Dragon Soul

Dragon Falls #3

by Katie MacAlister

NOTHING BURNS HOTTER . . .

Sophea Long knows that escorting her octogenarian client to Europe will be an adventure. Mrs. P has a habit of stealing anything shiny, and the former "hoochikoo dancer" is a lot faster than she looks. But Sophea hadn't counted on Mrs. P leading her right into the arms of a smoldering, dark-haired stranger who kisses like a dream. If only he'd give up all this nonsense about Sophea being some kind of dragon...

THAN THE FIRE INSIDE

There's a reason Rowan Dakar is known as the Dragon Breaker. The last thing he needs is to fall for a woman who literally sets him aflame every time they kiss. After all, he has a mission-one that will finally free him of dragonkin for good. He can't afford to be distracted by the funniest, most desirable woman he's ever set eyes on. But no prophecy in the world can ever stop true love . . .

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Dragons, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Audiobook

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2016

About the author

For as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.

Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.

Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was about time I visited this old friend of mine...

Katie MacAlister was a pinnacle favourite author of mine during my teen years. I spent hours upon hours in the hospital with my Dad for his cancer treatments, and Katie MacAlister's writing became a friend and supporter of mine. The dragons (and vampires!) became the friends I didn't have in real life (because teens suck and they made me a loser for having a sick Dad. Screw them).

I picked this book up when it came out and it got lost on my shelves in my house. After lots of cleaning, I found this book and FINALLY picked it up.

While I didn't enjoy it as much as I did in my teen years, it was such a lovely call back to see every dragon and mate I loved pop back up in this book. It brought quite the happy smile to my face. It's like seeing old friends again!

The story is goofy, it's fantastical, and it's an overall delight. It's packed full of hot and heavy romance, an insanely odd old woman who is in love with someone dangerous, two potential lovers who are going to fight at all odds to try not to be together, and lots of confusion if you haven't read all of the other books in this series.

I'll admit it was a fun read, but it just doesn't hit me the same. I'm sad about that, but I will always love Katie for her writing and the way it supported me through the worst time in my life. Read Katie's books. She's the best.

Three out of five stars.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon Soul is a flat out fabulous fun, brilliantly witty and all around fantastic romance.

Sofea Long husband dies almost as soon as her marriage began. She never found out that she was mated to the last Red Dragon…making her a Red Dragon herself.

Sofea is hired to chaperon a very elderly and “slightly” eccentric woman, Mrs Papadopoulous (Mrs. P.) to her cruise down the Nile. Unbeknownst to Sofea, the cruise is to the Duat, the Egyptian Underworld and the only one standing between Mrs. P and damnation is Sofea and her dragon powers…which she doesn’t know she has.

Mrs. P is also not quite what she appears, not to mention outrageously funny and taking cougar to an entirely new level.

Then there is Rowan, the dragon breaker, in hiding from the first dragon, and an alchemist gone horribly wrong. Rowan is sent to retrieve a piece of jewelry Mrs. P has stolen. A piece of jewelry that will change or destroy the world.

Rowan thinks Sofea out to steal the jewelry for nefarious purposes. Hence begins the melee that only Katie MacAlister can pull off with zeal.

Totally quirky, completely an offbeat misadventure and utterly fabulous reading, I absolutely love Katie MacAlister’s Dragon Soul.

I received this ARC copy of Dragon Soul from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication March 29, 2016.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a mood enhancer! Dragon Soul by Katie MacAlister was like a breath of fresh air at a warm and sunny beach after being cooped up all winter. A devilish blend of passion, action, danger and humor, I was hooked from the start!

Take one quirky, offbeat heroine on a mission to protect a little old lady who is the queen of cougars, for sure! Tons of sexual innuendo, not to mention some real, flaming dragon heat passion and did I mention the hotter than heck hero? Add a cast of Who’s Who for comedy relief, a sparkling relic that could unleash the furies of Hell and the cruise that is reminiscent of a trip down the River Styx and once again, Katie MacAlister has torched each page with her signature style.

Kick back, grab your cruise clothes and prepare to overhear great dialogue, both verbal and mental, watch as Demigods and demons clash over a piece of jewelry and one unlikely couple finds love, even dragon love won’t burn them. Someone must have been watching over Sophea as her mouth and actions go off like a geyser without filters, over and over! Definitely fun reading with some of my favorite characters making cameo appearances!

I received this ARC edition of Dragon Soul from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for my honest review. Publication date, March 29, 2016.

Series: Black Dragons - Book 3
Publisher: Forever (March 29, 2016)
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
ISBN-10: 145555927X
ISBN-13: 978-1455559275
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragon Soul is book three in the Dragon Falls series by Katie MacAlister.

I love Katie MacAlister’s dragons. They are just so much fun and the humor she brings into the story keeps things from getting dull. I fell in love with MacAlister’s dragons when I picked up You Slay Me (Aisling Grey #1), which is the very first dragon book featuring the Green Dragons. After that I was hooked.

Do you need to read all the dragon books, no, but we get appearances from many of the previous characters & couples throughout the different series. I will say you do need to read the Dragon Falls series in order.

It had been a while since I read the last book Dragon Storm that I was a little lost at the beginning, but things started to come back the more I read.

I loved going to Egypt and having the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses come into this story. We get to take a cruise to the Egyptian Underworld where challenges must be faced and if you fail, well then that’s not good. There were several great surprises and plot twists. One twist was on who is related to whom. I loved it.

The only thing that bugged me was once Sophea learned she was a dragon's mate, she thought she was all that. She has no knowledge of dragons and what they can do and instead of learning, she goes off half-cocked. At first her bravado was entertaining, but then it became annoying.

Dragon Soul was such a fun ride with Egyptian lore, the return of Aisling, Gabriel, Constantine, Drake, Effrajim, and Gary plus the non-stop action and fast paced adventure. I had a fabulous time reading Dragon Soul.

Rated: 4 Stars

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (on blog 2/12/18)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2CkHc6Q

Oh I love MacAlister's dragons. Outrageous, cheeky, and charming.

The Gist: Sophea's been hired to escort an elderly lady to Egypt where she's catching a cruise. Problem is...said elderly lady is a klepto, maybe on the run from demons and an all around handful. Sophea's formerly sane life has taken a nose dive into crazytown complete with an oh so lickable stranger named Rowan who quite possibly has nefarious plans where her old lady is concerned. Ah!

These guys were fun. As with all of MacAlister's dragons they're a little crazy, a bit silly. A little unpredictable. But it makes them lovable. And I did enjoy these two. Sophea's a bit naive but she's a good heart and once she takes on a task she's going to put her whole heart in it. She's loyal and puts it all out there.

And Rowan. We'll he's been hiding from the dragons for decades-- with good reason. And damn all they've called in a debt. I liked Rowan. He's a good guy even if exasperated by the things happening to him. He's the type that come through when you need him to and tries to do the right thing.

I thought they were fun together. Both are a bit out of their element in the dragon/paranormal world and have that omg this can NOT be my life! thing happening to them which was kind of hilarious as they dealt with pervy goddesses, demons, suspicious dragons, demon dogs and talking heads. They had a nice dynamic as they got all meshed together during their travels and had a little bit of steam, too. Sometimes even flames!
"

Where was I?"

"About to give me a chance to play with your nubs," she said, pushing back on his shoulders until he released her.

"No," he said, turning his attention to her skirt. How did it attach? And more important, how did he take it off her?

"Excuse me? Did you just tell me no? I assume your mind is muddled by the trauma of being zapped into dragoness, and that what you really meant to say was 'Yes, Sophea, I will gladly let you reciprocate the wonderful feelings you've been experiencing, for I, too, am looking forward to having my nipples molested.' That is what you meant to say, right?"

"No," he repeated, and having discovered the hooks and eyes that closed the skirt, undid them until the skirt was loose. He stood up, pulling her up with him, causing the skirt to slide down her hips to the floor with a leathery woosh. "Another time you may work your lusts upon my nipple nubs, but right now, I must do this."

"That's just selfish, hogging all the nipple-based pleasure-giving fun--" Sophea started to protest, but he stopped her by kissing her soundly.

The mystery/drama was entertaining, too. A cruise into the underworld! And making sure a little old lady gets to her beau who lives there. All kinds of insane challenges they had to pass to get there, dangers and suspicions and figuring out life as new-found dragons. It was definitely an adventure! And I didn't figure everything out by the end either which I appreciated.

All in all, Dragon Soul was a silly over-the-top dragon filled adventure. A roaring good time. Exactly what I expect from MacAlister.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

AudioBook Review
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 4 Story 4

What do you do when you are newly widowed, nearly broke and have a desire to find the next new thing in your life? Take on a position as companion to an elderly woman destined to head to Egypt and cruise the Nile. So perhaps all of us aren’t so lucky to fall into that opportunity, but maybe luck had very little to do with it. At least, that’s Sophea’s take after discovering just HOW difficult and confusing this new position really is.

See, Sophea’s charge is Mrs Papadopoulous, or Mrs. P for short. Very elderly, and wholly eccentric she seems to have this strange habit of ‘borrowing’ anything that is bright and shiny. Poor Sophea, tasked with the Herculean effort of reining in Mrs. P and returning the purloined goods, “Would this happen to be your vibrating butterfly?”, she is in for one hell of a ride. Things only get worse when someone attempts to kill Mrs. P on the flight, and one heartbreakingly handsome man steps in to rescue them both.

Rowan Dakar is the brother of Aiofe and Bea from the earlier books, and has been hiding from dragonkin for much of his adult life as a survival tactic. But, his sister Bea has asked he help retrieve an item to keep it out of Bael’s grasp and pay off a blood debt to the First Dragon, there was little room for him to refuse. From the start, he finds Sophea unnervingly unaware of the realities around her, the ultimate destination of the cruise (through Duat, the Egyptian underworld) and even her own dragon nature. But, he’s also not 100% positive that she’s really as unaware as she proclaims, and, lo and behold, she’s not sure she can trust him either. The one thing that is obvious to everyone (including the original hot-pants in the trio Mrs. P) is their attraction.

Oh what a fun ride – with Egyptian lore, the return of Aisling, Gabriel, Constantine and Drake bring a sense of familiar into the story and Effrajim and Gary (think head in a hamster ball) add some comic relief to the non-stop action and asides to the story. There’s so much happening as events unfold, rectangle and drop out teaser lines throughout the story. Feeling very much like the conclusion to the story involving the Dakar siblings, and what a way to go!

Tavia Gilbert narrates this story, and her ability to manage the tiny hesitations needed to provide the proper import to moments, as well as navigating the often complex enunciation, emotional overlay and fast-paced dialogue was wonderful. The characters have their own sense of self with her performance that details each with a specific tone that is further delineated with the speech patterns, inflections and speed. I love listening to MacAlister’s stories, voices for the characters just live in your head and add to the heart and humor. A solid instalment in the series with a nice moment of ‘check in’ with characters more prevalent in earlier books.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Hachette Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragon Soul is book 3 in the Black Dragons series by Katie MacAlister but is my first book by this author. It was the synopsis that drew my attention to the story – it sounded like an interesting and fun premise and I’m happy to say that it exceeded my expectations and was a really delightful read.

In this story, Sophea’s been hired (by a man claiming to be a relative of her late husband Jian) to escort an elderly woman on a cruise in Egypt, with a quick stop in Munich along the way. Her client’s habit of pilfering items en route keeps her on her toes, as does the fact that someone seems to have a decidedly not so friendly interest in the old lady as well. When Roman, a passenger on the plane, intersects himself in their lives when Sophea thwarts a would-be assassin (or so it appears) on their plane ride to Europe, it’s no surprise that when he shows up conveniently where they are in Munich she alternates between suspicion and gratitude for his seemingly timely protection. Her attraction to Roman surprises her too, having put the thought of finding a new man out of her head since losing her husband on the day of their wedding. With talk of dragons, a magic talisman, and a fiery connection to Roman, Sophea finds herself swept up in an exciting adventure, but one that could prove fatal in the end.

This story had me laughing out loud from the start. Every interaction Sophea has with her client, Mrs. P, includes subtle and not so subtle references to Mrs. P’s kleptomania, her attraction to anything bright and shiny equal to her need to ‘borrow’ things from every location they are at. This made for lots of amusing scenes, interspersed with the action as it becomes apparent that Mrs. P has an item that people ( or, as Sophea soon discovers, not quite so ordinary humans) are willing to kill for. The plot moves swiftly from one locale to the next ( a trans-Atlantic flight, Munich, the city of Cairo and eventually a cruise ship on the Nile), introducing new characters along the way, some of whom have been featured in previous books in the series (which I definitely want to read as well). Until now, Sophea had no knowledge that her husband Jian was actually a Red Dragon and that by marrying him, she has inherited dragon abilities. I loved seeing all these revelations unfold, including why they were ultimately headed for the cruise in Egypt, that ends up being a lesson in Egyptian mythology as their cruise ship takes them into the Egyptian underworld. Lots of action, humorous situations mixed in with assassination attempts – and let’s not forget the romance too! Roman and Sophea are attracted to each other and share some steamy scenes together (despite Sophea’s initial hesitation to trust Roman’s intentions). It’s during their love scenes that some of her dragon characteristics come out too, which made for some extra fire (ha ha) between them. If you are looking for a paranormal romance with dragon shifters and humor and sexy scenes, a swift-moving plot and an exciting story, look no further than this. 5 stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.

This review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...

[Bambi Unbridled · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you follow my reviews, you know that I am just gaga for Katie MacAlister and her dragons. They are such fun reads. If you are in a serious mood or feeling extra logical, then pass these by until you are ready to have some slapstick fun.

This book starts off a bit differently in that our hero is not a dragon! Roman Dakar is the brother of Aiofe and Bea from the earlier books of the series, and he is known as the Dragon Breaker. After accidentally wiping out the Red Dragon sept, Rowan has been in hiding from the First Dragon and dragonkin. But when Bea asks for Rowan's help in retrieving an item of power, he decides to help and find the ring before it can be retrieved by demon lord, Bael (which would be bad news for the world). Rowan was a fun hero, even though he didn't deliver as many great one liners as our ancient dragons. He had good chemistry with our heroin and tolerated her ridiculousness without batting an eye. Rowan became a lot more fun after he has a transformation of sorts, but I will let you discover that on your own.

Orphan Sofea Long is our heroine, and is an uninformed wyvern's mate. She has been tasked with chaperoning Mrs. Papadopoulos (Mrs. P), a kleptomaniac octogenarian to Cairo to embark upon a cruise down the Nile. Unbeknownst to Sofea, the cruise will actually be through Duat, the Egyptian Underworld. Sofea was like most of MacAlister's heroines... two steps too close to ridiculous. She was not in the least capable or intelligent, and she was wholly lacking in common sense. But I loved her anyway. Her antics kept me cracking up, even when I was rolling my eyes at her absurd thought process.

I enjoyed the Egyptian mythology aspect of this installment, which was something different than the typical modern world and Abaddan (Hell) that we experienced in the earlier books of the series. I was so happy that we got to see some old favorites, particularly Gabriel, Constantine and Drake. And of course where Aishling (Drake's mate) and Constantine go, minor demon, Effrijim, and disembodied head, Gary, are sure to follow. These two tertiary characters provide even more comedic relief to a book that is rife with humorous entertainment.

This book was not quite as steamy as others in the series, but we still got a decent amount of romance and sexytimes. I always love the dragon chase and their aphrodisiac response to seeing gold. I am excited that we have a new dragon sept to contend with as it gives me hope that we will get another spinoff series to add to the Dragon Septs sequence.

I want to comment on the narrator as well, because I love Tavia Gilbert. She is a dab hand at accents and giving each character their own personality, inflection and sound. I loved hearing Gabriel's Aussie accent and Ken & Barbie's Irish accents in this installment... and she really knows how to bring the ridiculous out of Katie's heroines.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars / 3 flames.

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled to the brim with intrigue, secrets, magic, banter, romance, comedy, and F-U-N! Fun!
Oh yeah! Just in case you weren't tipped off by the sexy guy on the cover, with the gorgeous, winged reptile on his back. There are dragons...very sexy dragons.
Poor Sophea Long is a woman who is not having the best of luck in love...or otherwise.
Which is why, in an effort to put the recent death of her husband behind her, Sophea has agreed to accompany a quirky, coquettish, and excessively kleptomaniacal, 80-something named Mrs. Papadopolous, (Mrs. P for short) on her trip to Egypt.
It is clear from the start however, that things on this trip are far from the restful get away that Sophea had envisioned when she signed on.
And Mrs. P is anything but what she seems!

Rowan Dekkar is a men on the clock. Charged with paying back a blood debt to the First Dragon as only he can. If that is, he can only avoid distractions like her.
All he wants is to go back to his life as a mild mannered sociologist.
As if!!!!!

When the opening scene of any book involves returning a pilfered pink sex toy to its rightful owner, on a crowded plane.
You know you're in for some awesome reading.
Especially when the person who stole it goes on to steal your heart within the first 2 chapters!

There is never dull moment with all the mystery, mysticism, romance and attempted murder that swirls around Rowan, Sophea, and the delightful Mrs. P.
And one must never forget the badder than bad Red Dragon Demons!

This is a great story. There is no part of it that is lacking in comparison to any other. Each player, whether supporting or central, adds a flavor or nuance that is both distinctly theirs, and essential to the story's overall progress.

Sophea is the perfect ignorant heroine! Just because she doesn't know what's going on. In no way means that she doesn't know what's going on.
Confused?
Read the book!
The best part of which, has to be watching Sophea come to know the truth of her situation. While falling for Rowan, and trying to keep up with Mrs P.
Gotta love that Mrs. P.!

*Reviewer's Note: I received the above referenced literary work from Forever Publishing via Netgalley.
All opinions expressed herein are mine, and have not been influenced by the publisher of their agents.
Dragon Soul is the third book in a companion series that may be read in any order.

[Catherine (The Sassy Bookster) · Rating 4 out of 5]

DRAGON SOUL is a laugh out loud, absolutely entertaining madcap blend of adventure, passion and humor with a scatterbrained heroine, an intense hero, a kleptomaniac octogenarian and a trip through the Underworld, not at all what I expected but just what I needed.

Sophea Long has been hired to escort her elderly charge to Egypt to join a cruise down the Nile. While her charge turns out to be a handful with a fascination for anything shiny, Sophea finds herself caught up in trying to protect her from strange men bearing even stranger gifts and fascinated by the gorgeous man who seems to be around to help her out at just the right time, every time.

Rowan Dakar is on a mission to save the world and can't afford to be distracted by his attraction to a beautiful woman, especially one pretending to be someone else and who may be a threat to his mission.

Uneasy allies in a quest to protect Sophea's charge, Sophea and Rowan find themselves unable to stay away from each other, even when their passion literally sets them aflame. The characters' antics are hilarious, verging on the ridiculous. Sophea has no filter and says anything that comes to mind and Mrs. P., her charge will take anything that's not nailed down. Throw in demigods, dragons and demons battling over a magical item and a love connection in the midst of this and you have a really enjoyable story.

This is my first read in this series and I expected the usual paranormal romance when I picked this up but while it has everything I love in PNR, Ms. MacAlister's humorous slant on the story makes this such a fun story and I loved it.

Caveat: Do not read in public, to avoid uncontrollable laughter and potential embarrassment!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.




Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
Follow me on Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin’.
Like my page on Facebook.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sophea, girl was a breath of fresh air, "I wrapped a hand around the base of his p****, giving it a friendly squeeze, not hard, just enough to let him know I was there. “Such an odd piece of the body,” I said, leaning forward to touch my tongue on what I figured was a sensitive spot. “And yet so very fascinating, too.” I loved Rowan, "he was silent for a moment, his hands tightening on my hips. “Aroused. Powerful. Dominant but protective. Do that last thing again.” I nipped the underside of his chin. He growled again." These men are do?giant, sexy, and confident, but that doesn't mean they don't need reassurance from time to time, "he rose and took my arms in his hands, giving me a gentle shake. “Woman, now is the time for you to tell me just how madly in love with me that you are, and how you cannot conceive of living your life without me, and how you want to spend all of your days with me, and more, all of your nights. Not this ‘oh’business that leaves me feeling vulnerable and angsty.” I loved this book, I love this series, these dragon men are seriously a woman's wet dream.

[Candy Varty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure at first about this one, but as it went on, Wow ..I wish there were more of the Dragon Series.

[C.S. Bieber · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sehr verwirrend. Das Schreibstil hat mir überhaupt nicht gefallen. Der Anfang war langatmig und ich wollte mehrmals das Buch abbrechen. Ich habe mehr erwartet.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome ending to a good trilogy, but really to at least 10 books in this epic series of many handsome fun dragons! Unexpected twists in this one - like really unexpected! It harkened back to the beginning when her books were just hilarious with crazy antics! It made me laugh again and again! The main characters were loveable and fresh, but awesome additions to a fun groups of dragons. Sad to wrap up these dragon books because they've been a fun ride!

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Decent flow. Got a bit much at the end but ended well.

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: DRAGON SOUL by Katie MacAlister http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-4wW
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 3.5 Stars

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Her crazy dragon world is full of imagination and hijinks that are sometimes hard to keep up with. Rowan and Sophea were fun but don’t expect a sultry romance. It was more rapid dialogue (Sophea never stops talking) and fast paced action. It was unique and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended, which was good because Mrs. P threw a curveball in at the end. It is zany slapstick humor that will make you chuckle, sometimes wince and then wonder just where those dragons will bring you next time.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

READ AN EXCERPT

http://katiemacalister.com/books/dragon-soul/#excerpt

~*~*~*~

Kindle | Amazon PBK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

~*~*~*~

BLACK DRAGONS SERIES
✦Book 1: Dragon Fall ➢ REVIEW | Amazon
✦Book 2: Dragon Storm ➢ REVIEW | Amazon
✦Book 3: Dragon Soul ➢ Amazon

~*~*~*~

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

AudioBook Review
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 4 Story 4

What do you do when you are newly widowed, nearly broke and have a desire to find the next new thing in your life? Take on a position as companion to an elderly woman destined to head to Egypt and cruise the Nile. So perhaps all of us aren’t so lucky to fall into that opportunity, but maybe luck had very little to do with it. At least, that’s Sophea’s take after discovering just HOW difficult and confusing this new position really is.

See, Sophea’s charge is Mrs Papadopoulous, or Mrs. P for short. Very elderly, and wholly eccentric she seems to have this strange habit of ‘borrowing’ anything that is bright and shiny. Poor Sophea, tasked with the Herculean effort of reining in Mrs. P and returning the purloined goods, “Would this happen to be your vibrating butterfly?”, she is in for one hell of a ride. Things only get worse when someone attempts to kill Mrs. P on the flight, and one heartbreakingly handsome man steps in to rescue them both.

Rowan Dakar is the brother of Aiofe and Bea from the earlier books, and has been hiding from dragonkin for much of his adult life as a survival tactic. But, his sister Bea has asked he help retrieve an item to keep it out of Bael’s grasp and pay off a blood debt to the First Dragon, there was little room for him to refuse. From the start, he finds Sophea unnervingly unaware of the realities around her, the ultimate destination of the cruise (through Duat, the Egyptian underworld) and even her own dragon nature. But, he’s also not 100% positive that she’s really as unaware as she proclaims, and, lo and behold, she’s not sure she can trust him either. The one thing that is obvious to everyone (including the original hot-pants in the trio Mrs. P) is their attraction.

Oh what a fun ride – with Egyptian lore, the return of Aisling, Gabriel, Constantine and Drake bring a sense of familiar into the story and Effrajim and Gary (think head in a hamster ball) add some comic relief to the non-stop action and asides to the story. There’s so much happening as events unfold, rectangle and drop out teaser lines throughout the story. Feeling very much like the conclusion to the story involving the Dakar siblings, and what a way to go!

Tavia Gilbert narrates this story, and her ability to manage the tiny hesitations needed to provide the proper import to moments, as well as navigating the often complex enunciation, emotional overlay and fast-paced dialogue was wonderful. The characters have their own sense of self with her performance that details each with a specific tone that is further delineated with the speech patterns, inflections and speed. I love listening to MacAlister’s stories, voices for the characters just live in your head and add to the heart and humor. A solid instalment in the series with a nice moment of ‘check in’ with characters more prevalent in earlier books.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Hachette Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophea is nearly broke, a widow and no idea what to do with her life. She is offered a job, to escort an elderly lady to Europe. It seemed like the ideal job. Little did she know how lively her octogenarian client would be, or that she would lead her into a world she never knew existed. A world with dragons, demons, and mysterious dark-haired stranger. She determined to protect her charge from herself as well as others, but that stranger kisses like a dream…

Of the three books in the series, Dragon Soul was probably my least favorite. Before you start thumbs downing me, let me point out I said my least favorite and not that it sucked. On the contrary, it was quite funny. The antics and situations Sophea finds herself in, courtesy of one very lively old lady, were enough to keep me in stitches. Then there’s Rowan. He’s has a very interesting story that I found to be full of little twisting tangles. Put them together and thing start to heat up…LITERALLY! Throw in previous characters, a cruise, priestesses that could be runway models, some nefarious demons, and a stolen ring and you have one very entertaining read. What made it my least favorite was, well, Sophea. I liked her so don’t mistake me there. She was very much a defender to Mrs. P and held up fairly well no matter what was thrown her way. It was just sometimes, I found sometimes the things that came out of her mouth to be a bit bubble-headed Chatty Cathy. Woman…you are getting it on with a hot man! Yes you are babbling, now zip it!

So far each book in the Dragon Falls series, there has been a comic relief character. We’ve had a demon that was a dog, a head in a gerbil ball, and now we have Mrs. P. She is the client Sophea is escorting to Europe and she is quite the hoot. Age is certainly just a number when it comes to Mrs. P because besides say rather inappropriate things, she’s a huge flirt to any male on two legs. Not to mention, Mrs. P steals anything that isn’t nailed down (not for lack of trying). The adventures and hijinks she takes Sophea on makes for quite a few laugh out loud moments.

Dragon Soul has a very much ‘end of the series’ feel to it. Quite a few of the previous characters make an appearance here which makes all the bows seem to be tied off quite nicely. It has been a very humorous journey this series has taken me on and for the most part, I have enjoyed it. Katie MacAlister certainly has a way of inject humor and adventure in her stories and I for one look forward to read more by her.


I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine.
Stars – 3.5, Flames - 3

[Teresita · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the second sentence the book, “Would this happen to be your vibrating butterfly?”, Dragon Soul will keep you both smiling in delight and page turning to see what happens next.

In Dragon Soul, Dragon Soul, Katie MacAlister has once again taken us into her paranormal Dragon world filled with passion, action and humor. Her excellent gift of portraying an innocuous scene that by peeling away the layers by turning the page gives the truth of the tale.

For our heroine, Sophea, the world that she thought she knew is nothing as it seemed. Struggling to find her way as a young widow, she takes a job as a caretaker to a character and man-searcher Mrs. Papadopoulos, (Mrs. P). But is Mrs. P simply a kleptomaniac old woman who makes inappropriate comments to men? Enter our hero, the Dragon Breaker, Rowan, who feels an inexplicable pull towards this Sophea; one he cannot ignore. Rowan does a great job explaining the Dragon world to Sophea. So much so, that she is able to accept his explanation and proceed on their quest.

When they meet, both Rowan and Sophea are suspicious of the other’s intent. But what they both can agree on is their instant attraction to one another. What develops is both finding their true selves ~ with the help of the First Dragon ~ and a strong bond of love between them.

Favorite Dragon's of past stories, the dreamy Gabriel and his mate, May, are in the story bringing intrigue and their usual strong presence to the story. You will find the action, the connection and the humor is certainly present.

This book should not be considered a standalone read. It is strongly recommended to read the Dragon series in its entirety. Otherwise, the reader will be confused. But I can assure you, reading the Dragon series is a delight to read, as was reading Dragon Soul.

A definite must read for Katie MacAlister fans both faithful and new!

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book in the Dragon Falls trilogy with an interesting plot and a love story that seemed believable. Stakes were high, but because the heroine was clueless about it, the reader didn't feel the importance of saving the world at any point either, which diminished the impact of the book somewhat. But at least it didn't have an annoying third wheel 'quirky' character with an endless unnecessary commentary, and the lighter characters never took over the plot completely, which made the book an enjoyable read.

[Maria11]

DNF sadly have to say I could not finish this book. I wanted to love it. Dragons are one of my favorites! But alas I could not stand the heroine. She babbled like an insecure girl and her comments were not appropriate and she was so not heroine material. Even when she was in the throws of "passion". She sounded like a blithering idiot. The plot seemed interesting but she annoyed me too much to continue. :(

Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent conclusion to the series. I totally loved Sophea and Rowan. Their chemistry was electric and the humor was off the charts. I so loved seeing all the gang together. Simply wonderful.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This a great fantasy novel however it is poorly edited. There are so many grammatical errors. One or two I can forget and move on but this one has a bunch of errors.
Sophea, desperate for money, agreed to take on the job of accompanying an elderly lady to Egypt for her cruise. On the plane she met Rowan and from there onwards this sets off a series of events. She is a dragon, the old lady is a priestess that stole an invaluable ring and everybody is out to get the ring from the old lady. Rowan, demons and the cruise is a cruise that takes you to the underworld where death is not final. Sophea and Rowan must work together to protect the priestess with the ring. During all that Rowan becomes a dragon himself. The two of them combined together is setting fire to everything.

This story is so confusing it is hard to explain it logically. There are so many events happening that I feel instead of the author focusing on sophea and Rowan she is focused on writing and explaining these events. As a result I did not form a connection to these characters and there was basically no love story between them. They are battling demons and fighting together to protect the priestess that there is hardly any alone or romantic moments between them.
Also there are a ton of secondary characters and the author writes about them so much that I feel she could have used this time to write about the primary characters instead.

The fantasy of this novel was bad and if that wasn't enough, the poor editing, non existent love story is a serious recipe for disaster. This one just didn't do it for me.

[emily star ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Im dritten Band der Black-Dragons-Reihe beschreibt Katie MacAlister in gewohnt witziger und unterhaltsamer Art das Kennenlernen von Sophea und Rowan. Ähnlich wie in ihren anderen Büchern gibt es dazu eine amüsante und temporeiche Story.

Die Herausforderungen, vor denen Sophea und Rowan stehen, betreffen auch das Schicksal der Welt. Der Leser lernt Sophea und Rowan ziemlich gut kennen und auch Nebencharaktere wie Mrs P sind detailreich ausgearbeitet.

Es gibt außerdem ein Wiedersehen mit dem Ersten Drachen und Charakteren aus den anderen Drachenbüchern. Das war stellenweise ein wenig zu viel, da die unterschiedlichen Personen keinen richtigen Raum bekamen, sondern einfach nur unkoordiniert zusammentrafen und sich dann der Reihe nach wieder verabschiedeten. Leider hatte das Buch u.a. deshalb und trotz unerwarteter Wendungen ab der Hälfte einige Längen und las es sich etwas anstrengend.

Wer sich nicht daran stört, dass die Autorin in „Wer holt die Küsse aus dem Feuer?“ auf altbewährtes setzt und für sie typische Formulierungen sowie Szenen verwendet (z.B. Sophea erinnert in ihrem Verhalten und ihrer Art zu reden an andere weibliche Protagonistinnen aus Katies Romanen), wird sich von dem Buch gut unterhalten fühlen.

Empfehlenswert für alle, die den speziellen Humor von Katie MacAlister lieben. Alle anderen Leser werden wahrscheinlich nicht so richtig warm mit der Story. Leider nur 2,5 Sterne, obwohl die Grundzüge der Geschichte wirklich gut sind. In der Umsetzung konnte der Roman jedoch nicht wirklich überzeugen.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Angela
Book provided by NetGalley

Dragon Soul is told from the point of view of the female lead Sophea Long. We dive right into the story with Sophea and Mrs. P and their adventures on their way to Cairo. Sophea has the potential to be a strong female lead in this book, but it just doesn’t fully develop for me. She is strong in her own way but she is lacking in the common sense department. Sometimes she just needed to keep her mouth shut. It did make for some comedic relief when she would go off on her tangents.

The author is descriptive throughout the book. It really helped me to follow along with the character development and location changes. I did find though the beginning of the book a little hard to follow. I have not previously read any books by Katie MacAlister and was not even aware that this was a series book. I think if I would have known it was a series book it might have made some of the things that happened a little easier to understand.

I thoroughly did enjoy the story and the journey that I was taken on in Dragon Soul . Through all of the confusion and trouble that Sophea gets herself into there was always Mrs. P there to lighten the story from going to serious.

I am giving Dragon Soul a 3 Rose review. I look forward to going back and finding out where some of the characters that I met in this book came from and how their stories unfolded.

[watermelonreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely skim books and try my absolute hardest to read them even if they’re not really up to my liking. This book tested my patience. Like REALLY tested it.

The whole reading experience felt like I was in lalaland. Just wandering around aimlessly and have absolutely no idea where I’m going towards. That’s what the plot seemed like in my opinion.

The main character? /sighs exasperatedly/ She was dense and acted silly most of the time that I was just facepalming internally. There was one event where there was a group of bad people and she said something along the lines of “hold up people, don’t mess with me because I have a lamp and I can hurt you with the lamp.” I mean, yes she could have hurt the bad people but she could also have hurt herself and the other good characters in the room with her coughs incredibly silly (I’m using a nicer word) actions. In real life, before she even gets to brandish her lamp around she would be gone aka killed. /poof/ (maybe that will teach her a lesson or not)

Oh Rowan. He’s hot and deserves so much better. Maybe with me! /I’m kidding/

Overall, it was painful. I literally glanced through the words because I don’t really care about the story or characters. This book was not for me at all.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dies ist eine weitere Geschichte in dieser Reihe, welche mit einem vollkommen unerwarteten Liebespaar überrascht. Scheinbar hat die Autorin in der „Black Dragons“ Reihe den roten Faden nicht um den Wyvern der Sippe, sondern um seine Gefährtin und deren Familien gesponnen.
In diesem Buch geht es um Rowan, den Bruder von Aoife und Bee, und seine Gefährtin Sophea. Rowan ist einer der letzten lebenden Alchemisten und Sophea ist ohne es zu wissen eine Drachengefährtin, da sie mit dem roten Wyvern Jian verheiratet war, welcher allerdings direkt nach ihrer Hochzeit ermordet wurde (für Sophea war es ein Autounfall). Die alte Mrs. P und ein gestohlener Ring führen die Wege der beiden nun zueinander und gestalten das Leben gefährlicher und aufregender, als es ihnen lieb ist. Auch, wenn beide anfangs scheinbar auf verschiedenen Seiten stehen, knistert es heftig zwischen ihnen und keiner von beiden kann sich der Anziehungskraft entziehen. Das der erste Drache dann auch noch eine "Schuld" bei Rowan eintreibt und ihn im Zuge dessen nicht nur zu einem Drachen sondern auch noch zum neuen Wyvern der roten Sippe macht, ist quasi nur noch das Tüpfelchen auf dem i um den letzten Funken überspringen zu lassen und Feuer zwischen ihnen zu entfachen - ach, ich liebe diese Wortspiele einfach.
Ich mochte Sophea mit ihrer hartnäckigen Art Mrs. P zu beschützen und ihrem losen Mundwerk sehr und auch Rowan war mir sympathisch. Nichtsdestotrotz war es die leichte und humorvolle Schreibeweise der Autorin, die mich wieder mal abgeholt hat.
Als Abschluss dieser Reihe und für die gesamte Dragon Septs Serie gibt es hier von mir für diesen Band 4 Sterne.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophea Long
Rowen Dakar

Sophea is escorting Mrs P an octogenarian to Egypt for a cruise. She has her work cut out, Mrs P has a habit of stealing anything especially shiny items and the former “hoochikoo dancer” is quicker than she looks. As she’s escorting Mrs P she meets Rowen on the airplane. There is immediate chemistry between Sophea and Rowen and they end up working together to keep Mrs P safe. Rowen is known as the Dragon Breaker, due to an unfortunate accident many years earlier. He is on a mission that includes stealing a ring Mrs P has taken from Bale, demon lord, and destroying the ring. Sophea takes her job very seriously and is constantly trying to keep Mrs P in line, in addition to falling for Rowen. Rowen is trying to figure out a way to accomplish his task while falling for Sophea. There are dragons, gods and goddesses and challenges. All in all this is a very good book, that reads fast, some funny parts and keeps the reader engaged. I would definitely read more books by this author.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from Katie MacAlister in the Dragon Soul series. After losing her husband Sofea ran in to a bit of bad luck so a chance to chaperone an elderly woman to Egypt sounds like a great way to earn some money and see a little bit of the world. What Sofea didn't expect was that her charge was a bit of a kleptomaniac, and that a few people were trying to kill her. Rowan needs something that Sofea's charge has stolen and he does not think that her intentions are pure so he sticks close to Sofea. And maybe because he's also attracted to her. The world isn't quite what Sofea thought is was and as she gets to know Rowan more, everything turns upside down for her. She lost her heart and her husband so quickly last time that she has a hard time letting go again. Can Rowan help her learn to trust in his love? Filled with the Ms. MacAlister trade mark humor. Great read!

[Deborah D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wyverns, can't live with them, won't live without them

The dragon septs are in a roil, red dragon mate is found, the First Dragon and Rowan make a deal. New friends and old share a journey with older enemies.
The newest wyvern gets tutored by Constantine, Kostya and Gabriel. Quite a hoot overall, the impulsive 'turned on by x-name your body part' chatter is beginning to feel a little formulaic. -1 star

+.5 star for the not tiny, petite female protagonists and feeling out of place and the dragons and demons who like them!