, amazing adventures full of twists, turns and plot twists that made me audibly gasp. You will not be disappointed with this read. Cannot wait to see what happens next in book two!
April 16, 2024
3 ⭐️
Reviewing as an ARC Reader — Thank you so much Taylor for giving me this opportunity!
This book gives me mixed feelings! I’ll try my best to explain, but I’m definitely conflicted🙃🥲
I enjoyed how fast paced this book was. The author definitely jumped right into the story, however, because of that I felt like there was no backstory to any of the characters.
Also, I’m slightly confused with all the relationships. I understand that Val and Emerald are fated mates and all, but there wasn’t much affect on Emerald. Honestly, I thought that Emerald didn’t have many emotions besides “I will survive” and “omg my dragon prince husband who I met a week ago is so hot.” I just don’t understand why she isn’t more messed up lol😂 Like this girls little brother got murdered when she was younger and her parents kept it secret as to why and how. Then not long after, her mom ☠️ herself and Emerald found her! THEN one day her entire house is on fire and she’s forced to witness her dad get decapitated!! But she meets her fated hot dragon mate like 2 seconds after and then she’s a happy ray of sunshine basically for the rest of the book. Huh? Excuse me? Girl, are you not traumatized?!?! It’s only at the very end of the book after she was chained and tortured for 5 days straight where Val was like “The light in her eyes aren’t the same anymore. They seem duller.” Like wtf bro seriously.
Even though some things didn’t exactly makes sense in this book, the author was definitely creative and detailed. Especially when she was describing the nightmare hellish creatures, the scales of the dragons, and the transformation from dragon to human. These were just a few that stuck out to me, but her imagery was nicely written.
One last thing I want to point out is why wasn’t Emerald absolutely pissed when she saw Aryn again? He completely betrayed her (which I didn’t see coming at all) and at the end, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug?! Not even thinking about what he did to her and what everyone put her through.🫠 She literally said that she was going to k*ll him the next time she saw him…. He at least deserved a throat punch lol
Overall, I believe Taylor did a good job as this being her first novel and I’m excited to see her grow as an author!
Reviewing as an ARC Reader — Thank you so much Taylor for giving me this opportunity!
This book gives me mixed feelings! I’ll try my best to explain, but I’m definitely conflicted🙃🥲
I enjoyed how fast paced this book was. The author definitely jumped right into the story, however, because of that I felt like there was no backstory to any of the characters.
Also, I’m slightly confused with all the relationships. I understand that Val and Emerald are fated mates and all, but there wasn’t much affect on Emerald. Honestly, I thought that Emerald didn’t have many emotions besides “I will survive” and “omg my dragon prince husband who I met a week ago is so hot.” I just don’t understand why she isn’t more messed up lol😂 Like this girls little brother got murdered when she was younger and her parents kept it secret as to why and how. Then not long after, her mom ☠️ herself and Emerald found her! THEN one day her entire house is on fire and she’s forced to witness her dad get decapitated!! But she meets her fated hot dragon mate like 2 seconds after and then she’s a happy ray of sunshine basically for the rest of the book. Huh? Excuse me? Girl, are you not traumatized?!?! It’s only at the very end of the book after she was chained and tortured for 5 days straight where Val was like “The light in her eyes aren’t the same anymore. They seem duller.” Like wtf bro seriously.
Even though some things didn’t exactly makes sense in this book, the author was definitely creative and detailed. Especially when she was describing the nightmare hellish creatures, the scales of the dragons, and the transformation from dragon to human. These were just a few that stuck out to me, but her imagery was nicely written.
One last thing I want to point out is why wasn’t Emerald absolutely pissed when she saw Aryn again? He completely betrayed her (which I didn’t see coming at all) and at the end, she ran up to him and gave him a big hug?! Not even thinking about what he did to her and what everyone put her through.🫠 She literally said that she was going to k*ll him the next time she saw him…. He at least deserved a throat punch lol
Overall, I believe Taylor did a good job as this being her first novel and I’m excited to see her grow as an author!
April 5, 2024
I was given this ARC copy to read and I was so excited to get my hands on it! I thoroughly enjoyed this new book by Taylor Bell. I loved the fact that she started out with a page giving you the way to pronounce each characters name in the book. I really wish more authors did this so you are not reading a book and pronouncing the names incorrectly the whole time.
We are introduced to a whole new world of Dragons, Wolves, Humans and Orcs.
The main characters of the book Emerald and Val are ones you quickly get to know. Emerald has gotten through some very difficult things in her life. She is willing to take a chance on a Dragon Shifter Valentine. The fact that they are fated mates does not seem to scare her at all. She embraces her new life and love right away. The King and the castle fall in love with Em very quickly and incorporate her in their daily lives.
This book has lots of spicy scenes to quench your appetite if that is something you like. I felt like it had just the right amount of spice for me.
The book has a huge twist that really throws you for a loop before you realize what is happening.
The creatures/bad guys we meet are just so awful to Em. They have been a part of Emerald's life much longer than she realizes and what happens to her when she falls into their hands are some of the hardest scenes to read. Definitely keep reading though because our girl Em is a fighter.
In closing I really enjoyed this new book so much, the characters are ones you want to root for, and I cannot wait to read the books that will be coming out later to continue the story of Em & Val and see what else Taylor has in store for them and all the other characters in this book.
We are introduced to a whole new world of Dragons, Wolves, Humans and Orcs.
The main characters of the book Emerald and Val are ones you quickly get to know. Emerald has gotten through some very difficult things in her life. She is willing to take a chance on a Dragon Shifter Valentine. The fact that they are fated mates does not seem to scare her at all. She embraces her new life and love right away. The King and the castle fall in love with Em very quickly and incorporate her in their daily lives.
This book has lots of spicy scenes to quench your appetite if that is something you like. I felt like it had just the right amount of spice for me.
The book has a huge twist that really throws you for a loop before you realize what is happening.
The creatures/bad guys we meet are just so awful to Em. They have been a part of Emerald's life much longer than she realizes and what happens to her when she falls into their hands are some of the hardest scenes to read. Definitely keep reading though because our girl Em is a fighter.
In closing I really enjoyed this new book so much, the characters are ones you want to root for, and I cannot wait to read the books that will be coming out later to continue the story of Em & Val and see what else Taylor has in store for them and all the other characters in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
Jewel of the Dragon Prince is Book 1 in a War of the Moon series by a new author, Taylor Bell. I was lucky to receive an ARC, and I gladly share my review here.
Jewel of the Dragon Prince is a fast-paced dark fantasy, and the author did an excellent job keeping you interested since the first sentence of the prologue. We meet Emerald, a human trying to survive in a cruel world constantly threatened by the orcs. When even her father falls prey and she is almost captured, she is rescued by a being she never thought she would see - a dragon. Not just a dragon, a dragon shifter who turns out to be her fated mate. We witness their relationship blossom, we see her find friends and people she cares about, and I truly enjoyed that part. While I prefer stories with slow-burn, I didn't mind the intensity of Emerald and Val's relationship. The spice is on the heavier side, let's say 3/5.
The story is more than a relationship between Val and Emerald. There is an ongoing war with the orcs and a cruel orc king searching for Emerald for his own power-hungry reasons. There is a lot of action and hard scenes, but the author did a really good job portraying all the struggles, both Emerald's and Val's, and those of their closest friends and family. Still, there is more to Val, and I was really intrigued by the revelation, as I'm sure you will be, too.
The story ends on a cliffhanger, perfectly ending Book 1 and opening space for new developments in Book 2.
If you like
✨ dragons and dragon shifters
✨ fated mates
✨ hidden identities
✨found family
✨fast-paced and action-filled dark fantasy
Jewel of the Dragon Prince is the book for you!
Jewel of the Dragon Prince is a fast-paced dark fantasy, and the author did an excellent job keeping you interested since the first sentence of the prologue. We meet Emerald, a human trying to survive in a cruel world constantly threatened by the orcs. When even her father falls prey and she is almost captured, she is rescued by a being she never thought she would see - a dragon. Not just a dragon, a dragon shifter who turns out to be her fated mate. We witness their relationship blossom, we see her find friends and people she cares about, and I truly enjoyed that part. While I prefer stories with slow-burn, I didn't mind the intensity of Emerald and Val's relationship. The spice is on the heavier side, let's say 3/5.
The story is more than a relationship between Val and Emerald. There is an ongoing war with the orcs and a cruel orc king searching for Emerald for his own power-hungry reasons. There is a lot of action and hard scenes, but the author did a really good job portraying all the struggles, both Emerald's and Val's, and those of their closest friends and family. Still, there is more to Val, and I was really intrigued by the revelation, as I'm sure you will be, too.
The story ends on a cliffhanger, perfectly ending Book 1 and opening space for new developments in Book 2.
If you like
✨ dragons and dragon shifters
✨ fated mates
✨ hidden identities
✨found family
✨fast-paced and action-filled dark fantasy
Jewel of the Dragon Prince is the book for you!
April 22, 2024
I loved this book! Fated mate to a hot dragon shifter what’s not to like. The character development of Emerald in this story was so good. You showed her completely change from a human girl who had lost everything and everyone to a strong mate to a dragon with magic. Little did we know at this point she was actually a lot more than and I can’t wait to find out more on that in the next book. That was one hell of an ending and a way to leave us wanting more. I am definitely a spicy girl and I love some spice with my fantasy and this did a very good job of that. The spicy scenes were on point. My only complaint was the tavern scene and then when the characters got back together it seems to quick for forgive and let go bit honestly I could where you were going with that she was just happy to have her family back after everything she had been through and he did just save her life. This story was definitely a wild ride with lots of twist and turns and kept my interest the whole time. I loved all the characters but I did notice we never found out who was causing issues in the keep there are a lot of unanswered questions I hope to get more in book 2. I also hope to learn more about Val in book two because I still that parts of his story are missing. As her debut novel this is definitely a job well done!!!
March 29, 2024
Reviewing as an ARC reader! Overall, the book was good. It kept my interest which isn’t always easy. It had twists and turns that had me questioning what I thought I knew about it. The spice was pretty nice haha. Definitely left me wanting to read more but considering this was an ARC to book one, I fear my wait is going to be a long one!
I rated it at 4 stars because I did have a couple small issues with it. There were a few times, more so in the beginning, where the dialogue was a little confusing as far as who was saying what. That could just be a writing style issue, I’m used to dialogue being broken up and not put together as paragraphs, but it wasn’t terrible enough that it put me off and I was about to separate it after rereading the section. The other small thing I didn’t like was the fact that there was a few things that were introduced that seemed like they were just kind of forgotten. Now being that this is book one, maybe those things will clear up in book 2.
Again, overall it was good, right up my current ally of what I enjoy reading, definitely has my interest for future books! The only other thing I’ll mention is that this description says the book is about 400 pages but I was reading it through the books app on my IPad and it has it at about 250. Made for a quick read!
I rated it at 4 stars because I did have a couple small issues with it. There were a few times, more so in the beginning, where the dialogue was a little confusing as far as who was saying what. That could just be a writing style issue, I’m used to dialogue being broken up and not put together as paragraphs, but it wasn’t terrible enough that it put me off and I was about to separate it after rereading the section. The other small thing I didn’t like was the fact that there was a few things that were introduced that seemed like they were just kind of forgotten. Now being that this is book one, maybe those things will clear up in book 2.
Again, overall it was good, right up my current ally of what I enjoy reading, definitely has my interest for future books! The only other thing I’ll mention is that this description says the book is about 400 pages but I was reading it through the books app on my IPad and it has it at about 250. Made for a quick read!
April 22, 2024
I enjoyed this book! I would rate it around 3.75 stars, but I’m rounding up to 4 since that’s the closest option here. Overall it is a pretty solid debut. The first part was really fast paced and I would’ve liked a little more world building and background on the characters, but as the story progressed the pacing improved. There’s also a lot of spice; it’s more of an insta-love-fated-mates situation, so it happens pretty quickly. The plot twist was definitely a page turner and had me on the edge of the seat for the rest of the book! The ending was a complete shock that I did not see coming, either, so it ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you ready to read the next installment! Excited to see where the story goes from here.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 16, 2024
This book was an adventure that I did not want to end!
Emerald finds solace in the arms of the Dragon Prince, Val in the midst of losing everything and having her life turned upside down by the Orc King, Veron.
Together Em, Val, Sven, and Aryn hatch a plan to take down the orc king, or so Em thought.
Fated mates, dragon shifters and found family are at the heart and soul of this debut novel by Taylor Bell. You'll be hungry for more page after page and holding your breath in anticipation as to what happens next.
The only complaint I have is that I now have to wait for book two to see what happens next.....especially after the last sentence of the book!
Emerald finds solace in the arms of the Dragon Prince, Val in the midst of losing everything and having her life turned upside down by the Orc King, Veron.
Together Em, Val, Sven, and Aryn hatch a plan to take down the orc king, or so Em thought.
Fated mates, dragon shifters and found family are at the heart and soul of this debut novel by Taylor Bell. You'll be hungry for more page after page and holding your breath in anticipation as to what happens next.
The only complaint I have is that I now have to wait for book two to see what happens next.....especially after the last sentence of the book!
April 22, 2024
This was the first book that I've read in this genre with these certain themes and "tropes" if you will. I will tell you that the attention into building the relationships between the characters themselves as well as the building of our relationship with the characters, as readers, was so well done.
The author has a knack for leading you to fall for certain characters as well as develop strong feelings of protection and empathy toward others. This book was far more than I expected when I picked it up and I can not wait for the next installment!
The author has a knack for leading you to fall for certain characters as well as develop strong feelings of protection and empathy toward others. This book was far more than I expected when I picked it up and I can not wait for the next installment!
April 20, 2024
I got this as an arc for an honest review 🫶🏻
This was a great book! Different shifters, found family, mates, spicy scenes… it was a fantastic Romantasy! I can’t wait for more and I would definitely recommend this to others!
Some of the editing was hard to read, and it took me a bit to get into the story, but that’s my only complaint! Still an overall amazing read 💛
This was a great book! Different shifters, found family, mates, spicy scenes… it was a fantastic Romantasy! I can’t wait for more and I would definitely recommend this to others!
Some of the editing was hard to read, and it took me a bit to get into the story, but that’s my only complaint! Still an overall amazing read 💛
March 31, 2024
I absolutely loved this story! It had me hooked from beginning to end. There was plot twists, lots of spice, awesome world building, and Emerald quickly became one of my favorite female characters in any story that I've read. She overcame so much in this story she's such a badass!
April 21, 2024
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
Pub Date: April 20, 2024
3.5/3.75 stars. This was a hard one for me to rate. The world and most of the story was great but the writing was lacking. It was a telling instead of showing style of writing (which I don't care for) and it was rushed in a lot of places. A lot of huge emotional things got seemingly shrugged off a lot. But at the same time I stayed up last night (it was a weekend night) to finish reading it. And I will continue with the series.
For those that don't care for spice/smut there is a fair amount of that here. That doesn't bother me and I tend to like those types of books, but in this book a lot of it didn't feel like it flowed well and was put in to have sex scenes.
Pub Date: April 20, 2024
3.5/3.75 stars. This was a hard one for me to rate. The world and most of the story was great but the writing was lacking. It was a telling instead of showing style of writing (which I don't care for) and it was rushed in a lot of places. A lot of huge emotional things got seemingly shrugged off a lot. But at the same time I stayed up last night (it was a weekend night) to finish reading it. And I will continue with the series.
For those that don't care for spice/smut there is a fair amount of that here. That doesn't bother me and I tend to like those types of books, but in this book a lot of it didn't feel like it flowed well and was put in to have sex scenes.
April 3, 2024
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book and the author did NOT disappoint!! This book is fun and it drew me in from the start. It is a great fantasy read and the plot twists and spice were so good!! I cannot wait for the what Taylor writes next!
This books official release is on April 20, 2024!! Put it on your TBR!
This books official release is on April 20, 2024!! Put it on your TBR!
April 9, 2024
I did enjoy this book! I couldn’t put it down when I had gotten captured by the story. This story is very fast paced (romantically wise). You have an FMC that is thrown into a world that she had no idea about, finds powers, & becomes a bad ass. You also have fated mates and a MMC who is very possessive and only nice for the FMC. I did throw my kindle at the plot twist that totally came out of left field! I really was slapped by it 🤣.
As I said… it is a fast paced romantic story line so if you don’t like that you won’t enjoy this book.
As I said… it is a fast paced romantic story line so if you don’t like that you won’t enjoy this book.
March 30, 2024
Reviewing as an ARC reader! Overall I truly enjoyed this book, there was plenty of action, and I never felt like it was dragging. Plenty of good spice, but still had a great plot. My biggest issue is it started off right off the bat with action, and didn’t give much world building, so I felt a little lost at first, but as you continue to read it explains all of the things! Sad I’m going to have to wait for so long to read what happens next!
April 29, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this plot. I also enjoyed how fast paced the book was. However, I wish there had been a little more world building and depth to the characters. With that being said, honestly the only negatives I have about the book is that it sometimes was hard to keep up with whose POV I was reading from. There was no break in writing to shift between characters. The spice level was decent, and I overall enjoyed the love story between the main characters. The cliff hanger this ended on did leave me wanting more. I'm excited to see where book two takes Emerald and Val.
May 28, 2024
This was my first ARC read
“Jewel of the Dragon Prince" by Taylor Bell was a captivating read that drew me in from the very first page. As a fan of dark fantasy, I found the book's blend of intense action, complex characters, and an immersive world-building to be particularly appealing.
The world Bell creates is vivid and richly detailed, making it easy to get lost in the story. The dynamic relationships between the characters add emotional depth and complexity, which kept me invested in their outcomes. The themes of loyalty, power, and destiny are explored thoughtfully, adding substance to the thrilling narrative.
Overall, "Jewel of the Dragon Prince" is a good start to the series, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy with a rich narrative and well-developed characters.
I’m excited to watch Taylor Bell grow as an Author
“Jewel of the Dragon Prince" by Taylor Bell was a captivating read that drew me in from the very first page. As a fan of dark fantasy, I found the book's blend of intense action, complex characters, and an immersive world-building to be particularly appealing.
The world Bell creates is vivid and richly detailed, making it easy to get lost in the story. The dynamic relationships between the characters add emotional depth and complexity, which kept me invested in their outcomes. The themes of loyalty, power, and destiny are explored thoughtfully, adding substance to the thrilling narrative.
Overall, "Jewel of the Dragon Prince" is a good start to the series, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy with a rich narrative and well-developed characters.
I’m excited to watch Taylor Bell grow as an Author
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
I received this book as an ARC for my honest review. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There are wolves, orcs, dragons, fated mates and spice! Emerald is a BA MFC and I love watching her grow into herself. I did feel like some things were skimmed over that I would have loved more detail on (maybe we’ll find out more in book 2), and the dialogue did confuse me at some points … but not enough that it made me want to stop. Definitely would recommend, and cannot wait for book 2!
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