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Dragon Rising
The dragon gods live.
Fox has everything he’s ever wanted: a place of honor within the king’s men, working beside Chief Commander Harlow. He never expected he would do so as a spy for the resistance. He’s now the only one preventing the tyrant from discovering the location of the great gods of myth, whose capture and control would all but ensure the decimation of the Dragonborn.
As Sofia and the rest of the resistance flee to the confines of the dangerous faery-infested rainforest, their only hope lies in finding the remaining dragons before the king’s men. As both parties seek the power of the long-dormant gods, Fox and Sofia are faced with the ultimate question: who are they willing to lose on their quest for vengeance?
The dragon gods are waking, and with them comes the storm.
Dragon Rising is the thrilling conclusion of Fox and Sofia's duology in the Dragon Gods series for readers who love slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension, sweeping world-building, and political upheaval. This duology is for fans of The Jasad Heir, Spark of the Everflame, and A Broken Blade.
Fox has everything he’s ever wanted: a place of honor within the king’s men, working beside Chief Commander Harlow. He never expected he would do so as a spy for the resistance. He’s now the only one preventing the tyrant from discovering the location of the great gods of myth, whose capture and control would all but ensure the decimation of the Dragonborn.
As Sofia and the rest of the resistance flee to the confines of the dangerous faery-infested rainforest, their only hope lies in finding the remaining dragons before the king’s men. As both parties seek the power of the long-dormant gods, Fox and Sofia are faced with the ultimate question: who are they willing to lose on their quest for vengeance?
The dragon gods are waking, and with them comes the storm.
Dragon Rising is the thrilling conclusion of Fox and Sofia's duology in the Dragon Gods series for readers who love slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension, sweeping world-building, and political upheaval. This duology is for fans of The Jasad Heir, Spark of the Everflame, and A Broken Blade.
- GenresFantasyEnemies To Lovers
492 pages, Paperback
Published May 21, 2026
About the author
Kiersten Michele
5 books102 followersKIERSTEN MICHELE is an author and bookworm who spends her mornings, evenings, weekends, and in-between times reading. She grew up on mysteries, fantasies, historical fictions, and any other story that would take her on an adventure. Her love of reading turned into a love of writing, and she took that love to college and…got a PhD in counseling psychology. Plot twist. But when she’s not writing extremely fascinating academic articles, she’s creating stories to take her on more adventures.
Her books so far include The Mage War Chronicles, The Shadow Weaver's Gambit, and Dragon Gods.
When not tucked into her reading chair, she’s out adventuring in the real world, climbing rocks, hiking rocks, and taking way too many photos of rocks.
Her books so far include The Mage War Chronicles, The Shadow Weaver's Gambit, and Dragon Gods.
When not tucked into her reading chair, she’s out adventuring in the real world, climbing rocks, hiking rocks, and taking way too many photos of rocks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 8, 2026
The second book in a duology always has a lot to carry and this one is no exception. Everything the first book set up in the characters, the world, and the relationships all has to pay off. On top of that, in this one, the world expands significantly and the plot gets considerably more complex. It's a lot to pack into one book and you can feel the weight of it throughout. It seems to stretch at the seams.
I really would have preferred this as a trilogy or with the action more evenly distributed between both books. The first is a relatively lean, character-driven story and this one has to sprint to cover everything that's left. The tension runs high the whole way through, which is exciting but also a little exhausting.
That said, Ian's POV was my favorite part of this book and his arc is really satisfying and incredibly well done. Fox and Sofia stealing moments of happiness between all the chaos felt realistic and their growth together was handled well. And getting more of the dragons was a plus, of course!
It's good. It just has a lot to do and not quite enough space to do all of it perfectly. I'm really intrigued by the interconnected duologies format and excited to see where the series goes next.
Thank you to the author for the complimentary advanced copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
I really would have preferred this as a trilogy or with the action more evenly distributed between both books. The first is a relatively lean, character-driven story and this one has to sprint to cover everything that's left. The tension runs high the whole way through, which is exciting but also a little exhausting.
That said, Ian's POV was my favorite part of this book and his arc is really satisfying and incredibly well done. Fox and Sofia stealing moments of happiness between all the chaos felt realistic and their growth together was handled well. And getting more of the dragons was a plus, of course!
It's good. It just has a lot to do and not quite enough space to do all of it perfectly. I'm really intrigued by the interconnected duologies format and excited to see where the series goes next.
Thank you to the author for the complimentary advanced copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
June 15, 2026
Epic conclusion to the duology!
May 19, 2026
The highly anticipated conclusion to Dragon Gods comes filled with more action, adventure, rage, spice, and a new cast of characters, dragons included. Ian’s POV adds a different perspective on the resistance vs. kingdom conflict. I enjoyed seeing Fox and Sophia evolve together and separately while batting their own internal struggles. Dragon Rising left me satisfied with the finale while also open to what’s to come with the next Wueco duology. If you enjoy slow burn aftermath, political intrigue, and action-packed romantasy in a lush setting, give this duology a read. Thank you for the eARC opportunity to provide an honest review.
May 15, 2026
What an epic conclusion to Sofia and Fox’s story! I really enjoyed the arc of these two characters and saw so much growth by the end of the book. Kiersten weaves grief, rage, and love as if they’re a beautiful holy trinity. I could not have asked for a more complete story and loved every second! Thank you so much to the author, Kiersten Michele, for an e-ARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dragon Rising is the second book in the Dragon Gods duology. In this book we continue to follow the POVs of our main characters Fox, captured by the resistance, Sofia, working inside the resistance, and a third new POV from Ian, a kings man and undercover ally to the resistance.
Kiersten has really stepped up her game here and treated us to more dragons 🐉, more heartbreak 💔, and a lot more spice! 🥵. Don’t expect a happily ever after for all the characters in this story as anyone’s demise is fair game but that ruthlessness in Kiersten’s writing made the story more compelling and the stakes so much higher.
The spice scenes were written so well and didn’t feel redundant. I’ve read other books where even though the spice was hot I was frustrated because it was not the time and place, did not make sense for the scene, and detracted from the plot. But in this book I always felt like this was addressed and spaced appropriately in each scene. It even lended itself to the story as one of the overarching themes of the book is Sofia coming to terms with past trauma and learning to move forward through her guilt and grief to get to a place where she can accept that she deserves love and not just suffering.
My favorite thing about Dragon Rising is that Kiersten really knows how to take you inside the mind of her characters and make their emotions your own. All the grief, anger, yearning, love, hate you can viscerally feel and that is such a talent for a writer to possess.
Thank you to Kiersten Michele and Magia Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Kiersten has really stepped up her game here and treated us to more dragons 🐉, more heartbreak 💔, and a lot more spice! 🥵. Don’t expect a happily ever after for all the characters in this story as anyone’s demise is fair game but that ruthlessness in Kiersten’s writing made the story more compelling and the stakes so much higher.
The spice scenes were written so well and didn’t feel redundant. I’ve read other books where even though the spice was hot I was frustrated because it was not the time and place, did not make sense for the scene, and detracted from the plot. But in this book I always felt like this was addressed and spaced appropriately in each scene. It even lended itself to the story as one of the overarching themes of the book is Sofia coming to terms with past trauma and learning to move forward through her guilt and grief to get to a place where she can accept that she deserves love and not just suffering.
My favorite thing about Dragon Rising is that Kiersten really knows how to take you inside the mind of her characters and make their emotions your own. All the grief, anger, yearning, love, hate you can viscerally feel and that is such a talent for a writer to possess.
Thank you to Kiersten Michele and Magia Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 13, 2026
This book is so good. It expands on so many things and has so much character growth for Sofia and Fox. Ian 😭
Highly highly recommend this duology. It is full of found family, forbidden romance with banter and tension and yearning and she is the one in charge and he falls first and hard. The dragons are amazing. Just everything is done so well.
I was a beta reader for this book. This review represents my own thoughts and opinions.
Highly highly recommend this duology. It is full of found family, forbidden romance with banter and tension and yearning and she is the one in charge and he falls first and hard. The dragons are amazing. Just everything is done so well.
I was a beta reader for this book. This review represents my own thoughts and opinions.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I dove into this book and didn’t surface for air for over 4 hours, the world around me faded away, I couldn’t put it down for anything. When I snapped back to reality I was rushing to get back to Wueco and the characters that became family to me.
A beautiful end to Fox and Sofia’s storyline. Dragon Rising tackles what it means to feel like the world is against you, how no matter how much you claw kick and scream it never feels like enough. The hopelessness that can consume you when you suffer loss after loss. And how pushing through, having the support of those around you, and allowing yourself to have those happy moments, have hopes and dreams, and allowing yourself to love and be loved even through the darkness is so important.
Having the addition of Ian’s pov in this book really helped to expand on every topic that was being explored in this story. His life story is tragic and he gave everything, including his own life, to fight for a better world for his people.
Meeting and learning more about the dragons was a roller coaster of emotions for me. I understood the reluctance. Their pain and their grief. Their mistrust. The mistreatment of the ones that had been captured had my blood roaring.
The character growth, for Fox & Sophia both was phenomenal. Deconstructing is hard and painful and going through that journey with Fox while he was also feeling useless was an emotional experience to say the least.
Sophia has fought and fought against a system designed to break her her entire life. When we first meet her in Dragon Gods her anger and thirst for vengeance rules her in a way that makes her impulsive and rash. To see her grow into being able to hold that anger vengeance but not let it consume her was incredibly relatable.
This was a beautiful end to Fox and Sophia’s story, I laughed, I cried (a lot) and I raged right with the characters of this story.
I can’t wait to travel back to Wueco and catch up with those that remained in Suvi
A beautiful end to Fox and Sofia’s storyline. Dragon Rising tackles what it means to feel like the world is against you, how no matter how much you claw kick and scream it never feels like enough. The hopelessness that can consume you when you suffer loss after loss. And how pushing through, having the support of those around you, and allowing yourself to have those happy moments, have hopes and dreams, and allowing yourself to love and be loved even through the darkness is so important.
Having the addition of Ian’s pov in this book really helped to expand on every topic that was being explored in this story. His life story is tragic and he gave everything, including his own life, to fight for a better world for his people.
Meeting and learning more about the dragons was a roller coaster of emotions for me. I understood the reluctance. Their pain and their grief. Their mistrust. The mistreatment of the ones that had been captured had my blood roaring.
The character growth, for Fox & Sophia both was phenomenal. Deconstructing is hard and painful and going through that journey with Fox while he was also feeling useless was an emotional experience to say the least.
Sophia has fought and fought against a system designed to break her her entire life. When we first meet her in Dragon Gods her anger and thirst for vengeance rules her in a way that makes her impulsive and rash. To see her grow into being able to hold that anger vengeance but not let it consume her was incredibly relatable.
This was a beautiful end to Fox and Sophia’s story, I laughed, I cried (a lot) and I raged right with the characters of this story.
I can’t wait to travel back to Wueco and catch up with those that remained in Suvi
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
History is usually written by the victors, isn't it? A history written by the victors can also easily manipulate past events, insert lies and half-truths, and bury one's beliefs and thoughts deep, deep down. Truer words (pun intended!) couldn't have been used to describe the world Kiersten has created: a world of victors and the oppressed, a world filled with darkness.
So, how did one victor, raised by those lies and half-truths, begin to question everything about himself? Perhaps all it took was a rebel girl, a rainforest, and a world filled with things he believed were only myths and fairytales. This was how Sofia and Fox's story began in Dragon Gods, Book 1 of the Dragon Gods series. How did it end?
It ended devastatingly, achingly beautifully. It ended, and yet left the doors open for those of us still drawn to returning to Wueco and continuing this journey, albeit with some new (and probably, old) characters.
Book 2, Dragon Rising, was everything I wished for. It pulled me in, it reeled me in, and put its claws deep inside my heart and soul. I cried, oh, how I cried during this experience. I shed so many tears I stopped counting. And yet, all this hurt, this pain, this rage, it was all worth it. It was worth going through it all and seeing it all come together.
Dragon Gods told a tale of oppression, thirst for power, and revenge. But it also told a tale of realizing your self-worth, finding hope, and accepting that hope and everything it brought with it. It told a tale of love born amid rubble and war, one that needed time and care to grow. A tale of forgiveness and hope.
"My life, my captor", as Fox would often say. Neither he nor Sofia are captors any longer. A battle has been won, but the war is still simmering. I want, no, I need to see their world finally at peace, so I will keep waiting and loving this series.
Thank you, Kiersten, for having me as your ARC reader once again. It was an immense honor.
So, how did one victor, raised by those lies and half-truths, begin to question everything about himself? Perhaps all it took was a rebel girl, a rainforest, and a world filled with things he believed were only myths and fairytales. This was how Sofia and Fox's story began in Dragon Gods, Book 1 of the Dragon Gods series. How did it end?
It ended devastatingly, achingly beautifully. It ended, and yet left the doors open for those of us still drawn to returning to Wueco and continuing this journey, albeit with some new (and probably, old) characters.
Book 2, Dragon Rising, was everything I wished for. It pulled me in, it reeled me in, and put its claws deep inside my heart and soul. I cried, oh, how I cried during this experience. I shed so many tears I stopped counting. And yet, all this hurt, this pain, this rage, it was all worth it. It was worth going through it all and seeing it all come together.
Dragon Gods told a tale of oppression, thirst for power, and revenge. But it also told a tale of realizing your self-worth, finding hope, and accepting that hope and everything it brought with it. It told a tale of love born amid rubble and war, one that needed time and care to grow. A tale of forgiveness and hope.
"My life, my captor", as Fox would often say. Neither he nor Sofia are captors any longer. A battle has been won, but the war is still simmering. I want, no, I need to see their world finally at peace, so I will keep waiting and loving this series.
Thank you, Kiersten, for having me as your ARC reader once again. It was an immense honor.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of Dragon Rising in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read it early!
I was honestly surprised by how good this book was and how quickly it pulled me in. Kiersten's writing style worked really well for me, and from the beginning, the story was easy to get into. You can really feel the plot was carefully planned and everything made sense and work together nicely.
I really liked a longer worldbuilding and explanation - it was written in nice way to fill the story. There are a lot of fantasy books with dragons, so I was not sure how different this would be, but it had a lot of unique ideas. I especially liked the role dragons had in society and how they were connected to the world and the characters. That part made the story feel different and was giving unique vibes compared to other dragon fantasy books
One of the strongest parts for me was the characters. They felt believable, and I really liked their development, even side characters. during the story it made sense and I enjoyed seeing how they were shaped by the fear, motivations and subsequent experiences. Even when some parts were a little predictable, i was never bored and story made me want to keep reading. and reading. and reading
One thing I would have liked more of was NEW POV (not want to spoil so I will not share name). I don't always love when new POVs are added later in a series, but in this case, I think it worked really well. I actually would liked to see more from their perspective, because it added something and made me more interested in their story. (especially the beginnings of the chapters...)
I know this is probably controversial but I really liked slightly open ending... It gave enough closure for me for this part of the story, but still left me curious about what could happen next!
I was honestly surprised by how good this book was and how quickly it pulled me in. Kiersten's writing style worked really well for me, and from the beginning, the story was easy to get into. You can really feel the plot was carefully planned and everything made sense and work together nicely.
I really liked a longer worldbuilding and explanation - it was written in nice way to fill the story. There are a lot of fantasy books with dragons, so I was not sure how different this would be, but it had a lot of unique ideas. I especially liked the role dragons had in society and how they were connected to the world and the characters. That part made the story feel different and was giving unique vibes compared to other dragon fantasy books
One of the strongest parts for me was the characters. They felt believable, and I really liked their development, even side characters. during the story it made sense and I enjoyed seeing how they were shaped by the fear, motivations and subsequent experiences. Even when some parts were a little predictable, i was never bored and story made me want to keep reading. and reading. and reading
One thing I would have liked more of was NEW POV (not want to spoil so I will not share name). I don't always love when new POVs are added later in a series, but in this case, I think it worked really well. I actually would liked to see more from their perspective, because it added something and made me more interested in their story. (especially the beginnings of the chapters...)
I know this is probably controversial but I really liked slightly open ending... It gave enough closure for me for this part of the story, but still left me curious about what could happen next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Book 1 was initially slow to hold my attention, but I did enjoy it a good amount, so I was eagerly looking forward to reading book 2 and excited to get an ARC. At the end of the previous book, I was unsure of what to think about the chief commander but I had grown to love Sofia and was starting to love Fox, too.
Chapter 1 is a rough one (emotionally) and sets the tone. Fox nearly blew his cover as a spy in less than a week 🤦🏻♀️Fox needed to grow on me again because he was kinda cowardly in his new spy role and doing a terrible job of helping the rebellion…but he redeemed himself and I was waiting on Sofia to get it together and admit she loves him.
I like that we get Vato/Ian’s perspective, too. But my heart broke for him when he lost Isadora 💔
I absolutely love Chalia. She's such a teenager and it's refreshing. 💙🐉🥰 And the same with Jobin, though he reminds me more of an overexcited tween, although he is older than Chalia.
I love Fox’s mother, Paoletta. She is amazing.
Micael and Clarita irritated me so much with their “I'm in charge, I know what's best for everyone” stubbornness. Just because you're an elder in a group doesn't mean you're always correct. 😒🙄
Don't worry, Chief Commander Harlow is vile with absolutely no redeeming qualities. The slightly unsure feeling regarding him at the end of book 1 was quickly returned to the hatred towards such a vile excuse of a man. General Luna is no better. So many of the King’s Army are disgusting excuses for men. And the worst is the unassuming one. 🤬
I received a free advance copy of this book from the author.
Book 1 was initially slow to hold my attention, but I did enjoy it a good amount, so I was eagerly looking forward to reading book 2 and excited to get an ARC. At the end of the previous book, I was unsure of what to think about the chief commander but I had grown to love Sofia and was starting to love Fox, too.
Chapter 1 is a rough one (emotionally) and sets the tone. Fox nearly blew his cover as a spy in less than a week 🤦🏻♀️Fox needed to grow on me again because he was kinda cowardly in his new spy role and doing a terrible job of helping the rebellion…but he redeemed himself and I was waiting on Sofia to get it together and admit she loves him.
I like that we get Vato/Ian’s perspective, too. But my heart broke for him when he lost Isadora 💔
I absolutely love Chalia. She's such a teenager and it's refreshing. 💙🐉🥰 And the same with Jobin, though he reminds me more of an overexcited tween, although he is older than Chalia.
I love Fox’s mother, Paoletta. She is amazing.
Micael and Clarita irritated me so much with their “I'm in charge, I know what's best for everyone” stubbornness. Just because you're an elder in a group doesn't mean you're always correct. 😒🙄
Don't worry, Chief Commander Harlow is vile with absolutely no redeeming qualities. The slightly unsure feeling regarding him at the end of book 1 was quickly returned to the hatred towards such a vile excuse of a man. General Luna is no better. So many of the King’s Army are disgusting excuses for men. And the worst is the unassuming one. 🤬
I received a free advance copy of this book from the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A very good read even though it felt too short. I would've liked to explore more of this world and the characters. The author did hint on there being more stories surrounding the other characters, so I might revisit later 😁
I received an e-ARC (my first ever) from the author and I'm thankful to them because I was able to read this fantastic story.
This is my first proper series revolving around dragons, so I may be biased because I have nothing to compare it to 🙂↕️
I liked the story and the characters. The romance was good, even though Sofia took very long to admit her true feelings for Fox. The continuation from book 1 was well done, though a bit slow when it came to the plot progress. It took me more time to complete the 2nd book because I didn't want it to end! I wanted it to be a trilogy so I could spend a bit more time with my favourite characters (and the dragons of course!)
Some of my favourite quotes from the book:
*** Spoiler alert***
Overall, it was a quick, 4-star read for me ✨
I received an e-ARC (my first ever) from the author and I'm thankful to them because I was able to read this fantastic story.
This is my first proper series revolving around dragons, so I may be biased because I have nothing to compare it to 🙂↕️
I liked the story and the characters. The romance was good, even though Sofia took very long to admit her true feelings for Fox. The continuation from book 1 was well done, though a bit slow when it came to the plot progress. It took me more time to complete the 2nd book because I didn't want it to end! I wanted it to be a trilogy so I could spend a bit more time with my favourite characters (and the dragons of course!)
Some of my favourite quotes from the book:
“I don’t know a lot about parents. But I think they love unconditionally. That’s kind of the point of them, isn’t it?”
“How can my heart ache from two opposites at once?”
“Hearts are funny like that,”
*** Spoiler alert***
Overall, it was a quick, 4-star read for me ✨
June 12, 2026
Dragon rising by Kiersten Michele is the second book of the first duology in the series Dragon Gods.
✅Dragons
✅Strong and fierce FMC
✅He falls first and hard
✅He calls her "My captor"
✅Diverse set of characters
✅Oppression based on beliefs
❌I struggled to get myself reacquainted with the story and characters
❌ The FMC has a strong saviour complex
In this land, the dragon gods have been hunted and almost exterminated by the Dereyans. The dragonborns still believe in their gods. Because of it, they are treated like less than, kept mostly in a state of servitude. Fox is a king's man, son of a general, trained to keep the Dragonborns in line. Sofia is dragonborn. She is done letting her people suffer injustices. She's part of the Resistance who planned to put this to an end.
This book picks up exactly where Dragon gods left us. Fox is back in the army, but he has seen things that changed his perspective. Sofia has returned to the Resistance, hoping to find the dragons and convince them to help.
The romance and plot are well balanced in this book. It's spicier than book 1.
On top of Sofia and Fox's POV, we also get Ian's (Vato/Leon's boyfriend).
While there were sad moments in the book, any war comes with losses, I did not find myself too emotionnally affected. Maybe Restitution set the bar too high and anything else is just mild now 😅
I recommend it if you are in the mood for dragon, feminine rage and a more political story.
✅Dragons
✅Strong and fierce FMC
✅He falls first and hard
✅He calls her "My captor"
✅Diverse set of characters
✅Oppression based on beliefs
❌I struggled to get myself reacquainted with the story and characters
❌ The FMC has a strong saviour complex
In this land, the dragon gods have been hunted and almost exterminated by the Dereyans. The dragonborns still believe in their gods. Because of it, they are treated like less than, kept mostly in a state of servitude. Fox is a king's man, son of a general, trained to keep the Dragonborns in line. Sofia is dragonborn. She is done letting her people suffer injustices. She's part of the Resistance who planned to put this to an end.
This book picks up exactly where Dragon gods left us. Fox is back in the army, but he has seen things that changed his perspective. Sofia has returned to the Resistance, hoping to find the dragons and convince them to help.
The romance and plot are well balanced in this book. It's spicier than book 1.
On top of Sofia and Fox's POV, we also get Ian's (Vato/Leon's boyfriend).
While there were sad moments in the book, any war comes with losses, I did not find myself too emotionnally affected. Maybe Restitution set the bar too high and anything else is just mild now 😅
I recommend it if you are in the mood for dragon, feminine rage and a more political story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 🌟
I was really hopeful for this book. And it did deliver. There was banter, action, revelations and spice.
This is the final book of the duology, which I didn't realize it wasn't a full series. It wrapped up all the loose ends, but the author mentioned at the end that if you want to keep in this world, there will be more books from where we leave off, but the MCs will vary. I will likely continue with the next one and see how that goes. There are some people I'd love to see more of (Lumi & Flor).
Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this book was the inclusion of Ian's POV. I don't think I'd have been as attached without his perspective and his story.
This was a good book and it was well written, but I felt like it could have been shorter. There were a LOT of side quests and diversions and incidents that happened and eventually I just wanted to get to what I knew would be the final showdown.
Quotes from the ARC (Final version may differ):
"Your name is written on my very bones, but I fear I'll be the death of you."
---
"Why else would they keep it from us, if not to keep us compliant and ignorant? Let's go commit some treason."
---
'At night when the house is quiet and my mind won't stop spinning, I think of you. You are my weakness, my crutch, and a balm on my very soul.'
I was really hopeful for this book. And it did deliver. There was banter, action, revelations and spice.
This is the final book of the duology, which I didn't realize it wasn't a full series. It wrapped up all the loose ends, but the author mentioned at the end that if you want to keep in this world, there will be more books from where we leave off, but the MCs will vary. I will likely continue with the next one and see how that goes. There are some people I'd love to see more of (Lumi & Flor).
Honestly, one of my favorite parts of this book was the inclusion of Ian's POV. I don't think I'd have been as attached without his perspective and his story.
This was a good book and it was well written, but I felt like it could have been shorter. There were a LOT of side quests and diversions and incidents that happened and eventually I just wanted to get to what I knew would be the final showdown.
Quotes from the ARC (Final version may differ):
"Your name is written on my very bones, but I fear I'll be the death of you."
---
"Why else would they keep it from us, if not to keep us compliant and ignorant? Let's go commit some treason."
---
'At night when the house is quiet and my mind won't stop spinning, I think of you. You are my weakness, my crutch, and a balm on my very soul.'
June 4, 2026
🐉I received an advanced copy of this ebook from the author🐉
Dragon Rising is book two in a duology, though it will not be the end of our time in Wueco. 👀
In book one, Sofia is a badass who has a bit of a hero complex, preferring to put herself in harm's way rather than seeing her friends and allies suffering. And book one Fox is a very average soldier who doesn't feel worthy of love in general, or Sofia in particular.
None of that changes in book two. Although they're able to admit they care about one another, and they make tentative plans to be together after the rebellion, neither one of them seems to really grow.
And the rebellion? It's just begun. I'd been expecting the rebellion in its entirety in this volume, but that's not the case. This is really just the beginning. (We do get a villain meeting his demise, but that's it.)
I really liked the addition of Ian's point-of-view in this book, along with Sofia and Fox. Ian is both a soldier like Fox and a Dragonborn rebel like Sofia, so his experience and perspective helps balance the two of them.
We do get more dragons in this book, too! We meet more of them, and get to see them in action, which is precisely what I was hoping for.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, even if it didn't align with all of my expectations.
Dragon Rising is book two in a duology, though it will not be the end of our time in Wueco. 👀
In book one, Sofia is a badass who has a bit of a hero complex, preferring to put herself in harm's way rather than seeing her friends and allies suffering. And book one Fox is a very average soldier who doesn't feel worthy of love in general, or Sofia in particular.
None of that changes in book two. Although they're able to admit they care about one another, and they make tentative plans to be together after the rebellion, neither one of them seems to really grow.
And the rebellion? It's just begun. I'd been expecting the rebellion in its entirety in this volume, but that's not the case. This is really just the beginning. (We do get a villain meeting his demise, but that's it.)
I really liked the addition of Ian's point-of-view in this book, along with Sofia and Fox. Ian is both a soldier like Fox and a Dragonborn rebel like Sofia, so his experience and perspective helps balance the two of them.
We do get more dragons in this book, too! We meet more of them, and get to see them in action, which is precisely what I was hoping for.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, even if it didn't align with all of my expectations.
June 16, 2026
Dragon Rising was a great conclusion to the Dragon Gods duology by Kiersten Michele. While the story will continue with other characters as the main focus, this ended the storyline of Fox and Sofia, and let me tell you, it was good!
Book 2 definitely brought a lot more action, war, spice and dragons! Lots and lots of dragons! Fox is now working for the resistance, but nobody trusts him. Meanwhile he and Sofia are developing feelings for each other, all while trying to stop the King’s men from taking control of the dragons and eradicating as many of the people called the Dragonborn as they can. What follows is an exciting action packed book filled with political machinations, mythical creatures, resistance, and war, and it is good!
I love @authorkiersten ‘s writing style. She can bring the amazing world building and awesome character development without complicating things too much. The book is fast paced and easy to read despite being such a chunky book! And even though Fox and Sofia’s story is over, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story continues.
If you love dragons, slow burn enemies to lovers romance, feminine rage, and great storytelling, check out this duology!
Book 2 definitely brought a lot more action, war, spice and dragons! Lots and lots of dragons! Fox is now working for the resistance, but nobody trusts him. Meanwhile he and Sofia are developing feelings for each other, all while trying to stop the King’s men from taking control of the dragons and eradicating as many of the people called the Dragonborn as they can. What follows is an exciting action packed book filled with political machinations, mythical creatures, resistance, and war, and it is good!
I love @authorkiersten ‘s writing style. She can bring the amazing world building and awesome character development without complicating things too much. The book is fast paced and easy to read despite being such a chunky book! And even though Fox and Sofia’s story is over, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story continues.
If you love dragons, slow burn enemies to lovers romance, feminine rage, and great storytelling, check out this duology!
June 21, 2026
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and I am grateful to have had the experience as I loved it.
This book was written so well!! I loved the continuation of Sofia and Fox’s story from Dragon Gods, how they fought against Harlow and the Kings Men. It all flowed together beautifully, didn’t feel rushed or like it jumped. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the world of Wueco. The determination, the feminine rage in not just Sofia but all the female characters, it was so refreshing.
My favourite part about this story was that even though they were in a war, they would not let their anxieties beat them. They didn’t succumb to the pressure around them, even when it all felt hopeless. Instead they worked together, and focused on what their strengths individually and combined were, and all the things they could do, rather than focus on what they were lacking, which enabled them to help their cause more. It was a good reminder for readers (me) to do the same, and pretty empowering too. And the DRAGONS!! I love how they fought their own battles with history playing in their mind, versus what was happening right in front of them. It was amazing.
Thank you for the opportunity to read Dragon Rising, and being apart of Sofia and Fox’s story.
This book was written so well!! I loved the continuation of Sofia and Fox’s story from Dragon Gods, how they fought against Harlow and the Kings Men. It all flowed together beautifully, didn’t feel rushed or like it jumped. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the world of Wueco. The determination, the feminine rage in not just Sofia but all the female characters, it was so refreshing.
My favourite part about this story was that even though they were in a war, they would not let their anxieties beat them. They didn’t succumb to the pressure around them, even when it all felt hopeless. Instead they worked together, and focused on what their strengths individually and combined were, and all the things they could do, rather than focus on what they were lacking, which enabled them to help their cause more. It was a good reminder for readers (me) to do the same, and pretty empowering too. And the DRAGONS!! I love how they fought their own battles with history playing in their mind, versus what was happening right in front of them. It was amazing.
Thank you for the opportunity to read Dragon Rising, and being apart of Sofia and Fox’s story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️
Wow wow wow. This duet might just go down as one of my favorite ever. The end of book one into the beginning of this one the plot really took off and had me hooked, seriously, I didn’t want to put it down! If you make it through the slow burn of book one, book two is such a treat 🤩 Fox and Sophia both step into who they truly are and the story really blows up. Dragons… teenage dragons.. baby dragons.. really need I say more? 😅 I can also truly appreciate that not every character makes it to the end of the book, even though it made me cry a time or 2 🥲 it keeps the story interesting. The plot doesn’t slow down until the end, it was perfectly paced and the book was just the right length. This slow burn romance was executed perfectly and did not fall flat at all.
Minus .5⭐️ simply for small plot holes that I wish would’ve been expanded upon. Though I also do understand you can only hop POVs so many times in a book before it starts feeling too long 😅 Otherwise, I cannot say enough good things about this book. I laughed plenty and cried plenty, and wish this duet wasn’t coming to an end - and that’s more than enough to say how much I loved it!
Wow wow wow. This duet might just go down as one of my favorite ever. The end of book one into the beginning of this one the plot really took off and had me hooked, seriously, I didn’t want to put it down! If you make it through the slow burn of book one, book two is such a treat 🤩 Fox and Sophia both step into who they truly are and the story really blows up. Dragons… teenage dragons.. baby dragons.. really need I say more? 😅 I can also truly appreciate that not every character makes it to the end of the book, even though it made me cry a time or 2 🥲 it keeps the story interesting. The plot doesn’t slow down until the end, it was perfectly paced and the book was just the right length. This slow burn romance was executed perfectly and did not fall flat at all.
Minus .5⭐️ simply for small plot holes that I wish would’ve been expanded upon. Though I also do understand you can only hop POVs so many times in a book before it starts feeling too long 😅 Otherwise, I cannot say enough good things about this book. I laughed plenty and cried plenty, and wish this duet wasn’t coming to an end - and that’s more than enough to say how much I loved it!
May 22, 2026
Dragon Rising somehow managed to raise the stakes from the first book in every possible way. The world feels bigger, darker, and far more dangerous, especially with the dragon gods finally waking and the constant tension surrounding who will reach them first.
Fox was easily one of my favourite parts of this book. Watching him balance his role within the king’s men while secretly working for the resistance made every chapter feel tense in the best way. His dynamic with Sofia was emotional without taking away from the action, and the choices both of them are forced to make genuinely hurt.
The rainforest setting was incredible too! It added this wild, claustrophobic atmosphere that made everything feel unpredictable, especially with the faeries lurking everywhere. And the dragons? Absolutely worth the wait!
Kiersten Michele does such a good job blending fantasy, politics, betrayal, and emotion without slowing the pacing down. By the end, I was completely invested and immediately needed the next book! A perfect sequel that expands the world while making the emotional stakes even stronger.
Fox was easily one of my favourite parts of this book. Watching him balance his role within the king’s men while secretly working for the resistance made every chapter feel tense in the best way. His dynamic with Sofia was emotional without taking away from the action, and the choices both of them are forced to make genuinely hurt.
The rainforest setting was incredible too! It added this wild, claustrophobic atmosphere that made everything feel unpredictable, especially with the faeries lurking everywhere. And the dragons? Absolutely worth the wait!
Kiersten Michele does such a good job blending fantasy, politics, betrayal, and emotion without slowing the pacing down. By the end, I was completely invested and immediately needed the next book! A perfect sequel that expands the world while making the emotional stakes even stronger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an AMAZING book ♥️
One of the most exciting endings I’ve ever read… emotional, full of action and insanely romantic. (Just how I like it)
Officially one of my favorite duologies of all time 👌🏻
The slow burn finally BURNED in this one and I couldn’t be happier… Fox Ocon is the standard and I need you all to know him NOW.
Sophie is an absolutely badass and I want to be a little bit more like her when I grow up (hehe)
I loved all the Hispanic references and the fresh take on dragons. The emphasis on women’s empowerment and the way I connected with and deeply cared for all the characters… (and we all know that’s both a good and bad thing at the same time hahaha in the best way of course)
I finished it 30 minutes ago, and I still feel that warm sensation in my heart… I wouldn’t even know how to describe it, but it’s there and it means that Dragon Rising is an AMAZING BOOK and we all should read.
— “You’ve ruined me in the best way,” he whispered at last. “And when I die and they bury my body, I’ll still be loving you.” —
Thanks Kiersten for my E-ARC can’t wait to keep reading what’s next in this world ♥️♥️♥️
One of the most exciting endings I’ve ever read… emotional, full of action and insanely romantic. (Just how I like it)
Officially one of my favorite duologies of all time 👌🏻
The slow burn finally BURNED in this one and I couldn’t be happier… Fox Ocon is the standard and I need you all to know him NOW.
Sophie is an absolutely badass and I want to be a little bit more like her when I grow up (hehe)
I loved all the Hispanic references and the fresh take on dragons. The emphasis on women’s empowerment and the way I connected with and deeply cared for all the characters… (and we all know that’s both a good and bad thing at the same time hahaha in the best way of course)
I finished it 30 minutes ago, and I still feel that warm sensation in my heart… I wouldn’t even know how to describe it, but it’s there and it means that Dragon Rising is an AMAZING BOOK and we all should read.
— “You’ve ruined me in the best way,” he whispered at last. “And when I die and they bury my body, I’ll still be loving you.” —
Thanks Kiersten for my E-ARC can’t wait to keep reading what’s next in this world ♥️♥️♥️
Review of advance copy received from Author
My heart!!!
This book, this series, this world, these characters, these dragons are everything!!
I cannot get enough of this world and the characters and the creatures! I’m so glad that more is on the way!! I have some theories but I’ll be patient!
Sofia is such a force! I loved getting to see more of her relationships with Fox and her friends, especially her connection with Chalia!!
Chalia steals every scene she is in as she should I love her so much! I’m pretty sure I highlighted more of her quotes than anyone!
Fox! Ugh the character growth with this one! From untimely boners in book one, to well read and find out yourself!!
I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I spied side character relationships brewing, my heart exploded but also healed! Dragon Rising has it all and more!!
This book takes you out further into this world and we get to see more of the beauty and more monsters!
What I wouldn’t give to have my own dragon to explore the world with!! I’d prefer to not also be at war but fantasy and reality both have dark days.
This book, this series, this world, these characters, these dragons are everything!!
I cannot get enough of this world and the characters and the creatures! I’m so glad that more is on the way!! I have some theories but I’ll be patient!
Sofia is such a force! I loved getting to see more of her relationships with Fox and her friends, especially her connection with Chalia!!
Chalia steals every scene she is in as she should I love her so much! I’m pretty sure I highlighted more of her quotes than anyone!
Fox! Ugh the character growth with this one! From untimely boners in book one, to well read and find out yourself!!
I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I spied side character relationships brewing, my heart exploded but also healed! Dragon Rising has it all and more!!
This book takes you out further into this world and we get to see more of the beauty and more monsters!
What I wouldn’t give to have my own dragon to explore the world with!! I’d prefer to not also be at war but fantasy and reality both have dark days.
May 10, 2026
First, I'd like to thank Kiersten Michele for the opportunity to get an ARC for this book.
As I was lucky enough to get one, and absolutely loved the first installment, I jumped right into it the second book. With tit, we reconnect with everything we loved in the first book and more. As per the first book, the writing was really good, the characters very well developed and the story incredible!
I could summarize this book in two words: emotional damage .
Kiersten Michele did an amazing job at describing the characters feeling and putting us in their minds. I felt the guilt, the grief and the anger along with the characters. Kiersten had me sobbing on the top of a hill, looking at an incredible view, with that book. You've been warned lol.
But don't worry, the love was also very palpable, as well as the yearning. Oh my god, the yearning. It was sooo good.
Plot-wise, our characters are left to deal with the consequences of their actions in the first book. They are all trying their best to deal with the cards they've been dealt with more or less success. With this, the world is expended even further. Our characters have to really work to get new (or old) allies and not everything comes easy. The collaboration between different people is sometimes complicated, as each has their own agenda and they don't necessarily align. Each character has to learn of their strength and, even more so, limits so they have a chance to work together and finally free themselves from the humans.
As Fox showed the biggest character development in the first book, Sofia is the one that really struggled and had to come to terms with everything in this one. It was heartbreaking to read, but her finally reaching that point was amazing to witness.
As I've stated before, nothing comes easy for the characters and as a consequence, Fox still has a lot of character development in this book. I loved every second of it.
Chalia absolutely steals the spotlight in this book and her loyalty is certainly something to behold.
In summary, this book did not disappoint and kept every promise made in book 1. Some questions are still not totally answered but they'll be in the future 👀
As I was lucky enough to get one, and absolutely loved the first installment, I jumped right into it the second book. With tit, we reconnect with everything we loved in the first book and more. As per the first book, the writing was really good, the characters very well developed and the story incredible!
I could summarize this book in two words: emotional damage .
Kiersten Michele did an amazing job at describing the characters feeling and putting us in their minds. I felt the guilt, the grief and the anger along with the characters. Kiersten had me sobbing on the top of a hill, looking at an incredible view, with that book. You've been warned lol.
But don't worry, the love was also very palpable, as well as the yearning. Oh my god, the yearning. It was sooo good.
Plot-wise, our characters are left to deal with the consequences of their actions in the first book. They are all trying their best to deal with the cards they've been dealt with more or less success. With this, the world is expended even further. Our characters have to really work to get new (or old) allies and not everything comes easy. The collaboration between different people is sometimes complicated, as each has their own agenda and they don't necessarily align. Each character has to learn of their strength and, even more so, limits so they have a chance to work together and finally free themselves from the humans.
As Fox showed the biggest character development in the first book, Sofia is the one that really struggled and had to come to terms with everything in this one. It was heartbreaking to read, but her finally reaching that point was amazing to witness.
As I've stated before, nothing comes easy for the characters and as a consequence, Fox still has a lot of character development in this book. I loved every second of it.
Chalia absolutely steals the spotlight in this book and her loyalty is certainly something to behold.
In summary, this book did not disappoint and kept every promise made in book 1. Some questions are still not totally answered but they'll be in the future 👀
July 8, 2026
The world-building in this duology remains fantastic: the subtle details like not having ever seen an overcast day or not knowing what lightning is because the dragons took the rain/moisture with them when they left Wueco was so incredibly well done and added to the incredible world created in the first book. For this alone I gave the book 4-stars though if I had just been going on characters, it would have been closer to 3.5 stars. Fox remains great, the addition of Ian's POV was so good (my only complaint was wanting to know more of he and Leon's story) but Sofia... Girl. She left me feeling a bit disappointed in this book with how much crying she did. Just over everything and all the time. I understand she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and even the strongest person ever will eventually break but it just felt like she was constantly in tears and not actually doing anything.
Overall this was a good ending to Fox & Sofia's story though not necessarily the end of the series.
Overall this was a good ending to Fox & Sofia's story though not necessarily the end of the series.
June 25, 2026
A solid 4.
Though it took me a little while to ease back into the story, the book picks up pretty much right where book 1 left off, resulting in a “either get on, or get lost” reading experience. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I did get a bit lost and put the book down for a while in favor of other reads.
But once I committed myself to diving back in, I was hooked. Though some of the romance scenes felt a little…fan service-y? Pandery? The overall momentum of the plot kept clawing me back. The final ~30% were some of the best-paced action/battle scenes I’ve read in a while, with seamless transitions between the two primary POVs. As a Duology, we did get some closure, but this series is planned to be a series of duologies, following other characters within the same kingdom/universe following the aftermath of THIS particular duology’s events.
I absolutely will be reading the next books in this series; you can count on that.
Though it took me a little while to ease back into the story, the book picks up pretty much right where book 1 left off, resulting in a “either get on, or get lost” reading experience. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I did get a bit lost and put the book down for a while in favor of other reads.
But once I committed myself to diving back in, I was hooked. Though some of the romance scenes felt a little…fan service-y? Pandery? The overall momentum of the plot kept clawing me back. The final ~30% were some of the best-paced action/battle scenes I’ve read in a while, with seamless transitions between the two primary POVs. As a Duology, we did get some closure, but this series is planned to be a series of duologies, following other characters within the same kingdom/universe following the aftermath of THIS particular duology’s events.
I absolutely will be reading the next books in this series; you can count on that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
🌟ARC Review 🌟
I was lucky enough to be part of the ARC team to read this book before its release, and below are my honest thoughts!
Review: The book picks up PERFECTLY from book one, literally just flipping into the next chapter. FOX FOX FOX WHAT A MAN 🤫 Sofia is the definition of BA that girl gets knocked down and just laughs, and I LOVE that (talk about strong FMCS!!) This book was action-packed, 🌶️, heartbreaking (because WHY did VATO DO THAT?!?). I was inhaling this book, NEEDING to know what happened and the ending? 🤌🏼 The plot held so well from book 1 to the very end of book 2.
I’m telling you- you wanna read a duo that has you QUESTIONING your own thoughts and things you thought you knew from the start?
This. Do not hesitate.
Dislikes: WHERE IS MY GIRL FLOR AND HOW COME I DONT KNOW WHAT TROUBLE SHE IS STIRRING UP?!? 😏
I was lucky enough to be part of the ARC team to read this book before its release, and below are my honest thoughts!
Review: The book picks up PERFECTLY from book one, literally just flipping into the next chapter. FOX FOX FOX WHAT A MAN 🤫 Sofia is the definition of BA that girl gets knocked down and just laughs, and I LOVE that (talk about strong FMCS!!) This book was action-packed, 🌶️, heartbreaking (because WHY did VATO DO THAT?!?). I was inhaling this book, NEEDING to know what happened and the ending? 🤌🏼 The plot held so well from book 1 to the very end of book 2.
I’m telling you- you wanna read a duo that has you QUESTIONING your own thoughts and things you thought you knew from the start?
This. Do not hesitate.
Dislikes: WHERE IS MY GIRL FLOR AND HOW COME I DONT KNOW WHAT TROUBLE SHE IS STIRRING UP?!? 😏
June 4, 2026
A gut twisting slow burn that will drive you to the brink of insanity in the best way. Prepare to yell at the book in blissful frustration! The stakes have been raised putting you on an emotional high wire act. The battles are filled with heart pounding action and the tension is thigh squeeze inducing.
I love, love, loved, this duology and i’m sad it's over...but hope remains. World building so detailed and vast, the possibilities feel endless.
Kiersten’s writing is so tempestuous and enveloping that you truly experience the story right along side the characters. Character growth and story development were satisfyingly scrumptious. The dragons involvement in the world and society was interesting and uniquely done.
The spice feels natural, not forced, and not repetitive which is awesome as thats a pet peeve of mine.
I love, love, loved, this duology and i’m sad it's over...but hope remains. World building so detailed and vast, the possibilities feel endless.
Kiersten’s writing is so tempestuous and enveloping that you truly experience the story right along side the characters. Character growth and story development were satisfyingly scrumptious. The dragons involvement in the world and society was interesting and uniquely done.
The spice feels natural, not forced, and not repetitive which is awesome as thats a pet peeve of mine.
July 5, 2026
Had the pleasure of reading this as an advanced copy read. This as a sequel the story itself is good. The world building not that you venturing out from Suvi is good. The descriptions of each new area is done well. The emotion is definitely there. The only thing I did not care for and its just my opinion. It doesnt hurt nor help the story, is there is alot of spice in this book. I already knew it was going to. But it has I believe more than 3 or 4 scenes. Whereas the first book felt like it was building up to that moment. Now it felt like attempting to squeeze in as many as they could. Overall the story itself is good. The characters are memorable and have personality. The story would have been good even without the spice. But again just my opinion, either way its a good read and i would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2026
This was the second part and sort of the end of Sofia and Fox’s story. What a whirlwind of emotions I’ve felt throughout. This was so well-written with great world building! The different emotions and the depth of the characters really contributed into me liking it. And the fact that there wasn’t a happy ending for everyone, making the stakes higher and the story more realistic. Well done Kiersten.
I didn’t want it to end, even though I raced through the book needing to read as quick as possible to find out what would happen! Honestly nothing to complain about, talked about for hours with my husband afterwards… lol
I really enjoyed how much more we got to see of the dragons!!
I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I didn’t want it to end, even though I raced through the book needing to read as quick as possible to find out what would happen! Honestly nothing to complain about, talked about for hours with my husband afterwards… lol
I really enjoyed how much more we got to see of the dragons!!
I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a finish to the Dragon Gods duology - it jumps right in from where book one left off and throws you straight into the storm. Kiersten Michele stepped up her game. There was more dragons, heartbreak, and spice.
I loved how fast-paced and intense this was. You see Fox and Sophia evolve together and separately while battling their own internal struggles. The resistance vs. kingdom conflict, and the political intrigue and the worldbuilding absolutely delivered on “with vengeance comes the storm”.
This duology owns my whole heart. The emotional payoffs hit hard, I could not have asked for a more complete story. Only knocking a star because, honestly, I’m greedy and just wanted more time with these characters and dragons.
I loved how fast-paced and intense this was. You see Fox and Sophia evolve together and separately while battling their own internal struggles. The resistance vs. kingdom conflict, and the political intrigue and the worldbuilding absolutely delivered on “with vengeance comes the storm”.
This duology owns my whole heart. The emotional payoffs hit hard, I could not have asked for a more complete story. Only knocking a star because, honestly, I’m greedy and just wanted more time with these characters and dragons.
June 12, 2026
4.5 🌟
The second installment in this duology delivers nonstop excitement from beginning to end. It’s so packed with action that it almost feels like the story could have easily expanded into a third book. There’s never a lull — every chapter brings another high‑energy moment or twist that keeps the momentum alive.
The main characters remain incredibly lovable, and watching their relationships deepen adds warmth to all the chaos around them. One of the standout joys of this sequel is getting to learn more about the dragons — their lore, their personalities, and their role in the world make the story feel even richer.
Overall, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read that sticks the landing for the series and leaves you wishing there were just a little more to savor.
The second installment in this duology delivers nonstop excitement from beginning to end. It’s so packed with action that it almost feels like the story could have easily expanded into a third book. There’s never a lull — every chapter brings another high‑energy moment or twist that keeps the momentum alive.
The main characters remain incredibly lovable, and watching their relationships deepen adds warmth to all the chaos around them. One of the standout joys of this sequel is getting to learn more about the dragons — their lore, their personalities, and their role in the world make the story feel even richer.
Overall, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read that sticks the landing for the series and leaves you wishing there were just a little more to savor.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an eARC from the author. My thoughts are my own.
If I hadn't been at work, I would have been ugly crying for the last 25%. This book was incredible. I was so invested not only in the main characters' relationship, but also several side characters arcs. The friendships, the romance, the personal growth journies... it was all perfection.
I went through the full range of emotions: Grief, rage, despair, triumph, warm fuzzies. A masterpiece. If you love dragons, epic plots, rebels vs tyrannical governments, non-european worlds, and deeply emotional character arcs, this should be on your TBR immediately!
If I hadn't been at work, I would have been ugly crying for the last 25%. This book was incredible. I was so invested not only in the main characters' relationship, but also several side characters arcs. The friendships, the romance, the personal growth journies... it was all perfection.
I went through the full range of emotions: Grief, rage, despair, triumph, warm fuzzies. A masterpiece. If you love dragons, epic plots, rebels vs tyrannical governments, non-european worlds, and deeply emotional character arcs, this should be on your TBR immediately!
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