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The Dragonwall Saga #1
Talon the Black
A dying dragon brought her to Dragonwall. A broken king may never let her leave.
Claire Evans is just a small-town girl from Indiana, but when a wounded dragon falls from the sky, her world is turned upside down. Cyrus is a dragon shifter—one of Dragonwall's six royal protectors—and saving him sets Claire on a dangerous path. She'll be carried across his kingdom with a secret that could change everything. Bound by an unbreakable promise, she must confront Dragonwall's enigmatic and troubled king—the scarred, mateless Talon.
King Talon's rule is unraveling. Hounded by his advisors to marry, burdened by old scars, and beset by a rising enemy, he has more pressing concerns than creating an heir. But Claire's presence sparks something neither of them expected: a slow-burning connection that could either save Dragonwall—or destroy it.
Claire Evans is just a small-town girl from Indiana, but when a wounded dragon falls from the sky, her world is turned upside down. Cyrus is a dragon shifter—one of Dragonwall's six royal protectors—and saving him sets Claire on a dangerous path. She'll be carried across his kingdom with a secret that could change everything. Bound by an unbreakable promise, she must confront Dragonwall's enigmatic and troubled king—the scarred, mateless Talon.
King Talon's rule is unraveling. Hounded by his advisors to marry, burdened by old scars, and beset by a rising enemy, he has more pressing concerns than creating an heir. But Claire's presence sparks something neither of them expected: a slow-burning connection that could either save Dragonwall—or destroy it.
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About the author
Melissa Mitchell
15 books356 followersMelissa Mitchell is a fantasy romance author best known for her seven-book Dragonwall series.
She fell in love with fantasy at a young age after discovering The Dragonriders of Pern, and she’s been chasing dragons, magic, and epic love stories ever since. Her books often feature beloved tropes like hidden royalty, slow-burn romance, and the undeniable tension of only one bed.
When she’s not writing, Melissa holds a PhD in physics and works as an optical engineer. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, a husky, and four very spoiled bunnies. She also enjoys baking cookies, bullet journaling, and figure skating—usually while thinking about her next book.
She fell in love with fantasy at a young age after discovering The Dragonriders of Pern, and she’s been chasing dragons, magic, and epic love stories ever since. Her books often feature beloved tropes like hidden royalty, slow-burn romance, and the undeniable tension of only one bed.
When she’s not writing, Melissa holds a PhD in physics and works as an optical engineer. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, a husky, and four very spoiled bunnies. She also enjoys baking cookies, bullet journaling, and figure skating—usually while thinking about her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
October 10, 2020
I heard
“dragons”
and came running. And then I DNFed it.
By the looks of it, I’m the only one who didn’t like this book. Seeing the reviews I'm tempted to give it another chance some other time. It’s not entirely that I didn’t like it, but I just couldn’t get into it .
This story begins in Indiana, where 22 year-old Claire is driving back home at 3am and, to her utter astonishment, sees a dragon fall from the sky and pretty much land in her backyard (which happens to be a corn field). When she gets there, all she sees is a wounded, bleeding and unconscious man lying in the middle of a dragon-sized crater. After saving him, she learns his name is Cyrus and he comes from a land called Dragonwall. Oh, and he’s a Drengr, a dragon that can shape-shift into a human.
You know those movies when a knight from medieval times somehow time-travels to modern day? Well that’s what happens here. Cyrus tells Claire everything about Dragonwall, the threats they face and how he ended up in her world, all while trying to wrap his head around how a TV works. Then he dies, but not before making Claire vow to help his world and tell no one but the king everything he told her. A second after Cyrus dies, his Drengr friends show up to rescue him (too late) and take Claire with them. So that’s how a girl from Indiana ends up in Dragonwall and the rest of her nowhere girl turns heroine and probably falls in love story happens, I didn’t get that far in.
I was 10% in when I started thinking about DNFing it. I thought it was too soon, so I skimmed through it until 25-30% to give it a chance to hook me, but it didn’t. I wanted to love this book but I just couldn’t bring myself to care. Not even a little. I felt like I was thrown head first into this world and given multiple POVs that I did not care about. The characters seemed one-dimensional and the dialogues were overly simple. Most of the time the writing felt rushed but at the same time the pace felt slow.
The premise isn't bad, I'm all in for shape-shifting dragons. I don’t know, this book just wasn’t for me, I guess. If I were a 15 year-old and new to YA I may have enjoyed it more.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital review copy in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.
By the looks of it, I’m the only one who didn’t like this book. Seeing the reviews I'm tempted to give it another chance some other time. It’s not entirely that I didn’t like it, but I just couldn’t get into it .
This story begins in Indiana, where 22 year-old Claire is driving back home at 3am and, to her utter astonishment, sees a dragon fall from the sky and pretty much land in her backyard (which happens to be a corn field). When she gets there, all she sees is a wounded, bleeding and unconscious man lying in the middle of a dragon-sized crater. After saving him, she learns his name is Cyrus and he comes from a land called Dragonwall. Oh, and he’s a Drengr, a dragon that can shape-shift into a human.
You know those movies when a knight from medieval times somehow time-travels to modern day? Well that’s what happens here. Cyrus tells Claire everything about Dragonwall, the threats they face and how he ended up in her world, all while trying to wrap his head around how a TV works. Then he dies, but not before making Claire vow to help his world and tell no one but the king everything he told her. A second after Cyrus dies, his Drengr friends show up to rescue him (too late) and take Claire with them. So that’s how a girl from Indiana ends up in Dragonwall and the rest of her nowhere girl turns heroine and probably falls in love story happens, I didn’t get that far in.
I was 10% in when I started thinking about DNFing it. I thought it was too soon, so I skimmed through it until 25-30% to give it a chance to hook me, but it didn’t. I wanted to love this book but I just couldn’t bring myself to care. Not even a little. I felt like I was thrown head first into this world and given multiple POVs that I did not care about. The characters seemed one-dimensional and the dialogues were overly simple. Most of the time the writing felt rushed but at the same time the pace felt slow.
The premise isn't bad, I'm all in for shape-shifting dragons. I don’t know, this book just wasn’t for me, I guess. If I were a 15 year-old and new to YA I may have enjoyed it more.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital review copy in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.
March 25, 2022
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🆗 Ideas
🆗❌ Characters
🆗❌ World-building
❌ Plot jumping all over the place
❌ Dialogues
DNF at 30%
I am seeing all the 4 stars and 5 stars reviews and I realize that the problem here is probably me. This book is not bad, and I can’t say that I disliked it, I just can’t get into it. I started it 3 weeks ago and I only read 30% of it.
It all starts in Indiana, in the middle of the night. Claire (22 years old, normal woman) sees a dragon falling from the sky, and pretty much in the middle of her backyard. She finds a wounded man in the middle of a huge crater and learns that he is a dragon that can shape-shift into a human and he comes from Dragonwall. He talks to her about threats against his land and the mysterious circumstances that led to him crashing into her backyard. I got the distinct feeling that Dragonwall would be the equivalent of medieval time for us because Cyril (the dragon-shifter) obviously does not know how the technology works.
I thought that Cyril would be the romantic interest, but there is a plot twist: he dies (but not before making Claire vow to tell his king everything he told her). His shifter friends then show up just a tiny bit too late to save Cyril and instead, they take Claire with them where I assume, she will become the savior of their land because deep down she is very special… or something like that.
It is a massive book, and I honestly felt that the plot was jumping all over the place. The ideas seem good, the summary is intriguing, but I am not interested enough to keep going. The fact that I do not care about the characters does not help either, they all seem so bland and simple. There are POVs from different characters, but even after reading from their point of view, I do not feel connected to them at all. The dialogues are also quite simplistic and even weird at times, while also being tedious to understand at other times because of the old-fashion way the Drengr (dragon-shifter) speak.
I might give it another chance in the future because I can see that the majority of the readers loved it, but for now I can’t bring myself to continue reading it.
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🆗 Ideas
🆗❌ Characters
🆗❌ World-building
❌ Plot jumping all over the place
❌ Dialogues
DNF at 30%
I am seeing all the 4 stars and 5 stars reviews and I realize that the problem here is probably me. This book is not bad, and I can’t say that I disliked it, I just can’t get into it. I started it 3 weeks ago and I only read 30% of it.
It all starts in Indiana, in the middle of the night. Claire (22 years old, normal woman) sees a dragon falling from the sky, and pretty much in the middle of her backyard. She finds a wounded man in the middle of a huge crater and learns that he is a dragon that can shape-shift into a human and he comes from Dragonwall. He talks to her about threats against his land and the mysterious circumstances that led to him crashing into her backyard. I got the distinct feeling that Dragonwall would be the equivalent of medieval time for us because Cyril (the dragon-shifter) obviously does not know how the technology works.
I thought that Cyril would be the romantic interest, but there is a plot twist: he dies (but not before making Claire vow to tell his king everything he told her). His shifter friends then show up just a tiny bit too late to save Cyril and instead, they take Claire with them where I assume, she will become the savior of their land because deep down she is very special… or something like that.
It is a massive book, and I honestly felt that the plot was jumping all over the place. The ideas seem good, the summary is intriguing, but I am not interested enough to keep going. The fact that I do not care about the characters does not help either, they all seem so bland and simple. There are POVs from different characters, but even after reading from their point of view, I do not feel connected to them at all. The dialogues are also quite simplistic and even weird at times, while also being tedious to understand at other times because of the old-fashion way the Drengr (dragon-shifter) speak.
I might give it another chance in the future because I can see that the majority of the readers loved it, but for now I can’t bring myself to continue reading it.
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August 13, 2020
As soon as I spotted the book I was drawn, the dark cover filled with dragon scales and its sheer size were both intimidating and captivating. As I read, I was fascinated by the authors eloquence, the writing is descriptive and beautiful.
The story is told in third person, from the point of view of various characters spread out throughout the world of Dragonwall. It mainly focused on Claire and Talon's point of view, which carried the main plot-line, however all characters storylines were intertwined masterfully. I also loved Tamara's story, which had more insights on the concept of the Drengr race and their mates. The world-building is outstanding; the author was able to create this slow burn high-fantasy full of magical creatures (dragon-shifters, goblins, mages, sprites...) that you find yourself completely immersed in.
The story has many romance storylines happening in parallel, which for me is amazing because you guys know I love me some romance! I am eager to get my hands on book 2, I get the feeling that my favorite trope is brewing (enemies to lovers) ... ;)
The story is told in third person, from the point of view of various characters spread out throughout the world of Dragonwall. It mainly focused on Claire and Talon's point of view, which carried the main plot-line, however all characters storylines were intertwined masterfully. I also loved Tamara's story, which had more insights on the concept of the Drengr race and their mates. The world-building is outstanding; the author was able to create this slow burn high-fantasy full of magical creatures (dragon-shifters, goblins, mages, sprites...) that you find yourself completely immersed in.
The story has many romance storylines happening in parallel, which for me is amazing because you guys know I love me some romance! I am eager to get my hands on book 2, I get the feeling that my favorite trope is brewing (enemies to lovers) ... ;)
April 2, 2020
THE BONES WERE GOOD.
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I read this because my sister had recommend it to me, and I love her dearly, but this wasn’t my favorite. Let me give you a quote that accurately describes my experience.
I MEAN SAME GIRL. The MAIN CHARACTER, Claire said this. And that is the epitome of this story. Take out about 300 pages (no really, this massive thing is 700ish) and THEN we would’ve had a pretty decent book. The plot jumped allllll over the place. Random character POV chapters, with their own lines that I couldn’t bother to pay attention too. Claire herself was on some kind of adventure. Did I know exactly what that was? Not really. Save the land, be the “chosen one,” the typical stuff was all I gathered.
I was hoping for more romance as well. Nothing crazy, but our two love interests meeting after 350 pages? Not quite what I had in mind. There were some relationships between other characters on the side, but since I knew next to nothing about them I was confused as to why they even liked each other.
Y’all are clearly seeing my issues here. What I gathered from the book is that the bones of the story were good. I could see vaguely how this could honestly be a good book. I mean, there’s DRAGONS everywhere. That was a big reason I picked it up in the first place. I’m holding off on the second book right now, but you never know. I might pick it back up.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + some romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: some kisses
- Violence: some small battles, physical, poison
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I read this because my sister had recommend it to me, and I love her dearly, but this wasn’t my favorite. Let me give you a quote that accurately describes my experience.
“Where was her plot? What was her purpose? Which path was she supposed to follow?”
I MEAN SAME GIRL. The MAIN CHARACTER, Claire said this. And that is the epitome of this story. Take out about 300 pages (no really, this massive thing is 700ish) and THEN we would’ve had a pretty decent book. The plot jumped allllll over the place. Random character POV chapters, with their own lines that I couldn’t bother to pay attention too. Claire herself was on some kind of adventure. Did I know exactly what that was? Not really. Save the land, be the “chosen one,” the typical stuff was all I gathered.
I was hoping for more romance as well. Nothing crazy, but our two love interests meeting after 350 pages? Not quite what I had in mind. There were some relationships between other characters on the side, but since I knew next to nothing about them I was confused as to why they even liked each other.
Y’all are clearly seeing my issues here. What I gathered from the book is that the bones of the story were good. I could see vaguely how this could honestly be a good book. I mean, there’s DRAGONS everywhere. That was a big reason I picked it up in the first place. I’m holding off on the second book right now, but you never know. I might pick it back up.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + some romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: some kisses
- Violence: some small battles, physical, poison
January 22, 2021
Talon the Black surprised me. I went in fully expecting the trope-iness of the book and embraced it, for I too share the love of Pern, Harry Potter, and other dragon books that the author describes in her acknowledgements, and the book had received many 4 and 5 star ratings. It was a shoo-in, right?
Unfortunately, that proved not the case for me, and finishing Talon the Black was one of the greatest book-reading struggles I've faced for some time. I initially DNF'd the book at around 10% before giving it another shot. Fortunately, the book did grow into itself some by the end. The first third I would rate as DNF/1 star, while the last quarter was 3.5-4 star, and the middle somewhere in between.
The primary reasons I can pin down that made the book rather unreadable in the early stages were three-fold. First, the manner in which the exposition was handled exemplifies the saying "Show, don't tell." While I do understand the struggle Mitchell had to set up a whole fantasy world and the motivations for the 'forces of evil' and the 'forces of good' in the book, it was handled rather clumsily through talking-head-like interactions. Worse, we often did not even hear the explanation directly nor see our characters' reactions properly as for pages and pages they were summarized (ex. 'he told of...' or 'he described the...'). This contrasts with the last quarter of the book where our characters are directly experiencing events and/or engaged in dialogue, making the book far more engaging. Additionally, the early exposition lacks weight/emphasis to the point that when information contained within is brought back up late-book, I felt I had missed something (a critical reaction or observation), likely because it had been buried under all of the exposition.
Second, the variety of POVs *without* variety of voice causes the book to feel monotonous and confusing. Mitchell introduces many different POVs by the end of the book, yet every character sounds almost exactly the same. Why does a girl from a small Midwestern town speak like the shapeshifting nobles of a fantasy world? Even if I use a plot-related reason to explain that away, it does not explain how a poor commoner also speaks/thinks/observes the world just as the king might. I noted that the word "permeate" is used almost whenever an aroma is described, no matter the character (ex. maybe I'd expect our midwest girl to sometimes use "filled the air" and a commoner to might say "caught a whiff that set his mouth watering" or something). While POVs are useful narrative devices for showing events happening in different places to different people, they also add color to the world. When the color is all the same, it paints a world with little texture and interest.
Third, the resolution and pacing were very slow, particularly at the beginning/middle when the book was weighted down with all the exposition and POVs. While I do understand there are more books to come in this series, I feel this entry left me hanging with no real resolution to almost any arc, and the few that were addressed had been blindingly obvious most of the book (I'm totally up for trope-iness, but I would prefer that our character not oscillate between a quick wit/adaptability and stubbornly oblivious the whole book). The last quarter of the book felt largely freed from the pacing issues of the first 3/4, and just as it started going, the book ended. I'm a bit confused as well why this book is named after Talon while the second after Reyr given that the Talon arc feels like it has barely started developing while Reyr was a main character this whole book. Perhaps I will read that one to find out, but I am in no hurry to do so.
In conclusion, I can now understand both the early DNF/1 star reviews as well as the finished book/4-5 star reviews, as those who were able to make it to the end saw the evolution of the book. However, this does not entirely make up for the struggle of the early book for me, so I would rate it over all 2/5 but with the author exhibiting plenty of potential as she grows into her craft. Thanks to NetGalley for the 'advanced' readers copy!.
Unfortunately, that proved not the case for me, and finishing Talon the Black was one of the greatest book-reading struggles I've faced for some time. I initially DNF'd the book at around 10% before giving it another shot. Fortunately, the book did grow into itself some by the end. The first third I would rate as DNF/1 star, while the last quarter was 3.5-4 star, and the middle somewhere in between.
The primary reasons I can pin down that made the book rather unreadable in the early stages were three-fold. First, the manner in which the exposition was handled exemplifies the saying "Show, don't tell." While I do understand the struggle Mitchell had to set up a whole fantasy world and the motivations for the 'forces of evil' and the 'forces of good' in the book, it was handled rather clumsily through talking-head-like interactions. Worse, we often did not even hear the explanation directly nor see our characters' reactions properly as for pages and pages they were summarized (ex. 'he told of...' or 'he described the...'). This contrasts with the last quarter of the book where our characters are directly experiencing events and/or engaged in dialogue, making the book far more engaging. Additionally, the early exposition lacks weight/emphasis to the point that when information contained within is brought back up late-book, I felt I had missed something (a critical reaction or observation), likely because it had been buried under all of the exposition.
Second, the variety of POVs *without* variety of voice causes the book to feel monotonous and confusing. Mitchell introduces many different POVs by the end of the book, yet every character sounds almost exactly the same. Why does a girl from a small Midwestern town speak like the shapeshifting nobles of a fantasy world? Even if I use a plot-related reason to explain that away, it does not explain how a poor commoner also speaks/thinks/observes the world just as the king might. I noted that the word "permeate" is used almost whenever an aroma is described, no matter the character (ex. maybe I'd expect our midwest girl to sometimes use "filled the air" and a commoner to might say "caught a whiff that set his mouth watering" or something). While POVs are useful narrative devices for showing events happening in different places to different people, they also add color to the world. When the color is all the same, it paints a world with little texture and interest.
Third, the resolution and pacing were very slow, particularly at the beginning/middle when the book was weighted down with all the exposition and POVs. While I do understand there are more books to come in this series, I feel this entry left me hanging with no real resolution to almost any arc, and the few that were addressed had been blindingly obvious most of the book (I'm totally up for trope-iness, but I would prefer that our character not oscillate between a quick wit/adaptability and stubbornly oblivious the whole book). The last quarter of the book felt largely freed from the pacing issues of the first 3/4, and just as it started going, the book ended. I'm a bit confused as well why this book is named after Talon while the second after Reyr given that the Talon arc feels like it has barely started developing while Reyr was a main character this whole book. Perhaps I will read that one to find out, but I am in no hurry to do so.
In conclusion, I can now understand both the early DNF/1 star reviews as well as the finished book/4-5 star reviews, as those who were able to make it to the end saw the evolution of the book. However, this does not entirely make up for the struggle of the early book for me, so I would rate it over all 2/5 but with the author exhibiting plenty of potential as she grows into her craft. Thanks to NetGalley for the 'advanced' readers copy!.
February 8, 2019
I found this book on Wattpad in my quest for quality dragon-related material, and I wasn't disappointed. When the story opens, you have that small moment of peace, and then the new world opens up with a bang. A dragon falls from the sky, and suddenly you can't put the book down because if you did you would have to leave the story.
Claire is an amazing character, as are the rest of her friends, and I am so happy that I got to read Talon the Black. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quality story of adventure, mystery, heroism, and just plain fun. The very concepts in the story were new to me, and the storytelling is gripping. Melissa Mitchell did an amazing job, and should be proud of the story that captured people around the world.
Claire is an amazing character, as are the rest of her friends, and I am so happy that I got to read Talon the Black. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quality story of adventure, mystery, heroism, and just plain fun. The very concepts in the story were new to me, and the storytelling is gripping. Melissa Mitchell did an amazing job, and should be proud of the story that captured people around the world.
February 25, 2019
If you like dragon stories, you will like this one. From the moment Claire finds a dragon in her cornfield, her life is not only turned upside down, it is also turned inside out. She goes from farm girl to accused murderer to prisoner to servant and more. It becomes more than just an adventure of a lifetime.
Talon is the King of Dragonwall. With all the troubles he has with pirates and wild dragons and goblins, he must deal with his unruly Court. Besides dealing with their petty demands, he finds that he has traitors in his court. Now he has a strange, beautiful Outsider to deal with, one who he falsely accuses of murder.
Talon the Black is fast paced and has on-the-edge-of-your-seats moments that will keep you wanting to read more. Claire learns that she has a special gift that can be viewed as a curse or a blessing. You will cry with Claire, yell in anger with Claire and laugh with Claire as she learns to navigate the strange new world called Dragonwall.
Talon is the King of Dragonwall. With all the troubles he has with pirates and wild dragons and goblins, he must deal with his unruly Court. Besides dealing with their petty demands, he finds that he has traitors in his court. Now he has a strange, beautiful Outsider to deal with, one who he falsely accuses of murder.
Talon the Black is fast paced and has on-the-edge-of-your-seats moments that will keep you wanting to read more. Claire learns that she has a special gift that can be viewed as a curse or a blessing. You will cry with Claire, yell in anger with Claire and laugh with Claire as she learns to navigate the strange new world called Dragonwall.
February 8, 2019
I read this on Wattpad and it is amazing the way the author makes you want to finish the book and how you can keep rereading it and never get bored considering I already read it twice or three times
This book has a way of making you want to not stop reading not to mention how you get a view of all the charecters lives ,not only the view of one character and the how when you read from each point of view it is like you are the character and you can feel what they feel
Overall this book is absolutely amazing and I give a round applause to the author
This book has a way of making you want to not stop reading not to mention how you get a view of all the charecters lives ,not only the view of one character and the how when you read from each point of view it is like you are the character and you can feel what they feel
Overall this book is absolutely amazing and I give a round applause to the author
December 17, 2021
I have read a few books with dragonshifters and dragons in it, but not liked so many of them.
This sadly, was no different. I could not get into it or enjoy it.
I got this eARC from Netgalley.
This sadly, was no different. I could not get into it or enjoy it.
I got this eARC from Netgalley.
February 9, 2019
Talon the black grabbed my attention from the first chapter, I love the pace, the story and it is just my type of fantasy. The dragons are complex, human but with also Animal instincts that really sells the story.
I also love how we have different stories going on simultaneously that is keeping it from being a single story.
All in all this is a well written book.
I also love how we have different stories going on simultaneously that is keeping it from being a single story.
All in all this is a well written book.
November 7, 2020
This was an e-arc profided by netgalley for which I'm thankful.
The synopsis was very promising I mean dragons, shapshifters and a heroine... count me in!
I liked how it showed the struggels that where going one with different characters. I connected with them very easily and they felt very real to me. I mean somethimes characters are to good or too bad. But in this some showed more of a mix, they made mistakes an have to make up for it.
The only thing that i'm not sure what I feel about it is the extra pov characters. I could not really make out their role in the story directly and at first they felt to be intruding the story. But later on it seemed they showed some extra pare of eyes to help tell the story of Dragonwall.
Over all I loved it and I can't wait to start reading Reyr the Gold.
The synopsis was very promising I mean dragons, shapshifters and a heroine... count me in!
I liked how it showed the struggels that where going one with different characters. I connected with them very easily and they felt very real to me. I mean somethimes characters are to good or too bad. But in this some showed more of a mix, they made mistakes an have to make up for it.
The only thing that i'm not sure what I feel about it is the extra pov characters. I could not really make out their role in the story directly and at first they felt to be intruding the story. But later on it seemed they showed some extra pare of eyes to help tell the story of Dragonwall.
Over all I loved it and I can't wait to start reading Reyr the Gold.
January 12, 2021
An entertaining and fast paced read, really interesting and easy going , the perfectly escapism, fantasy, great characters and a good story, what’s not to like
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
September 5, 2024
This is a difficult one to review. Really difficult. It has so much potential. I am definitely still very curious to find out what’s going to happen next and especially about the character developments and any potential romances. But… on the other hand, I feel like that if I don’t pick up the next book in the series that’s more than okay as well, because I just wasn’t really hooked to this writing (for which I feel very sad). I am in a predicament right now haha because when looking at my rating, I’d normally not pick up the next book in a series. But with this story, I am party feeling that I maybe Do want to continue to see how the writing might develop over time and hopefully get better. But for the most part of the book, it just wasn’t really enticing to me, not thrilling enough I think. Despite the fact that I normally love multiple pov’s, I think the execution in this one was a bit chaotic to me. It was always just small bits and pieces of one character or the other, varied, which felt like every time I felt like there was a good development on the horizon and had me a bit exciting, it went on to something/someone else and that feeling left me again, needing to build up anew again. It’s really hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that has me feeling this way though. I’m just not sure how to properly give words and meaning to this reading experience.
Overall, it has potential and a lot of elements present I like and that could become quite awesome in future books. But the execution/writing just wasn’t something that was really able to get me excited unfortunately. But as always, reading books is such a personal experience, so if you’re interested in this book I’d definitely recommend to pick it up and give it a go yourself.
So I’m going for 2 stars here, because in the end I decide (for now) that I’m not going to continue the series. That my feelings about this reading experience are not leaning towards wanting to continue unfortunately.
Overall, it has potential and a lot of elements present I like and that could become quite awesome in future books. But the execution/writing just wasn’t something that was really able to get me excited unfortunately. But as always, reading books is such a personal experience, so if you’re interested in this book I’d definitely recommend to pick it up and give it a go yourself.
So I’m going for 2 stars here, because in the end I decide (for now) that I’m not going to continue the series. That my feelings about this reading experience are not leaning towards wanting to continue unfortunately.
February 9, 2019
Talon the Black was one of the first books that genuinely made me excited for more. Every time I saw a new chapter, I would drop everything (literally) and start to read. With every encounter between characters, it felt as if I was there beside them, listening along.
First of all, the author, Melissa, is one of the kindest people I’ve seen. Where the book first premiered, Wattpad, she responded to every comment, positive or negative, with nothing but kindness. She took criticism amazing and praise bashfully, not to mention she’s one of the few authors who can keep a solid schedule, uploading a new chapter without fail.
Anyways, on to the book. There’s always something new to keep you on your feet, and some new element that leaves you scratching your head. It allows you to theorize a variety of possibilities without the ending being plain as day. The main character, Claire is actually likable, with a hilarious wit, but she reacts according to things. She isn’t a god, unstoppable or a wimp, she reacts as if it’s real, just another element to drive you into the book.
Also, the writing is phenomenal. It’s filled with rich imagery and compelling twists that will leave you dying for more. If you appreciate good literature, Talon the Black won’t let you down.
First of all, the author, Melissa, is one of the kindest people I’ve seen. Where the book first premiered, Wattpad, she responded to every comment, positive or negative, with nothing but kindness. She took criticism amazing and praise bashfully, not to mention she’s one of the few authors who can keep a solid schedule, uploading a new chapter without fail.
Anyways, on to the book. There’s always something new to keep you on your feet, and some new element that leaves you scratching your head. It allows you to theorize a variety of possibilities without the ending being plain as day. The main character, Claire is actually likable, with a hilarious wit, but she reacts according to things. She isn’t a god, unstoppable or a wimp, she reacts as if it’s real, just another element to drive you into the book.
Also, the writing is phenomenal. It’s filled with rich imagery and compelling twists that will leave you dying for more. If you appreciate good literature, Talon the Black won’t let you down.
February 8, 2019
A refreshing new take on the dragon genre. Most Dragon-themed books use the "the last of a dying race" trope and use the basic human-rider-rebuilds-dragon-riding-order storyline, which is cool, but boring after you read it a few hundred times. This story is different in all the best ways. It takes the classic fairytale world and changes it in unexpected ways.
Melissa writes a rich world filled with magic, history, and dragons in shining armor. The main characters range from intelligent and charming to downright evil, and everything in between. The plot keeps you guessing, and each character, even the seemingly minor ones, play an important role. Take the journey into Dragonwall. You'll never be the same.
Melissa writes a rich world filled with magic, history, and dragons in shining armor. The main characters range from intelligent and charming to downright evil, and everything in between. The plot keeps you guessing, and each character, even the seemingly minor ones, play an important role. Take the journey into Dragonwall. You'll never be the same.
December 7, 2019
I first read Talon the Black on Wattpad, and since then I’ve been there for every update and even pre-ordered Reyr the Gold. The series is amazing and is really outside of the box. I’ve read a lot of books in my life so far, and these have captured my attention better than any I’ve read. There’s nothing like a good book that sucks you in and makes you feel like you’re actually witnessing everything that’s happening. For anyone considering it, I would definitely give it a try!
August 3, 2025
This one's not working for me.
March 26, 2026
I love Pern. I love High Fantasy, I love romantasy done well. This one was a DNF at 50% for me...just felt clunky and like I was wading. Not sure if it was me or the book but not for me right now
September 8, 2025
*Deep breath*
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Like so many others, I discovered Talon the Black on Wattpad. I loved fantasy and have always had a fascination with dragons, BUT LET ME TELL YOU - this book is unlike any other fantasy book you have read. A new take on the draconic aspect of the fantasy genre.
Talon the Black has had me gripped within the magical world of Dragonwall since page one. Claire Evans is a twenty-first-century woman who ends up caught in the nefarious plan of an evil sorcerer purely by chance... or so we think.
She is driving home one night to find a wounded dragon falling from the sky, and out of the goodness of her heart (and probably to give herself peace of mind because no sane person sees dragons falling from the skies), she goes over to help it - instead, she finds a man. Dun, dun, DUN!
Claire is witty, lovely and NORMAL - which is such a rarity when it comes to some novels. She is not impeccably strong and courageous, but she is still both of those things. She is brave - but she gets scared. She fights - but she gets injured.
Modern meets medieval in this incredible book that leaves you within its grasp long after you've finished it.
THE KING OF DRAGONWALL
The title of the novel is his namesake 'Talon the Black'. The novel switches from Claire's main point of view throughout the book, giving you better insight into this brooding king and other storylines, a style of writing that can be likened to Game of Thrones and Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus.
This next part may contain spoilers, read at your own risk.
I'm running out of characters so I'll have to stop now - just know that I don't want to. 😂❤
A MUST READ
I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Like so many others, I discovered Talon the Black on Wattpad. I loved fantasy and have always had a fascination with dragons, BUT LET ME TELL YOU - this book is unlike any other fantasy book you have read. A new take on the draconic aspect of the fantasy genre.
Talon the Black has had me gripped within the magical world of Dragonwall since page one. Claire Evans is a twenty-first-century woman who ends up caught in the nefarious plan of an evil sorcerer purely by chance... or so we think.
She is driving home one night to find a wounded dragon falling from the sky, and out of the goodness of her heart (and probably to give herself peace of mind because no sane person sees dragons falling from the skies), she goes over to help it - instead, she finds a man. Dun, dun, DUN!
Claire is witty, lovely and NORMAL - which is such a rarity when it comes to some novels. She is not impeccably strong and courageous, but she is still both of those things. She is brave - but she gets scared. She fights - but she gets injured.
Modern meets medieval in this incredible book that leaves you within its grasp long after you've finished it.
"'Truth never makes things easier, Claire. But I will tell you anyway - I never saw your future. I only saw your potential, your heart, your goodness, your importance. It was enough.'"
THE KING OF DRAGONWALL
The title of the novel is his namesake 'Talon the Black'. The novel switches from Claire's main point of view throughout the book, giving you better insight into this brooding king and other storylines, a style of writing that can be likened to Game of Thrones and Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus.
This next part may contain spoilers, read at your own risk.
I'm running out of characters so I'll have to stop now - just know that I don't want to. 😂❤
A MUST READ
October 25, 2020
I really liked this book. After reading For the Crown by the same author, I wanted this book as soon as I saw it on Netgalley. Thankfully I got it, and it put For the Crown to shame. While For the Crown really focused on romance, this book went into full epic fantasy mode. As a fantasy lover, that shift is what made me love this book.
Talon the Black follows Claire, a girl from Indiana who's life is turned upside down when a dragon falls into her backyard. After he turns into a man, he tells her all about his world, Dragonwall, and the challenges it is soon to face. Forced to travel to Dragonwall, she soon meets King Talon, and discovers that fate has more in store for her than simply living in Indiana.
To be honest, when I picked this up, I wasn't expecting to be amazed. I expected a romance I'd enjoy, but not love. So let's just say I was very surprised when this book had an action driven plot. Don't get me wrong, this book definitely had romances. They were just laid back, and the main one promises to be slow burn. (almost too slow, I need these characters to get together!)
I really loved the characters in this, especially Cyrus. I get that the whole "medieval knight transfers to modern times" idea is a bit overused, but I love it anyway. I was constantly laughing for the first part of this, Cyrus's fascination with the "magic" was just great. As for Claire, I did find her a bit over dramatic at times, but I still really liked her. Talon, on the other hand, I'm super interested in him! I'm desperate for him to get put in the spotlight, and for more character development!
You can definitely read this book without having read For the Crown, but I think I enjoyed this a lot more because I had read it. For the Crown really introduced the world and its customs, so this book didn't have to. I think I would've spent a lot of this book very confused if I hadn't read it. That being said, don't shy away from this because you haven't read it, all of the history is still explained and introduced.
Full of dragons, and action, I'd definitely recommend this book! I'm always looking for fantasy worlds with tons of dragons, and this book definitely fulfilled my wishes!
For the Crown review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thanks to Meliss Mitchel and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Talon the Black follows Claire, a girl from Indiana who's life is turned upside down when a dragon falls into her backyard. After he turns into a man, he tells her all about his world, Dragonwall, and the challenges it is soon to face. Forced to travel to Dragonwall, she soon meets King Talon, and discovers that fate has more in store for her than simply living in Indiana.
To be honest, when I picked this up, I wasn't expecting to be amazed. I expected a romance I'd enjoy, but not love. So let's just say I was very surprised when this book had an action driven plot. Don't get me wrong, this book definitely had romances. They were just laid back, and the main one promises to be slow burn. (almost too slow, I need these characters to get together!)
I really loved the characters in this, especially Cyrus. I get that the whole "medieval knight transfers to modern times" idea is a bit overused, but I love it anyway. I was constantly laughing for the first part of this, Cyrus's fascination with the "magic" was just great. As for Claire, I did find her a bit over dramatic at times, but I still really liked her. Talon, on the other hand, I'm super interested in him! I'm desperate for him to get put in the spotlight, and for more character development!
You can definitely read this book without having read For the Crown, but I think I enjoyed this a lot more because I had read it. For the Crown really introduced the world and its customs, so this book didn't have to. I think I would've spent a lot of this book very confused if I hadn't read it. That being said, don't shy away from this because you haven't read it, all of the history is still explained and introduced.
Full of dragons, and action, I'd definitely recommend this book! I'm always looking for fantasy worlds with tons of dragons, and this book definitely fulfilled my wishes!
For the Crown review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thanks to Meliss Mitchel and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
September 11, 2020
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
I think you all probably know by now that I love a chunky book. 99% of the time I will choose a 500+ page book over anything under 400 pages. So when this beautiful (I mean look at the cover) thick book showed up at my apartment, I was so freaking excited! Hell, I’m still excited. Not only does Talon the Black look good on my shelf, it was a really enjoyable read as well.
My personal favorite thing about this book was the narration from one of the MCs, Claire. She was a little bit of a mess and it just made her so relatable. I love when authors make me feel like a character is telling me a story as though we are friends, and Claire’s narration gave me that feeling.
I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple POVs and also loved that there were multiple romance plotlines. Finishing this book made me want to immediately pick up the next book because I am dying to read more set in this world. The combination of modern and medieval stories had me intrigued from the beginning and kept me interested until the end.
My only tiny TINY gripe with this book was the pacing. At times, the plot moved a bit too slowly for my liking. For the most part, Talon the Black was fast paced, action packed and honestly just gripping, but there were parts that moved a bit too slowly to completely keep my interest. Fortunately, those parts passed and the book managed to suck me right back in.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
I think you all probably know by now that I love a chunky book. 99% of the time I will choose a 500+ page book over anything under 400 pages. So when this beautiful (I mean look at the cover) thick book showed up at my apartment, I was so freaking excited! Hell, I’m still excited. Not only does Talon the Black look good on my shelf, it was a really enjoyable read as well.
My personal favorite thing about this book was the narration from one of the MCs, Claire. She was a little bit of a mess and it just made her so relatable. I love when authors make me feel like a character is telling me a story as though we are friends, and Claire’s narration gave me that feeling.
I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple POVs and also loved that there were multiple romance plotlines. Finishing this book made me want to immediately pick up the next book because I am dying to read more set in this world. The combination of modern and medieval stories had me intrigued from the beginning and kept me interested until the end.
My only tiny TINY gripe with this book was the pacing. At times, the plot moved a bit too slowly for my liking. For the most part, Talon the Black was fast paced, action packed and honestly just gripping, but there were parts that moved a bit too slowly to completely keep my interest. Fortunately, those parts passed and the book managed to suck me right back in.
November 14, 2020
Can't Wait to Read the Next Book!
Once I started I couldn't put it down! 📓Despite the pages being 500+ pages, I think I devoured this book like a dragon devoirs a grazer,😉 in about 4 days I think (actually 6 days).
I'm glad I bought the second book so I can binge read it. But the 3rd is still on Wattpad! *Insert almost cry face* 😞😤 (Which is where I originally heard about these books)
Now to the second book!! 📒
Ugh, and I think I read somewhere that this is supposed to be a 7-book series!
Nug, my heart.❣️
And considering that the next books' title is one of the Shields', I'm thinking the other titles may have the other Shields' names as well…. That's just a hunch of mine. 😹
❗This is a slow burner book!
-And even though it may have many POVs, they all contribute nicely to the plot.
Once I started I couldn't put it down! 📓Despite the pages being 500+ pages, I think I devoured this book like a dragon devoirs a grazer,😉 in about 4 days I think (actually 6 days).
I'm glad I bought the second book so I can binge read it. But the 3rd is still on Wattpad! *Insert almost cry face* 😞😤 (Which is where I originally heard about these books)
Now to the second book!! 📒
Ugh, and I think I read somewhere that this is supposed to be a 7-book series!
Nug, my heart.❣️
And considering that the next books' title is one of the Shields', I'm thinking the other titles may have the other Shields' names as well…. That's just a hunch of mine. 😹
❗This is a slow burner book!
-And even though it may have many POVs, they all contribute nicely to the plot.
Read
December 10, 2019What would you do if a dragon fell from the sky? That's exactly what Claire Evans witnessed.
This is the second book that I've read of Melissa Mitchell the first being her novel debut "Blood and Ballet." That book was already my favorite so I didn't expect anything less from this book. Just when I thought I couldn't love a book as much as I love Blood and Ballet...Talon the Black came along. I fell in love with the characters, the world of Dragonwall, and the journey that Melissa takes us on in this amazing fantasy book. The creatures of Dragonwall was an added plus.
If you love dragons, fantasy worlds, mythical creatures, and some amazing character development then you will not be disappointed by this book. I would give this book 10 stars if I could!
This is the second book that I've read of Melissa Mitchell the first being her novel debut "Blood and Ballet." That book was already my favorite so I didn't expect anything less from this book. Just when I thought I couldn't love a book as much as I love Blood and Ballet...Talon the Black came along. I fell in love with the characters, the world of Dragonwall, and the journey that Melissa takes us on in this amazing fantasy book. The creatures of Dragonwall was an added plus.
If you love dragons, fantasy worlds, mythical creatures, and some amazing character development then you will not be disappointed by this book. I would give this book 10 stars if I could!
October 18, 2020
Did not finish at 2%.
This needs major work. The paragraphing is odd and does now flow, and the writing is middle grade. The author needs to review and rework the novel, and hire beta readers, editors and publishers that will be strict and pick up on the poor syntax, grammar and flow.
My advice is to treat this as a first draft and surrender it to a truly merciless editor.
Not yet publishable.
This needs major work. The paragraphing is odd and does now flow, and the writing is middle grade. The author needs to review and rework the novel, and hire beta readers, editors and publishers that will be strict and pick up on the poor syntax, grammar and flow.
My advice is to treat this as a first draft and surrender it to a truly merciless editor.
Not yet publishable.
October 6, 2022
I was so happy finding this story because it’s a fantasy reader’s dream. It has a strong female lead with a group of amazing characters that build in this twist of storylines that all work together. Plus evil sorcerer that is greedy and power hungry for what is left of a man. How she wrote each of the storylines makes that it can continue to build into the next book in this story. I was on the edge of my chair with each chapter and never able to put the book down.
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2024DNF'd it halfway through. The anticipation was there for when the MC finally meets Talon. Was excited about it, thinking the chemistry I'd made up in my head that they'd have would come to fruition. But it fizzled out quickly and drastically once they did. I was sorely disappointed. Having the POV switch around with multiple characters to different sides of the story was annoying because of how often it happened and only added to the decision to DNF it.
December 28, 2022
Talon the Black by Melissa Mitchell
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐⭐⭐/5
YA/ 🌶5
📑SYNOPSIS:
What would you do if a dragon fell from the sky? Claire Evans is a small-towner from Indiana faced with this exact situation. When a dragon crash-lands in her corn field, she goes gallivanting off to find it.
✏️MY THOUGHTS:
Melissa is a true writing wizard. Every single book/series that I read by her is amazing and this one is no different!
This series has my heart. It is everything that I could ever want and more: we have a strong heroine who is not afraid to call your BS, loyal and handsome drengr (dragon shifters), sprites, unicorns, goblins, evil beings and all the other fantastical beings that you would want!
This series is addicting. The writing is beautiful and incredibly detailed, you can almost imagine yourself walking through the keep and the sprite forest!
Melissa was able to break my heart in the very first few chapters lol. Once we get to dragonwall we get a band aid to mend our heart (if you read it you will know).
There is a delicious slow burn, however romance is not the main plot of the book. It is a delicious bonus! This book is action driven and I love it. There are multiple POV, and I already have a few favorites (Claire and Tamara). The storylines work well together, and they have nice continuation from one chapter to another.
The characters are amazing, they are flawed and so human. Especially Claire, sometimes I want to have a one-on-one talk with her lol, but I love that she is just full of fire and not afraid to do what is right! All the drengr shields are wonderful. They are all unique and special at the same time. I just want to be best friends with all of them! Verath and Reyr are so far from my favorite, but King Talon is growing on me :)
I love the medieval settings, the knights, the gowns, the customs, and castles and all that! I have not read a medieval type of fantasy book for a long time now and this series just brought me home.
I cannot wait to read the next books!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐⭐⭐/5
YA/ 🌶5
📑SYNOPSIS:
What would you do if a dragon fell from the sky? Claire Evans is a small-towner from Indiana faced with this exact situation. When a dragon crash-lands in her corn field, she goes gallivanting off to find it.
✏️MY THOUGHTS:
Melissa is a true writing wizard. Every single book/series that I read by her is amazing and this one is no different!
This series has my heart. It is everything that I could ever want and more: we have a strong heroine who is not afraid to call your BS, loyal and handsome drengr (dragon shifters), sprites, unicorns, goblins, evil beings and all the other fantastical beings that you would want!
This series is addicting. The writing is beautiful and incredibly detailed, you can almost imagine yourself walking through the keep and the sprite forest!
Melissa was able to break my heart in the very first few chapters lol. Once we get to dragonwall we get a band aid to mend our heart (if you read it you will know).
There is a delicious slow burn, however romance is not the main plot of the book. It is a delicious bonus! This book is action driven and I love it. There are multiple POV, and I already have a few favorites (Claire and Tamara). The storylines work well together, and they have nice continuation from one chapter to another.
The characters are amazing, they are flawed and so human. Especially Claire, sometimes I want to have a one-on-one talk with her lol, but I love that she is just full of fire and not afraid to do what is right! All the drengr shields are wonderful. They are all unique and special at the same time. I just want to be best friends with all of them! Verath and Reyr are so far from my favorite, but King Talon is growing on me :)
I love the medieval settings, the knights, the gowns, the customs, and castles and all that! I have not read a medieval type of fantasy book for a long time now and this series just brought me home.
I cannot wait to read the next books!
February 7, 2021
Dragons! That's all it took for me to be interested in this book.
I enjoyed it I did promise. It was a fast and fun read. Does it have issues, yes, but overall it has mystery, adventure, dragons, shapeshifters, interesting heroine. And, yes, just like this review, it was a little all over the place.
Should you read it? If you don't mind a bit of confusion and plot going everywhere, it really is a fun read! I do wish there was a bit more romance involved, but hey - DRAGONS falling out of the sky!
I enjoyed it I did promise. It was a fast and fun read. Does it have issues, yes, but overall it has mystery, adventure, dragons, shapeshifters, interesting heroine. And, yes, just like this review, it was a little all over the place.
Should you read it? If you don't mind a bit of confusion and plot going everywhere, it really is a fun read! I do wish there was a bit more romance involved, but hey - DRAGONS falling out of the sky!
February 3, 2026
There is a lot of telling not showing in this book, which made it feel longer than it needed to be.
That being said, the plot is interesting, so it kept me reading until the end. I might even pick up book 2 in the future, although I'm not itching to get into it right away.
My only real complaint is how completely the main character just went along with everything that was happening. Pretty much page one - a dragon falls out of the sky in rural Indiana. Our main character, "oh wow I guess dragons are real then!" Like what? I would have questions. So many questions.
That being said, the plot is interesting, so it kept me reading until the end. I might even pick up book 2 in the future, although I'm not itching to get into it right away.
My only real complaint is how completely the main character just went along with everything that was happening. Pretty much page one - a dragon falls out of the sky in rural Indiana. Our main character, "oh wow I guess dragons are real then!" Like what? I would have questions. So many questions.
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