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Fire and Fang #1
Sky Shielder
He helped destroy her family. Now he wants to protect her. Dare she trust him?
For generations, magical sky shields have defended the Garden Kingdom from dragons and their savage riders. Now, the shield protecting the capital has been sabotaged, the castle destroyed, and all except the youngest member of the royal family slain.
A healer with a love for books, antiques, and avoiding family gatherings, Princess Syla never thought the future of the kingdom would rely upon her—or that assassins would be hunting her down. With only an aged bodyguard with bad knees to protect her, she’s in way over her head.
Then he shows up.
The powerful and deadly dragon rider Captain Vorik claims to be from a faction that wants peace, not war, and who opposed the attack. Supposedly, he and his dragon ally were sent to protect Syla.
With threats coming from all directions, she has no choice but to accept his help, but she doesn’t trust him—or her attraction to him.
Why is he really there? To kill her? To spy on her? To seduce her?
All Syla knows for certain is that she must get the best of Vorik before he can get the best of her. Her kingdom and her life depend on it.
Sky Shielder contains sex, violence, and arrogant and opinionated dragons.
For generations, magical sky shields have defended the Garden Kingdom from dragons and their savage riders. Now, the shield protecting the capital has been sabotaged, the castle destroyed, and all except the youngest member of the royal family slain.
A healer with a love for books, antiques, and avoiding family gatherings, Princess Syla never thought the future of the kingdom would rely upon her—or that assassins would be hunting her down. With only an aged bodyguard with bad knees to protect her, she’s in way over her head.
Then he shows up.
The powerful and deadly dragon rider Captain Vorik claims to be from a faction that wants peace, not war, and who opposed the attack. Supposedly, he and his dragon ally were sent to protect Syla.
With threats coming from all directions, she has no choice but to accept his help, but she doesn’t trust him—or her attraction to him.
Why is he really there? To kill her? To spy on her? To seduce her?
All Syla knows for certain is that she must get the best of Vorik before he can get the best of her. Her kingdom and her life depend on it.
Sky Shielder contains sex, violence, and arrogant and opinionated dragons.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2025
1585 people are currently reading
25296 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Buroker
197 books6,279 followersI'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
October 13, 2025
Lindsay's inimitable snarky dragons are back! Oh, how I've missed them and their strange priorities.
This is a lighthearted fantasy (if you discount the initial massacre) with the MFC and MMC being on opposite sides of a longstanding war in which one side desires safety and the other side desires... fruit?
The main and side characters are fun and engaging with plenty of banter, friendship and of course the DRAGONS. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next one. I hope the path of true dragon love will run smooth, but I think a certain red-scaled beauty will make her suitors work for it . Oh, and the human love story is cute, too.
This is a lighthearted fantasy (if you discount the initial massacre) with the MFC and MMC being on opposite sides of a longstanding war in which one side desires safety and the other side desires... fruit?
The main and side characters are fun and engaging with plenty of banter, friendship and of course the DRAGONS. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next one. I hope the path of true dragon love will run smooth, but I think a certain red-scaled beauty will make her suitors work for it . Oh, and the human love story is cute, too.
October 30, 2025
Okayyyy
Read to the end, even though the book is a bit slow. The action wasn't edge of your seat. The romance was more one night stand with a colleague vying for the same role. So yeah that... It didn't pull at heart strings.
Am still looking for the "epic" in all this.
The dragons absolutely made this book. Agrevlari made me laugh with his off handed comments. He should be the MC lol
The world build needs a bit more attention. We are given hints but where are we? It missed the immersive aspect for me.
I don't particularly see a good resolution between the factions..... But that's a good thing. If book 2 doesn't do a rinse and repeat this could be interesting.
On to book 2.... You lot coming?
Read to the end, even though the book is a bit slow. The action wasn't edge of your seat. The romance was more one night stand with a colleague vying for the same role. So yeah that... It didn't pull at heart strings.
Am still looking for the "epic" in all this.
The dragons absolutely made this book. Agrevlari made me laugh with his off handed comments. He should be the MC lol
The world build needs a bit more attention. We are given hints but where are we? It missed the immersive aspect for me.
I don't particularly see a good resolution between the factions..... But that's a good thing. If book 2 doesn't do a rinse and repeat this could be interesting.
On to book 2.... You lot coming?
November 20, 2025
Kinda silly but a nice diversion from all the deep, sometimes dark fantasy/romantasies on tap right now.
October 31, 2025
Entertaining Read....but....
First: I love this author. I have read all of her books and always appreciate the humor and find the stories enjoyable. This book was the same with the humor......but I had a difficult time getting over the gullibility of the MFC. Her home had just been decimated and her family murdered by the MMC's people. Actions the MMC participated in! For the MFC to then willy nilly follow after his pretty face was just a step too far for me. Perhaps if the amount of loss hadn't been so extensive I could have suspended my disbelief better. I recognize there were several attempts to convey the grief felt by the MFC but it never balanced out. The darkness of those initial losses overwhelmed the attempted light-heartedness of the rest of the story. However, I'm willing to go along with it due to my faith in the author. Overall, the book is worth reading for sure and I will definitely read the next one....which I hope is a bit more "realistic" in terms of emotional depth.
First: I love this author. I have read all of her books and always appreciate the humor and find the stories enjoyable. This book was the same with the humor......but I had a difficult time getting over the gullibility of the MFC. Her home had just been decimated and her family murdered by the MMC's people. Actions the MMC participated in! For the MFC to then willy nilly follow after his pretty face was just a step too far for me. Perhaps if the amount of loss hadn't been so extensive I could have suspended my disbelief better. I recognize there were several attempts to convey the grief felt by the MFC but it never balanced out. The darkness of those initial losses overwhelmed the attempted light-heartedness of the rest of the story. However, I'm willing to go along with it due to my faith in the author. Overall, the book is worth reading for sure and I will definitely read the next one....which I hope is a bit more "realistic" in terms of emotional depth.
December 4, 2025
I gave up at 53%
I just couldn't carry on with this one.
I just couldn't carry on with this one.
October 30, 2025
Fun Romp Right from the Start
I've read many Lindsay Buroker books by now, and she never disappoints. I'm addicted to her books, honestly. The main characters are likeable, the dragons pompous, the humor on point, and the romance is sizzling. My only critique is that the world building was a bit simplistic and the plot a bit straightforward, which was the reason for 4 starts. However, I can forgive this because by the end I have a smile, and I'm wanting more! I will say that usually it takes Lindsay some time to hit her stride, but the action/romance in this book started right out the gate. For those who want that action right away, this book will be for them. Please read more Lindsay! She's amazing!
I've read many Lindsay Buroker books by now, and she never disappoints. I'm addicted to her books, honestly. The main characters are likeable, the dragons pompous, the humor on point, and the romance is sizzling. My only critique is that the world building was a bit simplistic and the plot a bit straightforward, which was the reason for 4 starts. However, I can forgive this because by the end I have a smile, and I'm wanting more! I will say that usually it takes Lindsay some time to hit her stride, but the action/romance in this book started right out the gate. For those who want that action right away, this book will be for them. Please read more Lindsay! She's amazing!
November 18, 2025
I'm not sure what I think about this book it was half bad ,half good the parts I liked about it was the amount of interaction between the characters they talked a lot and the dragons were pretty cool too but the story lacked detail and I struggled to picture everything in my mind and I don't like the MFC as much she's gullible I understand the author tried to make the MMC story believable but then it should've affected the other characters beliefs too because I don't know about you but if all my friends tell me not to do something I would listen and the lack of any emotion she had to her family dieing is just really sad but what made her shead a tear was some random artifacts not her family? And on top of that her family just died chaos is all over and you tell I guy you don't trust him but allow him to touch you and lean into his touch not mention not pull away when he kisses your neck like what's the main goal here? I also caught myself rolling my eyes everytime something got mentioned about the MMC groin or arousal because it was not the time or place for him to think about that. The romance just didn't do it for me it felt like a sped up version of Rome and Juliet.
December 23, 2025
decided to do myself a favor and quit while i was ahead. this book was going absolutely nowhere and im over it unfortunately
November 2, 2025
Couldn’t finish it.
November 15, 2025
Lindsay Buroker could write a novel on how to boil water and I would read it.
Sky Shielder has a wonderfully violent start, setting the stage for what would be the atmosphere for the remainder of the book. Despite some believing that the FMC should've been too emotionally devastated for the development of the relationship within this story, I thought it fit her personality and world view beautifully.
Complicated political dynamics, nations at war, a stubborn but heartfelt protag, a strong, berry loving MMC, snarky dragons? What else could you ask for?
actually, my only complaint is that I binged the book in two days and now I have to wait for more.
Sky Shielder has a wonderfully violent start, setting the stage for what would be the atmosphere for the remainder of the book. Despite some believing that the FMC should've been too emotionally devastated for the development of the relationship within this story, I thought it fit her personality and world view beautifully.
Complicated political dynamics, nations at war, a stubborn but heartfelt protag, a strong, berry loving MMC, snarky dragons? What else could you ask for?
actually, my only complaint is that I binged the book in two days and now I have to wait for more.
October 30, 2025
Fantastic
I was hooked before the end of the first chapter. The cliffhangers kept you enticed to the end.
The final cliffhanger has you asking when is book 2 and how many more after that.
The interaction between the two main characters is intriguing. The supporting characters are well defined human and dragon. Although one dragon is definitely a heroine.
I was hooked before the end of the first chapter. The cliffhangers kept you enticed to the end.
The final cliffhanger has you asking when is book 2 and how many more after that.
The interaction between the two main characters is intriguing. The supporting characters are well defined human and dragon. Although one dragon is definitely a heroine.
February 11, 2026
4.5🌟’s rounded up. The storyline was ok but what made this book great was the dragons and their inner dialogue. Can’t wait to see what happens on book 2.
November 9, 2025
Couldn’t Decide What It Wanted to Be
I really didn’t enjoy this one. The story kept jumping between violent fantasy and awkward romantic comedy — with dragons obsessed with sex thrown in for good measure. It couldn’t settle on a tone, and it made the whole thing feel disjointed.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters, not even the dragons, and the romance between Syla and Vorik felt shallow and forced. At times it all read like kids playing dress-up rather than a believable fantasy world.
If you like the first few chapters, you’ll probably enjoy the rest and rate it higher than I did. But for me, it just didn’t work.
I really didn’t enjoy this one. The story kept jumping between violent fantasy and awkward romantic comedy — with dragons obsessed with sex thrown in for good measure. It couldn’t settle on a tone, and it made the whole thing feel disjointed.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters, not even the dragons, and the romance between Syla and Vorik felt shallow and forced. At times it all read like kids playing dress-up rather than a believable fantasy world.
If you like the first few chapters, you’ll probably enjoy the rest and rate it higher than I did. But for me, it just didn’t work.
February 9, 2026
Overall thoughts, it didn’t deliver.
There wasn’t any emotional depth nor was there a great deal of world building - we don’t know anything about this rebel army, the dragon bonding, the moon marks, where the gods went.
I also felt like the whole idea of grief was an afterthought. The romance (if you want to call it that) was ill-timed and too insta-lust for my liking. But to be honest, the very idea of him or actually, the idea of a romance AT ALL gave me a MONSTER ick face. Why? WHO WOULD SHE DO THAT?!?
The FMC is a gullible idiot who would NEVER do the shit she does with the commander of the army that just destroyed her entire family. I can even understand being in shock but damn y’all give it 24 hours. I call so much bs on her actions that they’re not even remotely plausible even in a damn fantasy book. You can’t even suspend reality enough to buy the bullshit.
The action wasn’t bad. I mean, it wasn't captivating but the dragon spars were interesting.
I didn’t find the dragon “snark” to be as humorous as it was intended to be – his bonded dragon always talking about the human’s coital affairs and such. Frankly, it was just kind of dumb. Too much attention was focused on Captain V and his manhood.
I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. There’s no one to root for. I don’t want to root for an actual idiot. Captain V is just using her so I don’t want to root for him. Wreylith is the only one with an iota of promise but even she is overly arrogant.
I doubt I’ll continue this series.
—----------------
Syla, our FMC, is princess of the Garden Kingdom and the sole survivor after her family and castle were attacked by a legion of raiders on dragons. Someone had apparently disabled or damaged the sky shielder, a magical element that creates an impenetrable barrier dome that keeps dragons out so the island’s residents could herd the game and farm the lands without worry.
To the kingdoms that can’t grow anything due to their dry, arid climate, access to the Garden Kingdom lush and fertile grounds are worth waging war.
Captain Vorik, younger brother to the general of the attacking kingdom was ordered to do whatever necessary to earn the trust of Syla once they learned she hadn’t been killed in the attack. His goal is to learn the location of the other shielders on all of the Kingdom’s islands. To gain her trust and compliance, he’s claimed to be a deserter of his brother's army and part of a faction that wants peace. He even has to “fight” his own men in battle to help save Syla from an attack just to prove he isn’t a liar. So she’s to believe he’s there to PROTECT her and not use her. EVERYONE else sees through his bullshit but not our gullible FMC. I just LOVE stupid gullible FMC’s who are supposed to save the world but can’t even see bullshit when it’s smeared on her face.
The beginning of the book was much reminiscent of Vera from Scooby Doo with her bad vision and need for glasses... I mean "spectacles". It was giving me "solar plexus" vibes from Brimstone.
The obsession with fruit is weird. I get it – you live in the desert and don’t have fruit but it’s just… weird. Going to war over fruit. Got it.
I really, really wanted to like this one.
I guess my big plus for this is that I love the cover...
There wasn’t any emotional depth nor was there a great deal of world building - we don’t know anything about this rebel army, the dragon bonding, the moon marks, where the gods went.
I also felt like the whole idea of grief was an afterthought. The romance (if you want to call it that) was ill-timed and too insta-lust for my liking. But to be honest, the very idea of him or actually, the idea of a romance AT ALL gave me a MONSTER ick face. Why? WHO WOULD SHE DO THAT?!?
The FMC is a gullible idiot who would NEVER do the shit she does with the commander of the army that just destroyed her entire family. I can even understand being in shock but damn y’all give it 24 hours. I call so much bs on her actions that they’re not even remotely plausible even in a damn fantasy book. You can’t even suspend reality enough to buy the bullshit.
The action wasn’t bad. I mean, it wasn't captivating but the dragon spars were interesting.
I didn’t find the dragon “snark” to be as humorous as it was intended to be – his bonded dragon always talking about the human’s coital affairs and such. Frankly, it was just kind of dumb. Too much attention was focused on Captain V and his manhood.
I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. There’s no one to root for. I don’t want to root for an actual idiot. Captain V is just using her so I don’t want to root for him. Wreylith is the only one with an iota of promise but even she is overly arrogant.
I doubt I’ll continue this series.
—----------------
Syla, our FMC, is princess of the Garden Kingdom and the sole survivor after her family and castle were attacked by a legion of raiders on dragons. Someone had apparently disabled or damaged the sky shielder, a magical element that creates an impenetrable barrier dome that keeps dragons out so the island’s residents could herd the game and farm the lands without worry.
To the kingdoms that can’t grow anything due to their dry, arid climate, access to the Garden Kingdom lush and fertile grounds are worth waging war.
Captain Vorik, younger brother to the general of the attacking kingdom was ordered to do whatever necessary to earn the trust of Syla once they learned she hadn’t been killed in the attack. His goal is to learn the location of the other shielders on all of the Kingdom’s islands. To gain her trust and compliance, he’s claimed to be a deserter of his brother's army and part of a faction that wants peace. He even has to “fight” his own men in battle to help save Syla from an attack just to prove he isn’t a liar. So she’s to believe he’s there to PROTECT her and not use her. EVERYONE else sees through his bullshit but not our gullible FMC. I just LOVE stupid gullible FMC’s who are supposed to save the world but can’t even see bullshit when it’s smeared on her face.
The beginning of the book was much reminiscent of Vera from Scooby Doo with her bad vision and need for glasses... I mean "spectacles". It was giving me "solar plexus" vibes from Brimstone.
The obsession with fruit is weird. I get it – you live in the desert and don’t have fruit but it’s just… weird. Going to war over fruit. Got it.
I really, really wanted to like this one.
I guess my big plus for this is that I love the cover...
January 24, 2026
I will do my best to summarize my feelings on this book in a way that makes sense.
I am in no way an overly seasoned fantasy reader, but this for me just wasn’t it. The plot is so unbelievable (I get that it’s a fantasy and it’s not supposed to be realistic, hold on), and the pacing is way too fast. The biggest flaw here is that a good half of this book takes place in less than 24 hours, which makes the relationship between these two main characters totally unbelievable.
The general gist of this is that Vorik, the MMC, has this mission to seduce Syla, the FMC, who finds herself the heir to the throne after her whole family gets murdered by this dragon rider army that Vorik is part of. In an effort to gain power, Vorik’s commander brother tells him he has to gain Syla’s trust to get information out of her.
Because of the issues with the plot and the pacing, Vorik goes from 0 to 100 in the span of 24 hours with his tactics to gain Syla’s trust. He basically “rescues” Syla after the action-packed first scene where dragons destroy her home and family, and immediately tries to hit on her. Syla, who does not ever seem to feel sad or grieve for her entire family that was just assassinated, seems like she’s all for it despite knowing Vorik for like, 2 hours. Their “relationship” comes together way too quickly in general and I had to keep reminding myself that they’d just met each other earlier that same day after her whole family was just killed. It just makes no sense.
Also, the prose in this book is confusing. People will say sentences like “You’ll not attack the princess”, and then later on, there’s a scene where Syla accuses Vorik of “gaslighting” her. Why would anyone in a fantasy world know what the phrase “gaslighting” means???
There are also way too many scenes where Syla and Vorik talk about cobbler, fruit, and/or baking. Yes, you read that right.
The only saving grace for me was the dragons, who are sarcastic, sassy, and genuinely funny at times. They bumped this up to a 2-star read.
Is this more lighthearted, yes. Is it an actually good plot, no. Will I be continuing with this series, probably not.
I am in no way an overly seasoned fantasy reader, but this for me just wasn’t it. The plot is so unbelievable (I get that it’s a fantasy and it’s not supposed to be realistic, hold on), and the pacing is way too fast. The biggest flaw here is that a good half of this book takes place in less than 24 hours, which makes the relationship between these two main characters totally unbelievable.
The general gist of this is that Vorik, the MMC, has this mission to seduce Syla, the FMC, who finds herself the heir to the throne after her whole family gets murdered by this dragon rider army that Vorik is part of. In an effort to gain power, Vorik’s commander brother tells him he has to gain Syla’s trust to get information out of her.
Because of the issues with the plot and the pacing, Vorik goes from 0 to 100 in the span of 24 hours with his tactics to gain Syla’s trust. He basically “rescues” Syla after the action-packed first scene where dragons destroy her home and family, and immediately tries to hit on her. Syla, who does not ever seem to feel sad or grieve for her entire family that was just assassinated, seems like she’s all for it despite knowing Vorik for like, 2 hours. Their “relationship” comes together way too quickly in general and I had to keep reminding myself that they’d just met each other earlier that same day after her whole family was just killed. It just makes no sense.
Also, the prose in this book is confusing. People will say sentences like “You’ll not attack the princess”, and then later on, there’s a scene where Syla accuses Vorik of “gaslighting” her. Why would anyone in a fantasy world know what the phrase “gaslighting” means???
There are also way too many scenes where Syla and Vorik talk about cobbler, fruit, and/or baking. Yes, you read that right.
The only saving grace for me was the dragons, who are sarcastic, sassy, and genuinely funny at times. They bumped this up to a 2-star read.
Is this more lighthearted, yes. Is it an actually good plot, no. Will I be continuing with this series, probably not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2026
I can't finish this. It's just not good. I don't like the MC at all. the guy is just a kind of sexy goofy warrior that loves fruit. their attraction feels out of place considering what happened to her family and his part in it. and she saw him too!
I love the emperor's edge series and death before dragons series by this author. but this one is a no for me.
I love the emperor's edge series and death before dragons series by this author. but this one is a no for me.
December 26, 2025
3.5 stars. ok, but not as good as emperor's edge series.
November 24, 2025
Smutty
I don’t appreciate the totally out of character sex scenes. The main female character is used by the author to sell smutty scenes that don’t even jive with the plot or the character. Whole pages of explicit sex scenes with words like “cock” etc. did nothing for to forward the story and even created holes in the story line.
I don’t appreciate the totally out of character sex scenes. The main female character is used by the author to sell smutty scenes that don’t even jive with the plot or the character. Whole pages of explicit sex scenes with words like “cock” etc. did nothing for to forward the story and even created holes in the story line.
January 16, 2026
2.5☆ i really wanted to like this book as the synopsis made it sound like something i’d enjoy, and the reviews were raving. however, there were several things that made this one less than satisfactory. which is disappointing, but i truly do not understand how it has an average rating above four stars.
the biggest factor was the pacing. i was instantly pulled in as the book kicked off with so much action! but then, after that, it feels like not much happens. and over half of the book takes place in less than twenty-four hours, which made it feel like it dragged on.
i had a hard time understanding the characters and their motivations. for example, vorik is so set on seducing syla to (deceptively) gain her trust. trust happens before that, my friend. it was just really weird. syla just seems really naive. we’re also told, and supposed to think, she’s kind of quirky but i don’t feel as though that part of her character was truly shown to us (show don’t tell). so it was hard to agree. her character lacked a lot of depth.
i feel like this book also lacked essential world-building. i understand it was supposed to be more entertaining than complex, but it didn’t fully suit the theme and the genre. because WHY are they rebelling against the “gardeners”? and i am confused about where exactly vorik and his people live? in the mountains? in the sky with the dragons? it just didn’t make sense. i didn’t fully understand the magic system nor the dragon bonding system, which are important factors to explain in a new world and story. it sounded interesting and unique, but readers have no idea how any of it even works. if the shields hadn’t been broken for over 1,000 years, how did the people know so much information about the gardeners?
i am just left with a lot of questions the author should have easily been able to answer in her writing.
so while the premise was there, this book was lacking in many vital areas, which i think could have made this a far more enjoyable read. and for that reason, i had to dnf at 75% and move on to something else. i really wanted to love this, but i’m left feeling disappointed and wanting more.
the biggest factor was the pacing. i was instantly pulled in as the book kicked off with so much action! but then, after that, it feels like not much happens. and over half of the book takes place in less than twenty-four hours, which made it feel like it dragged on.
i had a hard time understanding the characters and their motivations. for example, vorik is so set on seducing syla to (deceptively) gain her trust. trust happens before that, my friend. it was just really weird. syla just seems really naive. we’re also told, and supposed to think, she’s kind of quirky but i don’t feel as though that part of her character was truly shown to us (show don’t tell). so it was hard to agree. her character lacked a lot of depth.
i feel like this book also lacked essential world-building. i understand it was supposed to be more entertaining than complex, but it didn’t fully suit the theme and the genre. because WHY are they rebelling against the “gardeners”? and i am confused about where exactly vorik and his people live? in the mountains? in the sky with the dragons? it just didn’t make sense. i didn’t fully understand the magic system nor the dragon bonding system, which are important factors to explain in a new world and story. it sounded interesting and unique, but readers have no idea how any of it even works. if the shields hadn’t been broken for over 1,000 years, how did the people know so much information about the gardeners?
i am just left with a lot of questions the author should have easily been able to answer in her writing.
so while the premise was there, this book was lacking in many vital areas, which i think could have made this a far more enjoyable read. and for that reason, i had to dnf at 75% and move on to something else. i really wanted to love this, but i’m left feeling disappointed and wanting more.
December 12, 2025
Wow, Buroker certainly throws us into the action quickly in this one. I’ve read a large amount of her books now and I’ve enjoyed all of them, Sky Shielder is no exception.
We follow Princess Syla and right from word go she’s in trouble! Her home is under attack, the magical shield protecting it destroyed. So what’s a girl to do? She’s off on a mission to repair it. We also get pov chapters from her “enemy,” Vorik the dragon rider.
I enjoyed Syla’s character. She’s described as chubby/voluptuous and has terrible eye sight. It could have been over done but it wasn’t harped upon, it just was part of the story which was a pleasant change from a lot of these romantasy characters.
Buroker’s characters are always well developed and unique and I loved the return of snarky, sarcastic dragons. Even though I like the other characters, the dragons 100% carry this one for me. Also I’d like to see more of the world, the world building we got was intriguing. I’d like to see more of the world outside the shields in particular.
I think my favourite books from Buroker’s catalogue have been the slower burns (I’m looking at you Death Before Dragons). Skyshielder has more of a borderline insta lust kind of thing going on, things happen pretty fast especially when we look at the timeframe of the story and I must admit that isn’t my favourite trope.
Overall I really enjoyed it. Skyshielder is a good additional to the Buroker catalogue and I’ll be reading the next book soon. I think it’s a duology so shorter than some of her other series.
We follow Princess Syla and right from word go she’s in trouble! Her home is under attack, the magical shield protecting it destroyed. So what’s a girl to do? She’s off on a mission to repair it. We also get pov chapters from her “enemy,” Vorik the dragon rider.
I enjoyed Syla’s character. She’s described as chubby/voluptuous and has terrible eye sight. It could have been over done but it wasn’t harped upon, it just was part of the story which was a pleasant change from a lot of these romantasy characters.
Buroker’s characters are always well developed and unique and I loved the return of snarky, sarcastic dragons. Even though I like the other characters, the dragons 100% carry this one for me. Also I’d like to see more of the world, the world building we got was intriguing. I’d like to see more of the world outside the shields in particular.
I think my favourite books from Buroker’s catalogue have been the slower burns (I’m looking at you Death Before Dragons). Skyshielder has more of a borderline insta lust kind of thing going on, things happen pretty fast especially when we look at the timeframe of the story and I must admit that isn’t my favourite trope.
Overall I really enjoyed it. Skyshielder is a good additional to the Buroker catalogue and I’ll be reading the next book soon. I think it’s a duology so shorter than some of her other series.
November 11, 2025
I couldn't finish this book (stopped at 67%). I used to love everything Lindsay Buroker wrote, but lately her characters have become too distasteful.
The book is well-written in terms of flow, humor, etc, same as always for LB, but it's the characters that really bring it down for me.
MMC finds killing "weak" people dishonorable...but he's totally fine with his faction razing a city and slaughtering innocents. As long as he himself isn't directly killing an innocent it's fine. He also spurns those who are trying to find a peaceful solution. It's extremely off-putting for a love interest.
MFC is way too gullible - there are so many signs that MMC is not who he says and everyone else can see it, but he's sexy and supports her delusions, so she ignores all that. Did I mention that she's kinda dumb and selfish? She repeatedly puts herself in dangerous situations that could easily be avoided to chase half-baked ideas/delusions. (This is why I couldn't get into LB's last series too.)
And for my personal pet peeve...what's with the dragons having such an obnoxious superiority complex? It's become quite a tired trope. If it were just some individuals/factions it would be believable, but being a trait for (once again) an ENTIRE species is too much.
I think I'll be skipping this series. Hopefully her next is better, but I'm losing hope.
The book is well-written in terms of flow, humor, etc, same as always for LB, but it's the characters that really bring it down for me.
MMC finds killing "weak" people dishonorable...but he's totally fine with his faction razing a city and slaughtering innocents. As long as he himself isn't directly killing an innocent it's fine. He also spurns those who are trying to find a peaceful solution. It's extremely off-putting for a love interest.
MFC is way too gullible - there are so many signs that MMC is not who he says and everyone else can see it, but he's sexy and supports her delusions, so she ignores all that. Did I mention that she's kinda dumb and selfish? She repeatedly puts herself in dangerous situations that could easily be avoided to chase half-baked ideas/delusions. (This is why I couldn't get into LB's last series too.)
And for my personal pet peeve...what's with the dragons having such an obnoxious superiority complex? It's become quite a tired trope. If it were just some individuals/factions it would be believable, but being a trait for (once again) an ENTIRE species is too much.
I think I'll be skipping this series. Hopefully her next is better, but I'm losing hope.
December 6, 2025
Witty, engaging and dare I say it, RACY!
Clever and funny are just what we would expect from Lindsay and she certainly doesn’t disappoint in that regard. Not one bit.
The book is a bit slow going at first, but honestly, aren’t most of the initial books in a series that way, as the author seeks to find the characters’ voices? Mind you, I say this even though the book begins with an invasion straight out of the gate, complete with a building falling right on our heroine’s head. But I’ll stand by that comment, because it doesn’t tKe long for Lindsay to find her stride, not in the least. To give you some idea, I read the first few pages last night and set it down and went to sleep. After Coming home from work today, I decided to give it another go, and 3 1/2 hours later, having accomplished nothing I intended to do today, I have reached books and and I’m ready for the next one already.
Honestly, what better reviews than that can I possibly give? My point is if you find the beginning a little slow, don’t let it distract you, this is proving to be one of Lindsey‘s best, or at least so it appears from the first book. We’ll have to wait to the end of the series to see about that though because she’s got some strong contenders with which it’ll have to battle.
In the meantime all I can say is, ENJOY!
Clever and funny are just what we would expect from Lindsay and she certainly doesn’t disappoint in that regard. Not one bit.
The book is a bit slow going at first, but honestly, aren’t most of the initial books in a series that way, as the author seeks to find the characters’ voices? Mind you, I say this even though the book begins with an invasion straight out of the gate, complete with a building falling right on our heroine’s head. But I’ll stand by that comment, because it doesn’t tKe long for Lindsay to find her stride, not in the least. To give you some idea, I read the first few pages last night and set it down and went to sleep. After Coming home from work today, I decided to give it another go, and 3 1/2 hours later, having accomplished nothing I intended to do today, I have reached books and and I’m ready for the next one already.
Honestly, what better reviews than that can I possibly give? My point is if you find the beginning a little slow, don’t let it distract you, this is proving to be one of Lindsey‘s best, or at least so it appears from the first book. We’ll have to wait to the end of the series to see about that though because she’s got some strong contenders with which it’ll have to battle.
In the meantime all I can say is, ENJOY!
December 11, 2025
•Fantasy Romance
•Dragon Riders
•One Horse (dragon)
•Secret Mission
•Princess and her enemies Captain
This started off a little slow but I ended up really enjoying it. I like the authors writing, the characters and the plot. The dragons are so funny. I loved how voriks dragon was obsessed with wreylith lol and his little snippets about mating killed me 😆
Syla annoyed me a few times. Everything Fel (her bodyguard) told her to do she did the opposite. It was starting to drive me bananas because she kept putting herself in danger.
The fmc is not a badass, she’s not trained in any combat she doesn’t even want to be a princess. She’s a healer who can’t see without her glasses. I did like that about her. She’s not the cookie cutter fantasy romance fmc. I also like how she didn’t believe Vorik. She knew he was up to no good but she was attracted to him anyway. I thought it was absolutely hilarious she used his own mission against him 😆
I can’t wait to read the next book. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun fantasy romance.
•Dragon Riders
•One Horse (dragon)
•Secret Mission
•Princess and her enemies Captain
This started off a little slow but I ended up really enjoying it. I like the authors writing, the characters and the plot. The dragons are so funny. I loved how voriks dragon was obsessed with wreylith lol and his little snippets about mating killed me 😆
Syla annoyed me a few times. Everything Fel (her bodyguard) told her to do she did the opposite. It was starting to drive me bananas because she kept putting herself in danger.
The fmc is not a badass, she’s not trained in any combat she doesn’t even want to be a princess. She’s a healer who can’t see without her glasses. I did like that about her. She’s not the cookie cutter fantasy romance fmc. I also like how she didn’t believe Vorik. She knew he was up to no good but she was attracted to him anyway. I thought it was absolutely hilarious she used his own mission against him 😆
I can’t wait to read the next book. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun fantasy romance.
November 11, 2025
I love the Emperor's Edge series and a few others of Lindsay Buroker. But recently, I just haven't like her book as much. And I'm sad.
I wanted to like this. I tried for 4 hours (I got the Audible version, which is narrated really well!), but I got so annoyed with the main characters. Syla was a weird mix of gullible/not gullible. She has a habit of not listening to her bodyguard (he told her to stay put so he could get light ... but she didn't listen ... for no reason whatsoever). She did things without thinking. She also wasn't that upset about her ENTIRE family dying. And she found Vorik hot ... when her town/island was being attacked? Ugh.
Vorik was ... odd. He was too into nonchalant about things for me? And then oddly obsessive about things in weird places (he was really into berries when there was a dragon making Syla heal her). Idk.
I just couldn't with them anymore. Sorry!!
I wanted to like this. I tried for 4 hours (I got the Audible version, which is narrated really well!), but I got so annoyed with the main characters. Syla was a weird mix of gullible/not gullible. She has a habit of not listening to her bodyguard (he told her to stay put so he could get light ... but she didn't listen ... for no reason whatsoever). She did things without thinking. She also wasn't that upset about her ENTIRE family dying. And she found Vorik hot ... when her town/island was being attacked? Ugh.
Vorik was ... odd. He was too into nonchalant about things for me? And then oddly obsessive about things in weird places (he was really into berries when there was a dragon making Syla heal her). Idk.
I just couldn't with them anymore. Sorry!!
January 30, 2026
I enjoyed this tale of dragons, storm riders and reluctant princess.
Princess Sila is the youngest of five Royal children. She is a healer and has never learned stagecraft or martial arts of any kind. When stormriders and their dragons attack her kingdom, she is the only one of her immediate family to survive. She is then hunted, captured, tortured and a target for seduction. Most of her enemies and even some of her own people, wish to either kill her or use her, one storm rider, ordered to win her trust, comes to care for her. She cannot trust him however but like him, she has a dragon ally. Weylith, a wild and wilful dragon once met her ancestress and befriended her. Now the talisman she left with that late queen, is in Sila’s possession. Weylith scorns tame dragons but enjoys meddling and tormenting the mounts of the stormriders. Can a wild dragon queen assist reluctant, bookish Sila to help her people and restore order?
Princess Sila is the youngest of five Royal children. She is a healer and has never learned stagecraft or martial arts of any kind. When stormriders and their dragons attack her kingdom, she is the only one of her immediate family to survive. She is then hunted, captured, tortured and a target for seduction. Most of her enemies and even some of her own people, wish to either kill her or use her, one storm rider, ordered to win her trust, comes to care for her. She cannot trust him however but like him, she has a dragon ally. Weylith, a wild and wilful dragon once met her ancestress and befriended her. Now the talisman she left with that late queen, is in Sila’s possession. Weylith scorns tame dragons but enjoys meddling and tormenting the mounts of the stormriders. Can a wild dragon queen assist reluctant, bookish Sila to help her people and restore order?
November 6, 2025
The story starts off with a lot of action, character introduction and development. After the opening scene which sets up the series, the story settles into developing the world and expanding the characters and their personalities.
The world the author has built is interesting but there are a lot of holes to be filled in and discovered. The prequel the author put out after this release (called Wreylith), fills in some of those holes and I thoroughly enjoyed it (it centers on a dragon and the ancestor of Syla, one of the main characters in this book).
I like the main characters and how the author developed them throughout the book. Again in this series the dragons are front and center. The dragon personalities are explored and I have to say they are all great.
I look forward to seeing where the story arc takes us. I gave it 5 stars as I found it interesting and entertaining
The world the author has built is interesting but there are a lot of holes to be filled in and discovered. The prequel the author put out after this release (called Wreylith), fills in some of those holes and I thoroughly enjoyed it (it centers on a dragon and the ancestor of Syla, one of the main characters in this book).
I like the main characters and how the author developed them throughout the book. Again in this series the dragons are front and center. The dragon personalities are explored and I have to say they are all great.
I look forward to seeing where the story arc takes us. I gave it 5 stars as I found it interesting and entertaining
November 14, 2025
A spicy dragon fantasy
I enjoy Lindsay Buroker’s work (from space opera to fantasy) and her sense of humour and this latest addition to her oeuvre was thoroughly enjoyable. Syla, the sole surviving member of the royal family who rule the ‘garden’ kingdom, is a healer, not a warrior. Vorik is the younger brother of the commanding general of the ‘stormer’ people, a group exiled from the lush islands where most of the food grows. At his brother’s command, Vorik is sent to seduce Syla as a means of finding and destroying the garden kingdom’s protective magic shields. There is clearly more than just a lustful spark between the two… one can already imagine that Syla and Vorik might find a way to unite their peoples. Meanwhile I look forward to the next episode in their enemies-to-lovers romance.
I enjoy Lindsay Buroker’s work (from space opera to fantasy) and her sense of humour and this latest addition to her oeuvre was thoroughly enjoyable. Syla, the sole surviving member of the royal family who rule the ‘garden’ kingdom, is a healer, not a warrior. Vorik is the younger brother of the commanding general of the ‘stormer’ people, a group exiled from the lush islands where most of the food grows. At his brother’s command, Vorik is sent to seduce Syla as a means of finding and destroying the garden kingdom’s protective magic shields. There is clearly more than just a lustful spark between the two… one can already imagine that Syla and Vorik might find a way to unite their peoples. Meanwhile I look forward to the next episode in their enemies-to-lovers romance.
November 29, 2025
Grabs you right from start!
Another great adventure from this Author. I love how she tells a story with all the emotions, world building, and great characters. Always creative but still has the best elements that make her books a must read for me.
Sylar and Vorik are well drawn and want to root for both even with them on opposite sides. Sylar is thrust into a completely different position and situation and has to adapt quickly. Vorik is fighting for a better life for his people & their dragons. Fel was hoping to retire ( he picked wrong book for that!). The dragons are always both ferocious and entertaining and are an integral part of the story. Read it almost straight through and I wanted a blackberry cobbler instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving for some odd reason lol! On to book 2!
Another great adventure from this Author. I love how she tells a story with all the emotions, world building, and great characters. Always creative but still has the best elements that make her books a must read for me.
Sylar and Vorik are well drawn and want to root for both even with them on opposite sides. Sylar is thrust into a completely different position and situation and has to adapt quickly. Vorik is fighting for a better life for his people & their dragons. Fel was hoping to retire ( he picked wrong book for that!). The dragons are always both ferocious and entertaining and are an integral part of the story. Read it almost straight through and I wanted a blackberry cobbler instead of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving for some odd reason lol! On to book 2!
February 8, 2026
I read Sky Shielder (Fire and Fang #1) through the Millions and Edioak Reader Program, and it turned out to be a strong start to a fantasy series filled with danger, adventure, and intense world-building.
The story delivers powerful action scenes, high stakes, and a main character who feels determined and battle-tested. The pacing stays sharp, keeping the momentum high while still giving space for character development and emotional tension.
The world feels vivid and layered, with enough mystery and conflict to make you want to continue the series immediately.
This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fast-moving fantasy with strong characters, epic battles, and a storyline that builds excitement from the very beginning. The Millions and Edioak Reader Program helped me discover a book that was thrilling and seriously engaging.
The story delivers powerful action scenes, high stakes, and a main character who feels determined and battle-tested. The pacing stays sharp, keeping the momentum high while still giving space for character development and emotional tension.
The world feels vivid and layered, with enough mystery and conflict to make you want to continue the series immediately.
This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fast-moving fantasy with strong characters, epic battles, and a storyline that builds excitement from the very beginning. The Millions and Edioak Reader Program helped me discover a book that was thrilling and seriously engaging.
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