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Dragon Kin #8
Feel the Burn
10 hrs and 54 mins
War makes strange bedfellows.
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with…
War makes strange bedfellows.
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with…
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First published November 24, 2015
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About the author
G.A. Aiken
56 books4,447 followersA.K.A. Shelly Laurenston
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, Originally from Long Island, New York, lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at www.shellylaurenston.com.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author G.A. Aiken, Originally from Long Island, New York, lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at www.shellylaurenston.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 535 reviews
November 25, 2015
Here's the thing: I don't like the Daughters of the Steppes.
All of the women and men in these books are annoying, brash, and selfish.
And I love them!
But for some reason, these Steppes just annoy the hell out of me. They come from a society that believes men are helpless, stupid, and too emotional to make their own decisions. Which, admittedly, sounds funny, right?!
And it is...for about 20 seconds. Until you realize that these women never really break their prejudice against men. So. Yeah, it's kinda the way I would feel about a male who thought the same thing about women. Unless he changed his tune, I wouldn't be rooting for him to 'get the girl' in the end.
sigh
Itolerated didn't mind the last book with Kachka's sister in it (she was a bit nicer), but this one just worked my nerves.
Feel the Burn's saving grace (for me) was that I'm so invested in finding out about this Final Battle between Annwyl and this cult, I can kind of tune out the voices of these ridiculous Steppes women. Sadly, that means the romance is purely background noise, at this point.
Fortunately, there's a lot of new information, and plenty of interesting characters show up to keep the story moving forward.
Abominations, FTW! <--You gotta be a fan of the books to get that one.
Honestly, I don't know how many more of these books I want to read, so I'm kinda hoping that Aiken wraps this shit up sooner, rather than later.
But knowing me, I'll keep on reading these to the bitter end. Maybe the next book will have a better female lead?
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a digital review copy.
Also reviewed for:
All of the women and men in these books are annoying, brash, and selfish.
And I love them!
But for some reason, these Steppes just annoy the hell out of me. They come from a society that believes men are helpless, stupid, and too emotional to make their own decisions. Which, admittedly, sounds funny, right?!
And it is...for about 20 seconds. Until you realize that these women never really break their prejudice against men. So. Yeah, it's kinda the way I would feel about a male who thought the same thing about women. Unless he changed his tune, I wouldn't be rooting for him to 'get the girl' in the end.
sigh
I
Feel the Burn's saving grace (for me) was that I'm so invested in finding out about this Final Battle between Annwyl and this cult, I can kind of tune out the voices of these ridiculous Steppes women. Sadly, that means the romance is purely background noise, at this point.
Fortunately, there's a lot of new information, and plenty of interesting characters show up to keep the story moving forward.
Abominations, FTW! <--You gotta be a fan of the books to get that one.
Honestly, I don't know how many more of these books I want to read, so I'm kinda hoping that Aiken wraps this shit up sooner, rather than later.
But knowing me, I'll keep on reading these to the bitter end. Maybe the next book will have a better female lead?
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a digital review copy.
Also reviewed for:
December 5, 2015
4 I'm A Dragon, Hear Me Roar Stars
After a year's wait there the new Dragon Kin book was. Dragon Kin, the series with the dragon shifters, the series with the arrogant, crazy, high-handed, completely vain and absolutely hot heroes. The series with the demented, homocidal, independant and totally lovable heroines. One of my very favorite series and the new book was finally here and it was almost perfect. But not quite there.
Plotwise, this book was just as awesome as the previous. Aiken is building this series to come to an epic battle between qood and evil, between crazy(the good guys) and corrupted. At that front, the book was just as great as all the previous ones. I love watching how the "abominations" are growing and learning their capabilities. I get a kick out of watching the bad guys eating dirt. So, as you can guess I will keep reading this series until I grow old and gray!
The romance front was good enough, considering there was non to speak of. There was no romance in the book. Sure, Kachka and Gaius shared plenty of sexual tension, they had plenty of sex, they even developed feelings but the romance wasn't the focus. There wasn't even a mating in this one(which I found weird, but whatever).
The side characters were freaking great! I enjoyed watching Annwyl teach her brat a few lessons in humility. I loved the appearances of the old characters, as well as the new ones that are added in every book. Even if it is getting a bit overwhelming with the names.
What annoyed me and made me like the book slightly less was the scenes were the Steppes' sisters interrupted each other during sex. I found it tacky how they just kept going, uncaring of the audience. It annoyed me enough that I reduced a star. It just cheapened the experience for me.
All in all, the book was great though! Can't wait to see what's next!
After a year's wait there the new Dragon Kin book was. Dragon Kin, the series with the dragon shifters, the series with the arrogant, crazy, high-handed, completely vain and absolutely hot heroes. The series with the demented, homocidal, independant and totally lovable heroines. One of my very favorite series and the new book was finally here and it was almost perfect. But not quite there.
Plotwise, this book was just as awesome as the previous. Aiken is building this series to come to an epic battle between qood and evil, between crazy(the good guys) and corrupted. At that front, the book was just as great as all the previous ones. I love watching how the "abominations" are growing and learning their capabilities. I get a kick out of watching the bad guys eating dirt. So, as you can guess I will keep reading this series until I grow old and gray!
The romance front was good enough, considering there was non to speak of. There was no romance in the book. Sure, Kachka and Gaius shared plenty of sexual tension, they had plenty of sex, they even developed feelings but the romance wasn't the focus. There wasn't even a mating in this one(which I found weird, but whatever).
The side characters were freaking great! I enjoyed watching Annwyl teach her brat a few lessons in humility. I loved the appearances of the old characters, as well as the new ones that are added in every book. Even if it is getting a bit overwhelming with the names.
What annoyed me and made me like the book slightly less was the scenes were the Steppes' sisters interrupted each other during sex. I found it tacky how they just kept going, uncaring of the audience. It annoyed me enough that I reduced a star. It just cheapened the experience for me.
All in all, the book was great though! Can't wait to see what's next!
November 24, 2015
Let me count the ways I love this book…But if I feel like if I did that, we’d be here all day! FEEL THE BURN is book eight in the Dragon Kin series and I honestly feel that this series continues to get better with each book. Aiken’s books are always very funny and silly, a great thing when you need a new world to escape to. But in addition to that, I feel like Aiken has so much room to explore with this world and its characters.
No one ever thought that Gauis Domitus, the Rebel King and Kachka, Daughter of the Steppes would be paired together but despite their unlikely pairing, they truly are a match made in heaven! First of all, I have to express my love for Gauis. As the Rebel King, many fear and respect him. In a world where soldiers are lobbing off heads without a care, to have Annwyl the Bloody call you a friend and a trusted ally is a HUGE deal and I trust that girl’s instincts very well. So it’s really no wonder why I fell in love with Gauis. He’s a man that doesn’t hide behind his title. Though he has legions of men at his disposal, he is likely to grab a sword and fight off men himself. And it helps that he’s particularly charming when he’s around other dragons. I just really liked how he fit into this world. He was still himself but also managed to become part of the family.
If you haven’t read the previous book in the series, Kachka is Elina’s sister. I know there were some readers who were put off by Elina’s world views but Kachka is actually quite different to Elina. She’s a little bit tougher, more ruthless and doesn’t give a flying fuck about anyone really. She was a real treat to read. Although Aiken takes her time with the romance, it’s still enough to have it burn brightly while keeping a strong pull in terms of the politics. With the war rapidly reaching a boiling point, everyone is gearing up for some havoc.
With the large cast of characters, there’s really an endless amount of books Aiken can write but yet, each character has a lot to offer. They aren’t just secondary characters who walk on and off and readers would rather skim through their scenes rather than read. Whether we we’re in Zoya’s mind or Talan or Talwyns or Rhi or – you get the point – Aiken is moving forward and I’m already invested in these characters. As you can probably tell, I’m DYING for the next book! Paranormal Romance doesn’t get any better than this!
Read my alternate review at Fresh Fiction
November 24, 2015
The joy of family : Families - can’t kill ‘em (unless they really deserve it), but you can mock them and love them and know they’ll have your back. Unless they’re completely evil. Families are the same, whether they be different cultures, ethnicities, or species. That is the core message of the Dragon Kin series by Ms. Aiken and I love visiting this world each and every time I do it.
Love this series : Whenever I read the Dragon Kin series, I know there will be snarky humor, great action, some romance and fascinating take on this world of two suns with so many gods that they’re fighting for supremacy. It has its roots in several different mythologies and it is all the more fascinating because of it.
G. A. Aiken, who also writes under the pen name Shelly Laurenston, has entertained me for years with her dragons and shifter romances and the wonderfully detailed universes she creates. She writes great romance, but they are not romances conducted in a little insular world. With every book, she builds another layer into a complex overarching storyline of these dragons and humans that I appreciate, even when the cast of characters has gotten so big that I feel like I’m in a Game of Thrones-like setting.
Start from the beginning, though : This is the type of series that is hard to jump into, since there are alot of characters who play their parts in each installment, small or large. Ms. Aiken certainly introduces each big player so that you have the necessary information, but it’s the small details that you miss out on if you don’t know characters from books past.
Kachka the freakin’ harshly funny : The last book, Light My Fire, introduced the Daughters of the Steppes, who are an ever lovin’ trip. The Daughters with their unbelievably long names, are a bunch of misandrists with a very strong female matriarchy in place. Their casual disregard and outright disdain for men as anything other than sex partners and child rearers is hilariously painful at times and Ms. Aiken has managed to really turn gender stereotypes as cannon fodder for her brand of funny.
Kachka is harsher than her sister Elina, the heroine of the last book. Elina also had a major traumatic events happen that helped me sympathize with her in her story that Kachka does not and as a result, it was more about the funny than any romance for me.
Gaius, the one-eyed Iron King : Gaius is on his own quest to avenge the torture his sister suffered at the hands of their family, and while I like Gaius, his part in this story takes a backseat to Kachka and her fellow Daughters. He’s a decent hero, and he has his moments, but mostly it’s about the coming battle with Chramnesind and the abominations, and Kachka’s part in that. Which leads me to…
More fantasy than romance : In this book, even more Daughters are introduced and help Kachka in her quest to locate Chramnesind’s eyes, a key artifact that the fanatics have been on fire to locate. Well, they’ve been torturing, occasionally setting fire to and outright killing other religious sects through the Southlands and now spreading their bizarre eyeless ways through each corner of this realm, and it’s affecting dragons and humans. At this point in the series, with all the goings on with the overarching storyline, the romance has become secondary to that plot. Since I’m fully invested in seeing what happens to the Mad Queen and the dragons and all their kin, I’m enjoying the ride, even if I occasionally long for the days when the romance was center stage.
I enjoyed myself in the Dragon Kin world, even if the romance was more sprinkle than the layer cake in this tale. If you love fantasy books with great worldbuilding, action and dragons, I encourage you to check this series out. Just start from the beginning.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
November 10, 2015
This series is a fabulous read and always such a crazy mixture of adventure , action, romance and delicious quirky humour. When I first began the journey it started out as a series of books that connected a larger than life family who just happened to be dragons! Yes that's right stuffy, arrogant , fire breathing , violent dragons who just happen to be the sexiest creatures imaginable ! Yet as the author has let her imagination run wild it's more then a run of the mill paranormal romance series that she gives us. There's a story arc developing that is bringing war and our favourite characters are right bang in the middle of it !
Ok this story features one eyed dragon Gaius and the hilarious and very much human Kachka. Now I won't lie and say they are a tender couple because Gaius is a King and knows full well his own importance and truthfully he has a very good idea of how to manipulate to get what he wants. What Gaius wants is vengence and if that means allying himself with the absolutely insane Queen then that's what he will do but the violent, barbaric Kachka who serves her is another matter entirely. She has no respect for him, leads a rag tag bunch of crazy killers and yet her fierce ways are tempting to this dragon , yes very tempting indeed!
This was an entertaining ensemble book. Yes the gangs all here with frequent appearances from those who have driven us crazy with laughter in other books. We also get to meet those who follow Kachka and that was the only thing that let it down a teensy bit for this reader. So any characters popping up with those crazy names the daughters of the Steppes love so much but luckily Gaius finds a way to make those names work! Some of the characters leapt into the limelight ( mountain mover anyone?) but in a romance I really would prefer to see more from the central couple. That being said this book moves the plot along and is surely set to allow the author to continue in this world of magic, mayhem and I'm afraid sheer carnage! Yes bloody and violent and yet oh so funny at times , how does Ms Aiken pull it off?
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
Ok this story features one eyed dragon Gaius and the hilarious and very much human Kachka. Now I won't lie and say they are a tender couple because Gaius is a King and knows full well his own importance and truthfully he has a very good idea of how to manipulate to get what he wants. What Gaius wants is vengence and if that means allying himself with the absolutely insane Queen then that's what he will do but the violent, barbaric Kachka who serves her is another matter entirely. She has no respect for him, leads a rag tag bunch of crazy killers and yet her fierce ways are tempting to this dragon , yes very tempting indeed!
This was an entertaining ensemble book. Yes the gangs all here with frequent appearances from those who have driven us crazy with laughter in other books. We also get to meet those who follow Kachka and that was the only thing that let it down a teensy bit for this reader. So any characters popping up with those crazy names the daughters of the Steppes love so much but luckily Gaius finds a way to make those names work! Some of the characters leapt into the limelight ( mountain mover anyone?) but in a romance I really would prefer to see more from the central couple. That being said this book moves the plot along and is surely set to allow the author to continue in this world of magic, mayhem and I'm afraid sheer carnage! Yes bloody and violent and yet oh so funny at times , how does Ms Aiken pull it off?
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
November 28, 2024
Book Review 2015
Feel the Burn is book eight in the Dragon Kin series by G.A. Aiken.
This was absolutely a fabulous read! I was riveted from begging to end and Aiken had me laughing out loud throughout. It took me back to what I love in this series all those arrogant dragons, snarky dialogue, and the family dynamics. Annwyl, Fearghus, and Briec along with all the rest of the family kept me laughing and engaged. I was happy to revisit my favorite old characters again.
Feel the Burn brings us loads of action, plotting and so much more. I was suppressed by some of the twists, turns and reveilles. I liked how Aiken starts us off by giving us a better looking into our leads, Kachka and Gaius. We are also given a few pivotal moments between Annwyl and her daughter Talwyn that defines a big change.
As for the relationship between Kachka and Gaius, it worked. The romance was not big with the author focusing more on the direction of the plot. I was more into the plot and dialogue then in the actual romance, but these two where good together and an unlike pairing.
My only issue is with the Daughter of the Steppes who have very little expectations towards men. I didn’t like the Daughter of the Steppes in Light My Fire and I still don’t like them much, but for some reason they didn’t bother me as much in Feel the Burn. It might have to do with all the humor. It distracted me from my pet peeve’s with them and their culture.
Feel the Burn brings us closer towards war as tensions brew and we get closer to all hell breaking loose. I look forward to seeing what Aiken has in store for us next.
~ 5 Feel the Burn Stars ~
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Audio March 2019: This is my favorite audio in the series. Everything is changing. Their are a lot of different voices, male and female, that this narrator has to do and she nailed it. I laughed, a lot! Great audio. Highly recommend series to read or listen.
Feel the Burn is book eight in the Dragon Kin series by G.A. Aiken.
This was absolutely a fabulous read! I was riveted from begging to end and Aiken had me laughing out loud throughout. It took me back to what I love in this series all those arrogant dragons, snarky dialogue, and the family dynamics. Annwyl, Fearghus, and Briec along with all the rest of the family kept me laughing and engaged. I was happy to revisit my favorite old characters again.
Feel the Burn brings us loads of action, plotting and so much more. I was suppressed by some of the twists, turns and reveilles. I liked how Aiken starts us off by giving us a better looking into our leads, Kachka and Gaius. We are also given a few pivotal moments between Annwyl and her daughter Talwyn that defines a big change.
As for the relationship between Kachka and Gaius, it worked. The romance was not big with the author focusing more on the direction of the plot. I was more into the plot and dialogue then in the actual romance, but these two where good together and an unlike pairing.
My only issue is with the Daughter of the Steppes who have very little expectations towards men. I didn’t like the Daughter of the Steppes in Light My Fire and I still don’t like them much, but for some reason they didn’t bother me as much in Feel the Burn. It might have to do with all the humor. It distracted me from my pet peeve’s with them and their culture.
Feel the Burn brings us closer towards war as tensions brew and we get closer to all hell breaking loose. I look forward to seeing what Aiken has in store for us next.
~ 5 Feel the Burn Stars ~
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Audio March 2019: This is my favorite audio in the series. Everything is changing. Their are a lot of different voices, male and female, that this narrator has to do and she nailed it. I laughed, a lot! Great audio. Highly recommend series to read or listen.
November 26, 2015
This book made me snort laugh. Just like her sister in the last book Kachka's deadpan delivery is so funny. You get the whole cast of characters from the series and this is wonderful.
The romance is slow building and hot.
The action is marvelous.
As must I loved seeing everyone and the series arc in this one is grand, I wanted more romance. I wanted more pages in the book.
But I am happy. I will go reread the last book now. Yep.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it!
The romance is slow building and hot.
The action is marvelous.
As must I loved seeing everyone and the series arc in this one is grand, I wanted more romance. I wanted more pages in the book.
But I am happy. I will go reread the last book now. Yep.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it!
November 25, 2015
I loved it!
We know Gaius Domitus from way back and I always wanted his book. GA Aiken gave it to us and it's so good! We spend time with our favorite, past characters and we meet some new ones.
Some months(maybe years?) have passed since the last book and Elina, Kachka's sister, has a happy life with her dragon. Unfortunately Kachka is dying of boredom. When Annwyl gives her a task she's all for it! She just needs to gather a team from the Tribes(it's a great scene :D) to help her with it. After they just started, they rescue Gaius, who was in a spot of trouble, and the relationship between the 2 starts to develop. It was so amusing to see her snipe at him for being a man and a royal to boot and to see him having fun with it.
The relationship between the 2 isn't fraught with misunderstandings and/or miscommunication which is very hard to find in a romance and I always appreciate when I do find it. They start from a basis of mutual respect, they get to friendship(with benefits) and finally they admit they have fallen in love together. At first it appears that it's an "opposites attract" kind of romance, but at it's core it really is not. They complete each other, but still share a sense of humor and other traits.
I just want to say that I loved it and read the whole book in one setting. I can't wait to see what Aiken comes up with next.
We know Gaius Domitus from way back and I always wanted his book. GA Aiken gave it to us and it's so good! We spend time with our favorite, past characters and we meet some new ones.
Some months(maybe years?) have passed since the last book and Elina, Kachka's sister, has a happy life with her dragon. Unfortunately Kachka is dying of boredom. When Annwyl gives her a task she's all for it! She just needs to gather a team from the Tribes(it's a great scene :D) to help her with it. After they just started, they rescue Gaius, who was in a spot of trouble, and the relationship between the 2 starts to develop. It was so amusing to see her snipe at him for being a man and a royal to boot and to see him having fun with it.
The relationship between the 2 isn't fraught with misunderstandings and/or miscommunication which is very hard to find in a romance and I always appreciate when I do find it. They start from a basis of mutual respect, they get to friendship(with benefits) and finally they admit they have fallen in love together. At first it appears that it's an "opposites attract" kind of romance, but at it's core it really is not. They complete each other, but still share a sense of humor and other traits.
I just want to say that I loved it and read the whole book in one setting. I can't wait to see what Aiken comes up with next.
November 8, 2015
Dragon Kin books are hit and miss for me. This one was an absolute hit for me.
I loved the fantasy adventure and action, my favorite genre at the moment. It was so good that I almost didn't miss the lack of romance.
The 8th book in Dragon Kin is Gaius Domitus the Iron king and Kachka's story. They spend a big chunk of book apart and there is no romance between them but I could feel their connection and their relationship. It might not have been overly romantic but it's solid and I loved how it played out.
More than anything I enjoyed the plot and the progress in the overall arc of the story. The secondary characters and the funny moments are great.
I can't predict who's going to be next but I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
P.s.Did I mention that it was funny?
I loved the fantasy adventure and action, my favorite genre at the moment. It was so good that I almost didn't miss the lack of romance.
The 8th book in Dragon Kin is Gaius Domitus the Iron king and Kachka's story. They spend a big chunk of book apart and there is no romance between them but I could feel their connection and their relationship. It might not have been overly romantic but it's solid and I loved how it played out.
More than anything I enjoyed the plot and the progress in the overall arc of the story. The secondary characters and the funny moments are great.
I can't predict who's going to be next but I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
P.s.Did I mention that it was funny?
November 2, 2025
I just can’t get enough of the Dragonkin.
Feel the Burn is the hilarious story of the one eyed dragon, Gaius and the human warrior, Kachka.
Gaius, a dragon king, in a realm caught in civil war finds himself allying with the dragon Queen against a religious zealot foe lead by an avenging god. So, why does the barbarian warrior, Kachka ignite feelings he never thought he have…especially for a human?
Kachka, daughter of the steps and a ridiculously long name, doesn’t need a man. So why does the self-important dragon King seems to inspire cravings she can’t deny?
Carnage, mayhem and hilarity follow this unlikely band that come together to track down the emanate threat pulling them front and center into a god war.
Straight out, I LOVED Feel the Burn. It’s the perfect mix of gory battles, steamin’ hot encounters, hilarity that will have you belly laughing and suspense that will riveted you to the pages.
There is no doubt about it, G. A. Aiken writes absolutely outrageous, fictions characters that come ALIVE.
I received this ARC copy of Feel the Burn from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 24, 2015.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Feel the Burn is the hilarious story of the one eyed dragon, Gaius and the human warrior, Kachka.
Gaius, a dragon king, in a realm caught in civil war finds himself allying with the dragon Queen against a religious zealot foe lead by an avenging god. So, why does the barbarian warrior, Kachka ignite feelings he never thought he have…especially for a human?
Kachka, daughter of the steps and a ridiculously long name, doesn’t need a man. So why does the self-important dragon King seems to inspire cravings she can’t deny?
Carnage, mayhem and hilarity follow this unlikely band that come together to track down the emanate threat pulling them front and center into a god war.
Straight out, I LOVED Feel the Burn. It’s the perfect mix of gory battles, steamin’ hot encounters, hilarity that will have you belly laughing and suspense that will riveted you to the pages.
There is no doubt about it, G. A. Aiken writes absolutely outrageous, fictions characters that come ALIVE.
I received this ARC copy of Feel the Burn from Kensington Books - Zebra in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 24, 2015.
My Rating: 5 Stars
February 24, 2017
This series is always a great read, G.A. Aiken is an amazing writer. She does humor, great characters, action, and steamy scenes so well! I loved Gaius and Kachka, they were so funny and good together. I espeically loved how literal Kachka is, I always love when characters are really literal and don't bother to lie or sugar coat things for other people's feelings. It makes for some really entertaining scenes. Another great thing about these books is there are always sooo many amazing supporting characters. Zoya is definitely a new favourite of mine!! One thing I do wish with this one is that Gaius and Kachka actually spent more time together, it often felt like their budding relationship took a back seat to everything else going on in the story. I totally get that there are lots of things happening and not every scene could just be focused on them, but I would have liked just a little more focus. But overall I enjoyed the book and I'll definitely be reading the next one. I recommend this one to anyone looking for a book about hot dragon shifter's but wants some humor too.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 20, 2023
Re-Read
Still one of my favorite Dragon Kin book. I absolutely adore Gaius and Kachka together!
Also, I stated that in my original review that I hope Branwen and Aidan's book is not the last Dragon Kin book, but the truth is...it is :(. Since Aiken just inform reader from her newest newsletter that she now will write another book in the Dragon Kin world but will not feature the dragons. Ah alas! But she promised her readers that the dragons will make appearance here and there.
Original review below :)!
5 stars
Better than the previous obviously! I'm glad that Feel the Burn didn't feel like The Dragon Who Loved Me, which is still my favorite book. But, dang! Poor Vigholf and Rhona that feel like secondary characters at that book and I never read about them again in the next book. Seems like Aiken just focused her story around Anwyll, her abomination twins, the eccentric Cadwaladr and royal dragons from House of Gwalchmai fab Gwyar.
I'm glad that Aiken did Gaius Domitus a justice. I always think he's one of strict dragon. I don't realize that he have his own playful side. He's so witty and I love his bantering with Kachka. I like Kachka more than her sister Elina. Even both are straightforward women, Kachka is worse than Elina apparently. Her uptightness combined with Gaius wicked sense of humor are a perfect combination. I can't ask for more :D
I see some comment that state the romance is becoming less, but in my opinion, Feel the Burn mixed romance and fantasy perfectly. The action is engaging, the story expanding, and the romance is not over the top. The steaminess is also there, and since this is Aiken/Laurenston we talk about, I always know she will bring the heat! My favorite part? When Gaius introduced all the Steppes Riders with all their long name. It's hilarious! XD My favorite character? It's Zoya Kolesova, one of the Riders. I like her cheerful and annoying characteristic. She never failed to crack me up.
I feel that Dragon Kin world near the ending, but I hope Branwenn and Aidan's book, Bring the Heat is not the final book, because I can't get enough of the dragons with their comedy of errors.
Still one of my favorite Dragon Kin book. I absolutely adore Gaius and Kachka together!
Also, I stated that in my original review that I hope Branwen and Aidan's book is not the last Dragon Kin book, but the truth is...it is :(. Since Aiken just inform reader from her newest newsletter that she now will write another book in the Dragon Kin world but will not feature the dragons. Ah alas! But she promised her readers that the dragons will make appearance here and there.
Original review below :)!
5 stars
Better than the previous obviously! I'm glad that Feel the Burn didn't feel like The Dragon Who Loved Me, which is still my favorite book. But, dang! Poor Vigholf and Rhona that feel like secondary characters at that book and I never read about them again in the next book. Seems like Aiken just focused her story around Anwyll, her abomination twins, the eccentric Cadwaladr and royal dragons from House of Gwalchmai fab Gwyar.
I'm glad that Aiken did Gaius Domitus a justice. I always think he's one of strict dragon. I don't realize that he have his own playful side. He's so witty and I love his bantering with Kachka. I like Kachka more than her sister Elina. Even both are straightforward women, Kachka is worse than Elina apparently. Her uptightness combined with Gaius wicked sense of humor are a perfect combination. I can't ask for more :D
I see some comment that state the romance is becoming less, but in my opinion, Feel the Burn mixed romance and fantasy perfectly. The action is engaging, the story expanding, and the romance is not over the top. The steaminess is also there, and since this is Aiken/Laurenston we talk about, I always know she will bring the heat! My favorite part? When Gaius introduced all the Steppes Riders with all their long name. It's hilarious! XD My favorite character? It's Zoya Kolesova, one of the Riders. I like her cheerful and annoying characteristic. She never failed to crack me up.
I feel that Dragon Kin world near the ending, but I hope Branwenn and Aidan's book, Bring the Heat is not the final book, because I can't get enough of the dragons with their comedy of errors.
November 8, 2015
I usually have second thoughts many times when I give a 5 Star rating, wondering if I am grading it too easy. I had no such problems with this book. I started laughing on about page 5 and did not stop until the end of the book pretty much.
I did not read the last two books in this series because people that read them were not that enthused about them it seemed, this one gets the series back on track IMHO and brings all that insanity back including everybody's favorite insane Queen, Annwyl the Bloody :)
The way the author manages to write stories about so much chaos, blood, gore and violence while making me laugh so much and in the middle of all of this still pull off a decent if light hearted romance is nothing short of amazing.
This time it is Gaius and Kachka that are lined up as the designated couple and they are great, not a lot of warm moments but heart felt ones that fall into line with the chaotic plot of this book but this book is stolen so many times by Zoya who I will not even attempt to describe since you really HAVE to read it to appreciate her.
Bottom Line: I am not sure you can really appreciate this book unless you have read at least the first 3 novels in this series to get a feeling for the insanity that is this series. The humor is insanity taken to levels I have never seen elsewhere, so get ready for a wild ride. I cannot tell you how highly I recommend this book if you need something to lift your spirits . Well done indeed.
I did not read the last two books in this series because people that read them were not that enthused about them it seemed, this one gets the series back on track IMHO and brings all that insanity back including everybody's favorite insane Queen, Annwyl the Bloody :)
The way the author manages to write stories about so much chaos, blood, gore and violence while making me laugh so much and in the middle of all of this still pull off a decent if light hearted romance is nothing short of amazing.
This time it is Gaius and Kachka that are lined up as the designated couple and they are great, not a lot of warm moments but heart felt ones that fall into line with the chaotic plot of this book but this book is stolen so many times by Zoya who I will not even attempt to describe since you really HAVE to read it to appreciate her.
Bottom Line: I am not sure you can really appreciate this book unless you have read at least the first 3 novels in this series to get a feeling for the insanity that is this series. The humor is insanity taken to levels I have never seen elsewhere, so get ready for a wild ride. I cannot tell you how highly I recommend this book if you need something to lift your spirits . Well done indeed.
October 10, 2022
This is a book that seems to be written as a series of meshed novellas, rather than the single novel it is supposed to be. I had been loosing interest in this series a couple of books back and decided to give this author another shot since the beginning of the series was so much fun. However, nothing seems to have changed and I find that it just isn't fun anymore.
The interaction between the main lovers doesn't even start until you are approximately 43% through with the book. There are so many sub-plots by this point in the book, that I can't keep them all straight. I am sure that they are all straightened out by the end, but I have simply lost interest in what might happen in the future.
It is too bad too since the main plot of the desecration of the Temples, was an interesting one. However, Gaius and Kachka just got on my nerves after a while...especially Kachka. Trying to see them in a romance no matter how it was going to be portrayed - was typical of this author. Take two highly unlikely, poles apart people (dragon King/female warrior and shove them into bed together and voilà instalove! This trope is getting old.
The editing/formatting issues had supposedly been fixed, but you can't prove it by my Kindle edition!
The interaction between the main lovers doesn't even start until you are approximately 43% through with the book. There are so many sub-plots by this point in the book, that I can't keep them all straight. I am sure that they are all straightened out by the end, but I have simply lost interest in what might happen in the future.
It is too bad too since the main plot of the desecration of the Temples, was an interesting one. However, Gaius and Kachka just got on my nerves after a while...especially Kachka. Trying to see them in a romance no matter how it was going to be portrayed - was typical of this author. Take two highly unlikely, poles apart people (dragon King/female warrior and shove them into bed together and voilà instalove! This trope is getting old.
The editing/formatting issues had supposedly been fixed, but you can't prove it by my Kindle edition!
October 24, 2015
So often I found myself laughing when reading this one. Part of it is the Cadwaladrs, who needle each other every chance they can. It makes for some fun reading. Then when you add in the Daughter of the Steppes, it makes for a mad house. I loved how the Daughters thought the dragons were soft for the way that they lived with their beds and people that bring them food. Then there was the way that Kachka has no filter or boundaries.
About the only thing better was Zoya and her hunt to find husbands for her daughters and granddaughters. It was funny how she wanted Annwyl's Talyn and went about to barter with her. The beat down that happened was so funny, but it was Zoya's verbal response that made things.
Kachka and Gaius were cute together. Only he could appreciate all that is Kachka and her ways.
Among all the antics with everyone was the war that was coming. Everyone seemed to have a role, some bigger than others. While they seemed to have won the battle this time around, things are heating up.
About the only thing better was Zoya and her hunt to find husbands for her daughters and granddaughters. It was funny how she wanted Annwyl's Talyn and went about to barter with her. The beat down that happened was so funny, but it was Zoya's verbal response that made things.
Kachka and Gaius were cute together. Only he could appreciate all that is Kachka and her ways.
Among all the antics with everyone was the war that was coming. Everyone seemed to have a role, some bigger than others. While they seemed to have won the battle this time around, things are heating up.
December 7, 2015
Kachka Shestakova is bored, as a Daughter of the Steppes she is feared by all. She is brutal, speaks bluntly, and is hating her new life as a cast out member of her tribe, despite doing it for her beloved sister. When Annwyl, the bloody Queen, sends her on a secretive mission she seeks help from her old tribe and begins the hunt for those she has been sent to destroy.
Kachka didn't expect to rescue, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king. Gaius finds himself entertained by Kachka, she is beautiful but he finds humor in her taunts to other dragons. Take a brunt human female and pair her with a dragon king you have an electrifying story.
I think this is the funniest book in the series. Loved it, would reread in a heartbeat. Not only do you have Kachka who has a way with words, but there is a charismatic pull to Gaius. You also have Zoya, one of the women who is helping Kachka. Zoya, although along for the ride, is more concerned about finding husbands for her daughters. Hilarious and another excellent read by G. A. Aiken.
Kachka didn't expect to rescue, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king. Gaius finds himself entertained by Kachka, she is beautiful but he finds humor in her taunts to other dragons. Take a brunt human female and pair her with a dragon king you have an electrifying story.
I think this is the funniest book in the series. Loved it, would reread in a heartbeat. Not only do you have Kachka who has a way with words, but there is a charismatic pull to Gaius. You also have Zoya, one of the women who is helping Kachka. Zoya, although along for the ride, is more concerned about finding husbands for her daughters. Hilarious and another excellent read by G. A. Aiken.
December 10, 2015
A fantastic installment that proves once again that when it comes to PNR-Aiken/Laurenston is one of the reigning queens. I laughed and giggled so hard throughout this book. Though the humor reigns supreme; the action, intrigue, and suspense blend well with the continued evolution of the world, characters, and arc.
March 19, 2023
Eighth in the Dragon Kin hysterically funny paranormal romance fantasy revolving around a family of dragons. The couple focus is on Kachka Shestakova of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight Mountains of Despair in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains and Gaius Lucius Domitus, the one-eyed Rebel King of the Iron Dragons.
It's been seven months since Light My Fire , 7.
My Take
Where do I start? Every one of the characters is a total crack-up. Well, except for Kachka. Yeah, she's funny, but I also found her rude. If people showed up in her homeland, she'd be expecting them to follow their rules of courtesy. The few there probably are. So why she can't be minimally courteous, I don't know.
As for any advancement in the story…yes, there is, sort of, but it's more of a bridge novel as Aiken ties up a couple threads and throws a dozen more out there, dancing in the wind of all that laughter.
Dagmar is absolutely brilliant, in every way, and she is torturing Annwyl about the whole eye incident. Zoya has but one thought in her mind as she hugs her way through the Southland: taking one or more boys home to be husbands. That Gaius is turning out to be one naughty prankster! Talwyn…whoa…Talan is always having to keep her from killing their mother. A fact Talwyn keeps forgetting.
I love tone. Everyone complains about everyone else's "tone", and I can just hear that whole "bratty child" voice. Makes me want to go out and be naughty myself.
I should warn you that the f-word is about as common as the, and there is a LOT of sex.
There is affection in here (from the author and from her characters), and there are chunks of satire and parody scattered throughout, as Aiken pokes fun at so much in life: stupid, whiny people, religion, family, sibling rivalry, making love, raising children, vanity…
The Story
Angry, Annywyl sets Kachka a task dear to her heart: the total destruction of the followers of Chramnesind who are destroying temples throughout the Southland.
It's perfect, for Kachka needs a goal, a purpose now that she's been exiled from any future with her tribe. It's a task that will become even more dear to her…hmmm-mmm…well, we won't go there.
The Characters
Kachka Shestakova, formerly of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight Mountains of Despair in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains (yes, it's all part of her name, and Aiken is wicked in her use of the Daughters' full name, lol!!), Scourge of the Gods, has been hating every minute of being exiled to the Southland ( Light My Fire ). Elina is her more peaceful sister who is hounded by Keita and mated to the now-Sergeant Major Celyn, a black Dragon and a Cadwaladr, one of Bram's hatchlings ( Light My Fire )
The Outerplains Tribes, a.k.a., Riders, are…
…a group of people led by women. Vicious, brutal women who keep harems of men. Kachka is thrilled that Annwyl cut off her mother's head, that's Glebovicha Shestakova in Light My Fire . Anne Atli is the title of the leader of the Outerplains Tribes. Magdalina Fyodorov is Anne Atli's second-in-command.
The guerrilla Riders are…
…the Riders Anne Atli allows Kachka to take with her on her mission for Queen Annwyl. Marina Aleksandrovna questions everything. Yelena and Ivan Khoruzhaya are sister and brother and excellent trackers and hunters — they actually think Ivan is an equal to the women. Fools. Tatyana Shestakova is a cousin who loves the Southland. Zoya "Pee-Wee" Kolesova of the Mountain Movers of the Lands of Pain in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains is a mountain of a woman with the good nature of a saint — and no one wants her along. Nina Chechneva, the Unclaimed, is unwanted by everyone in the tribe. She's a witch who worships dark gods, a Dark Soul witch.
Three of Zoya's sisters, including Nika Kolesova, show up in the Southland.
Garghán Isle is…
… the seat of power of the Southland where Annwyl, the Mad Queen of Garbhán Isle, the Bloody Queen of the Southland, is mated to Prince Fearghus the Destroyer, a Black Dragon and heir to the Dragon Queen's throne. Bloodletting is the name of her black stallion. Their twin children are the mischievous Talan and vicious Talwyn who are incredibly powerful in their magic. They are currently training with the other Abominations, including Princess Rhianwen "Rhi" who sees only the good in people. Brigida the Foul is a very ANCIENT Dragonwitch who terrifies everyone. She has plans.
Dagmar "the Beast" Reinholdt appears to be a cold, calculating Northlander who married Gwenvael the Handsome, a gold Dragon with chameleon power and absolutely obsessed with how gorgeous he is ( What a Dragon Should Know , 3). She's also Annwyl's Battle Lord. They have seven children: the oldest, Var, is the intellectual who just wants some peace and is working with Bram; Arlais is the oldest daughter and a nightmare of a selfish little brat; and, their youngest daughters, the Five, have some scary powers, including being able to go through walls. Frederik Reinholdt is Dagmar's nephew and working in the Northlands.
The Mi-runach are…
…warriors who answer to no one but the Queen. And everyone, and I do mean everyone, is terrified of them. Caswyn and Uther are not too bright and part of Éibhear's team. The last member, Prince Aidan the Divine, is amazingly diplomatic for one of these terrors.
General Brastias, Annwyl's commander of the army, is a human mated to Morfyd the White, a White Dragonwitch, and a daughter of the Dragon Queen, which makes her Fearghus' sister.
Bram the Merciful is the oddball Cadwaladr — he's peaceful. He now lives in the tower that Annwyl spent so much time building. He's mated to Ghleanna the Decimator, another of Annwyl's generals (Supernatural: "Dragon on Top", 0.4). Yep, she's a true Cadwaladr. Captain Branwen the Awful is one of their daughters and Izzy's best friend. Addolgar and Rhys the Hammer, the third born of Ailean the Wicked, are more of Bram's brothers.
The House of Gwalchmai fab Gwyar is…
…the family of Queen Rhiannon, the White Dragon Queen mated to Bercelak the Great. They live on Devenallt Mountain, the seat of power for the Southland dragons.
Princess Keita the Viper, one of Rhiannon's daughters, appears to be a frivolous, fashion-obsessed She-dragon who keeps pushing colorful eye patches on Elina. She's actually a Protector of the Throne and will take out anyone who threatens it. Or her. Ragnar of the Olgeirsson Horde, a Northland chieftain, is her mate ( Last Dragon Standing , 4). She and Dagmar have their spy networks out.
The Cadwaladrs are…
…a Low Born line of Southland dragons who have two claims to "fame": (1) Bercelak is a Cadwaladr, and (2) do not even consider coming between them and family or a battle.
Margo is the head of the kitchen sheep, er, staff.
The Quintilian Sovereigns Empire is…
…in the west and ruled by Gaius Lucius Domitus, the one-eyed Rebel King of the Iron Dragons. (We first met him in The Dragon Who Loved Me , 5.) Agrippina is Gaius' twin sister. Lætitia Clydia Domitus is his and Agrippina's aunt. Maris is one of Gaius' guards. Senator Tyrus Gabinius is from an important human family.
Egnatius Domitus is a cousin of Gaius and Agrippina's with dreams of being overlord of the Quintilian Sovereigns. He's also Vateria's brother. Didacus Domitus is another cousin to Gaius and Egnatius and Vateria.
House of Foulkes de chuid Fennah of the Western Mountains is…
…Aidan's family — Aidan claims "they are horrible, reprehensible detestable beings and should be treated carefully. Like poisonous snakes". They have a special relationship with the Western Mountain Dwarves and the Dwarf King. Lady Gormlaith is Aidan's smarmy mother; Lord Jarlath is his nutjob father. Ainmire is the oldest; Harkin is Aidan's second oldest brother. Airmid and Cinnie are more siblings. Orla is the youngest and the only one Aidan likes.
The cult of Chramnesind is …
…about a god also referred to as The Eyeless One. It insists that everyone join its religion, no matter what. Duke Roland Salebiri is a true believer. Lady Ageltrude is his wife. General Falke de Vitis is a human and Salebiri's second-in-command.
Abominations are the offspring of a dragon and a human. Run-and-jump is Izzy's favorite game. She runs over the backs of flying dragons and jumps from one to another. Mingxia is the Eastland goddess of war and love. Rhydderch Hael is the father of dragons, a god. His mate is Eirianwen, the goddess of war and death. Aoibhell is a philosopher dragon.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a very nicely muscled bare back with a black tattoo of flames arching up along his right side and onto his bicep. Yep, his back is to us with his right arm bent, his hand clasping the back of his head in a BIG hand, his head is turned in profile and he stands against a roiling red background — I feel like I'm in the middle of an erupting volcano!
Guess that explains why I Feel the Burn!
It's been seven months since Light My Fire , 7.
"Gaius smirked. 'I like their philosophy.'
'A reader, are ya?'
'I am. But I never saw that as a flaw.'"
My Take
Where do I start? Every one of the characters is a total crack-up. Well, except for Kachka. Yeah, she's funny, but I also found her rude. If people showed up in her homeland, she'd be expecting them to follow their rules of courtesy. The few there probably are. So why she can't be minimally courteous, I don't know.
"Such a big room. Could get whole tribe in here."I was annoyed with all the info dumps. I don't recall Aiken being so bad about it before.
As for any advancement in the story…yes, there is, sort of, but it's more of a bridge novel as Aiken ties up a couple threads and throws a dozen more out there, dancing in the wind of all that laughter.
Dagmar is absolutely brilliant, in every way, and she is torturing Annwyl about the whole eye incident. Zoya has but one thought in her mind as she hugs her way through the Southland: taking one or more boys home to be husbands. That Gaius is turning out to be one naughty prankster! Talwyn…whoa…Talan is always having to keep her from killing their mother. A fact Talwyn keeps forgetting.
I love tone. Everyone complains about everyone else's "tone", and I can just hear that whole "bratty child" voice. Makes me want to go out and be naughty myself.
I should warn you that the f-word is about as common as the, and there is a LOT of sex.
Aiken has taken family and twisted up our concept of siblings, uncles, aunts, parents, children into an hysterically funny portrait of family. Self-obsessed with a strong sense of loyalty and supportive of each other even while plotting horrible pranks and tricks to play against each other."'There was so much grunting,' he complained about finding Zoya in his bed. 'So much grunting.'
'Stop it,' she ordered … 'If you want me to stop laughing, you must stop it.'
'I'm trying to wipe it from my mind.'"
There is affection in here (from the author and from her characters), and there are chunks of satire and parody scattered throughout, as Aiken pokes fun at so much in life: stupid, whiny people, religion, family, sibling rivalry, making love, raising children, vanity…
The Story
Angry, Annywyl sets Kachka a task dear to her heart: the total destruction of the followers of Chramnesind who are destroying temples throughout the Southland.
It's perfect, for Kachka needs a goal, a purpose now that she's been exiled from any future with her tribe. It's a task that will become even more dear to her…hmmm-mmm…well, we won't go there.
The Characters
Kachka Shestakova, formerly of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight Mountains of Despair in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains (yes, it's all part of her name, and Aiken is wicked in her use of the Daughters' full name, lol!!), Scourge of the Gods, has been hating every minute of being exiled to the Southland ( Light My Fire ). Elina is her more peaceful sister who is hounded by Keita and mated to the now-Sergeant Major Celyn, a black Dragon and a Cadwaladr, one of Bram's hatchlings ( Light My Fire )
The Outerplains Tribes, a.k.a., Riders, are…
…a group of people led by women. Vicious, brutal women who keep harems of men. Kachka is thrilled that Annwyl cut off her mother's head, that's Glebovicha Shestakova in Light My Fire . Anne Atli is the title of the leader of the Outerplains Tribes. Magdalina Fyodorov is Anne Atli's second-in-command.
The guerrilla Riders are…
…the Riders Anne Atli allows Kachka to take with her on her mission for Queen Annwyl. Marina Aleksandrovna questions everything. Yelena and Ivan Khoruzhaya are sister and brother and excellent trackers and hunters — they actually think Ivan is an equal to the women. Fools. Tatyana Shestakova is a cousin who loves the Southland. Zoya "Pee-Wee" Kolesova of the Mountain Movers of the Lands of Pain in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains is a mountain of a woman with the good nature of a saint — and no one wants her along. Nina Chechneva, the Unclaimed, is unwanted by everyone in the tribe. She's a witch who worships dark gods, a Dark Soul witch.
Three of Zoya's sisters, including Nika Kolesova, show up in the Southland.
Garghán Isle is…
… the seat of power of the Southland where Annwyl, the Mad Queen of Garbhán Isle, the Bloody Queen of the Southland, is mated to Prince Fearghus the Destroyer, a Black Dragon and heir to the Dragon Queen's throne. Bloodletting is the name of her black stallion. Their twin children are the mischievous Talan and vicious Talwyn who are incredibly powerful in their magic. They are currently training with the other Abominations, including Princess Rhianwen "Rhi" who sees only the good in people. Brigida the Foul is a very ANCIENT Dragonwitch who terrifies everyone. She has plans.
Dagmar "the Beast" Reinholdt appears to be a cold, calculating Northlander who married Gwenvael the Handsome, a gold Dragon with chameleon power and absolutely obsessed with how gorgeous he is ( What a Dragon Should Know , 3). She's also Annwyl's Battle Lord. They have seven children: the oldest, Var, is the intellectual who just wants some peace and is working with Bram; Arlais is the oldest daughter and a nightmare of a selfish little brat; and, their youngest daughters, the Five, have some scary powers, including being able to go through walls. Frederik Reinholdt is Dagmar's nephew and working in the Northlands.
"'Stop it! Both of you!' the dragon called out, 'I have enough beauty to share with everyone!'"The happy-go-lucky General "Izzy" Iseabail, a.k.a., The Blood Queen's Pit Dog, is mated to Prince Éibhear the Contemptible, a blue Dragon and another of Rhiannon and Bercelak's sons, who is a Mi-runach (we finally get their story in How to Drive a Dragon Crazy , 6).
The Mi-runach are…
…warriors who answer to no one but the Queen. And everyone, and I do mean everyone, is terrified of them. Caswyn and Uther are not too bright and part of Éibhear's team. The last member, Prince Aidan the Divine, is amazingly diplomatic for one of these terrors.
General Brastias, Annwyl's commander of the army, is a human mated to Morfyd the White, a White Dragonwitch, and a daughter of the Dragon Queen, which makes her Fearghus' sister.
Bram the Merciful is the oddball Cadwaladr — he's peaceful. He now lives in the tower that Annwyl spent so much time building. He's mated to Ghleanna the Decimator, another of Annwyl's generals (Supernatural: "Dragon on Top", 0.4). Yep, she's a true Cadwaladr. Captain Branwen the Awful is one of their daughters and Izzy's best friend. Addolgar and Rhys the Hammer, the third born of Ailean the Wicked, are more of Bram's brothers.
The House of Gwalchmai fab Gwyar is…
…the family of Queen Rhiannon, the White Dragon Queen mated to Bercelak the Great. They live on Devenallt Mountain, the seat of power for the Southland dragons.
Prince Briec the Mighty, the second oldest child and fourth in line to the throne, is mated to Talaith, a Nolwenn witch and assassin. Together they have two perfect, perfect daughters: Izzy and Rhi."'She sniffs my hair sometimes. It makes me uncomfortable.'
'Yeah, don't let her do that too long.'"
Princess Keita the Viper, one of Rhiannon's daughters, appears to be a frivolous, fashion-obsessed She-dragon who keeps pushing colorful eye patches on Elina. She's actually a Protector of the Throne and will take out anyone who threatens it. Or her. Ragnar of the Olgeirsson Horde, a Northland chieftain, is her mate ( Last Dragon Standing , 4). She and Dagmar have their spy networks out.
The Cadwaladrs are…
…a Low Born line of Southland dragons who have two claims to "fame": (1) Bercelak is a Cadwaladr, and (2) do not even consider coming between them and family or a battle.
Margo is the head of the kitchen sheep, er, staff.
The Quintilian Sovereigns Empire is…
…in the west and ruled by Gaius Lucius Domitus, the one-eyed Rebel King of the Iron Dragons. (We first met him in The Dragon Who Loved Me , 5.) Agrippina is Gaius' twin sister. Lætitia Clydia Domitus is his and Agrippina's aunt. Maris is one of Gaius' guards. Senator Tyrus Gabinius is from an important human family.
Egnatius Domitus is a cousin of Gaius and Agrippina's with dreams of being overlord of the Quintilian Sovereigns. He's also Vateria's brother. Didacus Domitus is another cousin to Gaius and Egnatius and Vateria.
House of Foulkes de chuid Fennah of the Western Mountains is…
…Aidan's family — Aidan claims "they are horrible, reprehensible detestable beings and should be treated carefully. Like poisonous snakes". They have a special relationship with the Western Mountain Dwarves and the Dwarf King. Lady Gormlaith is Aidan's smarmy mother; Lord Jarlath is his nutjob father. Ainmire is the oldest; Harkin is Aidan's second oldest brother. Airmid and Cinnie are more siblings. Orla is the youngest and the only one Aidan likes.
The cult of Chramnesind is …
…about a god also referred to as The Eyeless One. It insists that everyone join its religion, no matter what. Duke Roland Salebiri is a true believer. Lady Ageltrude is his wife. General Falke de Vitis is a human and Salebiri's second-in-command.
Abominations are the offspring of a dragon and a human. Run-and-jump is Izzy's favorite game. She runs over the backs of flying dragons and jumps from one to another. Mingxia is the Eastland goddess of war and love. Rhydderch Hael is the father of dragons, a god. His mate is Eirianwen, the goddess of war and death. Aoibhell is a philosopher dragon.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a very nicely muscled bare back with a black tattoo of flames arching up along his right side and onto his bicep. Yep, his back is to us with his right arm bent, his hand clasping the back of his head in a BIG hand, his head is turned in profile and he stands against a roiling red background — I feel like I'm in the middle of an erupting volcano!
Guess that explains why I Feel the Burn!
October 18, 2015
*sigh*
I'm a happy reader now.
*sigh*
G.A.Aiken\Shelly Laurenston is one of my favorite PNR authors. Whether it's about bratty dragons, badass shifters or nutty warriors for the Norse pantheon, her stories are captivating and thrilling from the beginning, brimming with hilarious gems (like how in Feel the Burn the Daughters of the Steps refer to men in a disdainful manner as penis-havers -that one cracked me up) and awesome characters.
You literally can't but love these characters. They're so silly and crazy, and you'd think it would be an annoying combination, but the author makes it work really well, their craziness makes them just more endearing. You'll just have to read it to see what I'm talking about.
Feel the Burn stars Kachka, a Daughter of the Steps and Elina's sister (the heroine in the prequel), and Gaius Domitus, the Rebel King and Iron dragon, as they embark on a dangerous journey to free Garbhàn Isle from the insane followers of a new cult that's been threatening Queen Annwyl and her children.
The plot is fast paced and fun, the characters amazing, as mentioned before. It's easy to follow the story and it doesn't take itself too seriously, so the whole reading experience is just like a vacation from everyday life.
Reading this book, I realized that somewhere along the way, the focus of the series shifted from a paranormal romance centered around two different characters in each book, to a saga about a fantasy world and its leaders, gods and enemies. Dragon Kin has evolved so much from the start and I'm really excited to see what G.A.Aiken has planned for all of her characters.
A BIIIIIG thank you to Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC!
I'm a happy reader now.
*sigh*
G.A.Aiken\Shelly Laurenston is one of my favorite PNR authors. Whether it's about bratty dragons, badass shifters or nutty warriors for the Norse pantheon, her stories are captivating and thrilling from the beginning, brimming with hilarious gems (like how in Feel the Burn the Daughters of the Steps refer to men in a disdainful manner as penis-havers -that one cracked me up) and awesome characters.
You literally can't but love these characters. They're so silly and crazy, and you'd think it would be an annoying combination, but the author makes it work really well, their craziness makes them just more endearing. You'll just have to read it to see what I'm talking about.
Feel the Burn stars Kachka, a Daughter of the Steps and Elina's sister (the heroine in the prequel), and Gaius Domitus, the Rebel King and Iron dragon, as they embark on a dangerous journey to free Garbhàn Isle from the insane followers of a new cult that's been threatening Queen Annwyl and her children.
The plot is fast paced and fun, the characters amazing, as mentioned before. It's easy to follow the story and it doesn't take itself too seriously, so the whole reading experience is just like a vacation from everyday life.
Reading this book, I realized that somewhere along the way, the focus of the series shifted from a paranormal romance centered around two different characters in each book, to a saga about a fantasy world and its leaders, gods and enemies. Dragon Kin has evolved so much from the start and I'm really excited to see what G.A.Aiken has planned for all of her characters.
A BIIIIIG thank you to Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC!
November 30, 2015
I have really liked this series so far, but this book just wasn’t a hit for me. It seemed to be missing the humor I enjoyed so much in the previous books. There were even a few times that I almost gave up on this one all together and declared it a DNF. It was ok, but just seemed to be missing that "spark" that others in the series had. I didn’t even really connect to the hero and heroine. They basically bored me. :( That being said, I will still check out future books in this series, even though this one that didn’t work for me.
January 6, 2016
2.5 stars
Silly and largely forgettable, although I do enjoy an all-female barbarian horde.
Silly and largely forgettable, although I do enjoy an all-female barbarian horde.
July 10, 2016
After reading, I stand by my earlier statement that it appears the publisher and/or author is milking the series for revenue because neither this book nor the primary protagonists in it was in any way, shape, or form essential to the overarching plot. Said overarching plot moved forward very marginally, if at all. If it was necessary to publish a story about Gaius, this could very well have been a novella.
The entire premise of this book was that Kachka (by virtue of being a "fierce warrior" with no magicks whatsoever, along with Gaius (who came along; why, I do not know) and their team, have to retrieve the evil god Chramnesind's eye before his zealot followers can get their hands on it. Why is this so important to the looming war? We do not know, except that according to Rhiannon, "there is power in the talismans left by the gods." Dassit.
I also reiterate my point that Gaius and Kachka are not even *marginally* integral to this series. This entire book could've been written as Brannie and Aidan's quest/love story and would've probably made more sense because at least, Brannie and Aidan are part of the core cast, even if tangentially. In fact, it could've been Morfyd and Brastias' quest and would have made more sense.
And because Gaius and Kachka aren't integral or even really interesting (Gaius is a nice guy, that's all. Not interesting or integral), there was in fact, precious little about them and their hollow little 'love story', thank the gods. Far more time was devoted to the rest of the cast - Annwyl (whom I love), everybody and their mama at Garbhan isle, the twins (yayy), and Rhi (who's becoming less annoying). That was the saving grace of this book.
I have previously stated somewhere how the punchline shtick with Kachka and her sister and the "Daughters of the Steppes" is actually not funny at all and overplayed. It became downright offensive in this installment. There was a scene where the huge giant-like Zoya Kolesova, daughter of the Steppe, comes to the south lands and basically forces a soldier to dance with her who is obviously very unwilling and intimidated by her size. And later she ends up sleeping with him (or some other such unwilling soldier). That was played on for humor, I believe. But I didn't find it very funny. That is *sexual harassment* and *rape.* not funny and not a punchline. That REALLY bothered me.
Also. Vateria. Sigh. If we are going to make a filler book about a filler character, could we at least get him to fulfill his most greatest wish? The only reason Gaius didn't/couldn't kill Vateria his nemesis was because she had a small son, and we are good guys so we can't kill children and so let their mama escape for another day. Talk about Deus ex Machina.
But for Annwyl and the original crew, this book would've been a fail. It is not far from it as it is. I would borrow this from the library, not buy it.
I will still read the next book series because I am invested in the original characters, but I will wait to get it from my library. I bet the next book will be Brannie and Aidan's story. If it is I am here for it.
---------------------------------------------------
I like Gaius. He seems level-headed (like Bran), and in this world of crazy characters, level-headed is good and refreshing.
I don't like Kachka. The slapstick with she and her sister is over-the-top and frankly, not at all funny. It's too much.
And I feel like Ms. Aiken and her publishers are milking this series for money by stretching it out. I do not know how essential Gaius and Kachka/their story is to the plot.
So I am hoping there will be more to this book than the love story between the two.
The entire premise of this book was that Kachka (by virtue of being a "fierce warrior" with no magicks whatsoever, along with Gaius (who came along; why, I do not know) and their team, have to retrieve the evil god Chramnesind's eye before his zealot followers can get their hands on it. Why is this so important to the looming war? We do not know, except that according to Rhiannon, "there is power in the talismans left by the gods." Dassit.
I also reiterate my point that Gaius and Kachka are not even *marginally* integral to this series. This entire book could've been written as Brannie and Aidan's quest/love story and would've probably made more sense because at least, Brannie and Aidan are part of the core cast, even if tangentially. In fact, it could've been Morfyd and Brastias' quest and would have made more sense.
And because Gaius and Kachka aren't integral or even really interesting (Gaius is a nice guy, that's all. Not interesting or integral), there was in fact, precious little about them and their hollow little 'love story', thank the gods. Far more time was devoted to the rest of the cast - Annwyl (whom I love), everybody and their mama at Garbhan isle, the twins (yayy), and Rhi (who's becoming less annoying). That was the saving grace of this book.
I have previously stated somewhere how the punchline shtick with Kachka and her sister and the "Daughters of the Steppes" is actually not funny at all and overplayed. It became downright offensive in this installment. There was a scene where the huge giant-like Zoya Kolesova, daughter of the Steppe, comes to the south lands and basically forces a soldier to dance with her who is obviously very unwilling and intimidated by her size. And later she ends up sleeping with him (or some other such unwilling soldier). That was played on for humor, I believe. But I didn't find it very funny. That is *sexual harassment* and *rape.* not funny and not a punchline. That REALLY bothered me.
Also. Vateria. Sigh. If we are going to make a filler book about a filler character, could we at least get him to fulfill his most greatest wish? The only reason Gaius didn't/couldn't kill Vateria his nemesis was because she had a small son, and we are good guys so we can't kill children and so let their mama escape for another day. Talk about Deus ex Machina.
But for Annwyl and the original crew, this book would've been a fail. It is not far from it as it is. I would borrow this from the library, not buy it.
I will still read the next book series because I am invested in the original characters, but I will wait to get it from my library. I bet the next book will be Brannie and Aidan's story. If it is I am here for it.
---------------------------------------------------
I like Gaius. He seems level-headed (like Bran), and in this world of crazy characters, level-headed is good and refreshing.
I don't like Kachka. The slapstick with she and her sister is over-the-top and frankly, not at all funny. It's too much.
And I feel like Ms. Aiken and her publishers are milking this series for money by stretching it out. I do not know how essential Gaius and Kachka/their story is to the plot.
So I am hoping there will be more to this book than the love story between the two.
January 5, 2016
For a Daughter of the Steppes, life isn't easy and that's how they like it. Kachka seeks glory in battle but has found only boredom in the Southlands. Luckily, she is finally given a mission to hunt down a dangerous religious group and if it ends in her death, may in be an honorable one.
Dragon King Gaius is on a mission of his own. To hunt down every one of his kinsman loyal to his dead tyrant uncle, most importantly, the viperous cousin that tortured his dear sister for so long. His hunt crosses paths with Kachka's and even when the blasted woman his insulting his glorious scales, he wants her. Bad and he knows the woman isn't immune to his charm no matter how uninterested she pretends to be. He is confident he will have Kachka doing what she's never done before. Come back for seconds.
Kachka is blunt. Painfully so and it makes for countless hilarious moments and puts me at ease knowing there won't be any strife caused by unvoiced emotions or feelings Not that she possess either of those weak qualities. I love it and so does Gaius, a dragon out for vengeance yet also pulls off being laid back (or maybe that's just in comparison to the insanity surrounding Southland dragons). They're strong individually but better as a pair once they work out the minor kinks in their relationship, which is how I feel about most of the couples in the series. Kachka and Gaius don't bring anything new to the table but rather fine tune the qualities I enjoy most: sarcasm, brutal honesty, unshakable loyalty, unabashed vanity, vulgar humor (and I mean that in the best way possible), and appreciation of bloody battle.
Hot sex, no emotional misunderstandings complicating things and adding unnecessary drama, and more hot sex. Romantic, right? There's more to Kachka and Gauis' relationship but when I write it down it makes them sound more sappy than they are. Basically, they know what's important and don't dick around and play emotional games. Perfect love story in my book.
I feel as if we've been on the same plot line for a while. Crazy religious fanatics are terrorizing Queen Annwyl's lands and they've been one step ahead of her all while the Abominations (dragon/human offspring) and just about everyone else prepares for a war with people they can't locate. The list of allies is growing and a cast of new characters is being introduced, most notably the Daughter of the Steppes, and I'm ready for it all to come to a head or move on. This series is consistently funny (which I can't emphasize enough) and entertaining and it's great to get lost in the magical and awesomely twisted world. I'm just ready for more bang or at least something different in the plot department because I'm growing tired of the current repeat cycle it's on.
Overall, Feel The Burn is as much fun to read as previous books and one for fans of the series. Newbies should not jump in at this point because there's too much to try and take in and you won't really appreciate the inside jokes and the characters it has taken eight books to develop.
- Stephanie
Dragon King Gaius is on a mission of his own. To hunt down every one of his kinsman loyal to his dead tyrant uncle, most importantly, the viperous cousin that tortured his dear sister for so long. His hunt crosses paths with Kachka's and even when the blasted woman his insulting his glorious scales, he wants her. Bad and he knows the woman isn't immune to his charm no matter how uninterested she pretends to be. He is confident he will have Kachka doing what she's never done before. Come back for seconds.
Kachka is blunt. Painfully so and it makes for countless hilarious moments and puts me at ease knowing there won't be any strife caused by unvoiced emotions or feelings Not that she possess either of those weak qualities. I love it and so does Gaius, a dragon out for vengeance yet also pulls off being laid back (or maybe that's just in comparison to the insanity surrounding Southland dragons). They're strong individually but better as a pair once they work out the minor kinks in their relationship, which is how I feel about most of the couples in the series. Kachka and Gaius don't bring anything new to the table but rather fine tune the qualities I enjoy most: sarcasm, brutal honesty, unshakable loyalty, unabashed vanity, vulgar humor (and I mean that in the best way possible), and appreciation of bloody battle.
Hot sex, no emotional misunderstandings complicating things and adding unnecessary drama, and more hot sex. Romantic, right? There's more to Kachka and Gauis' relationship but when I write it down it makes them sound more sappy than they are. Basically, they know what's important and don't dick around and play emotional games. Perfect love story in my book.
I feel as if we've been on the same plot line for a while. Crazy religious fanatics are terrorizing Queen Annwyl's lands and they've been one step ahead of her all while the Abominations (dragon/human offspring) and just about everyone else prepares for a war with people they can't locate. The list of allies is growing and a cast of new characters is being introduced, most notably the Daughter of the Steppes, and I'm ready for it all to come to a head or move on. This series is consistently funny (which I can't emphasize enough) and entertaining and it's great to get lost in the magical and awesomely twisted world. I'm just ready for more bang or at least something different in the plot department because I'm growing tired of the current repeat cycle it's on.
Overall, Feel The Burn is as much fun to read as previous books and one for fans of the series. Newbies should not jump in at this point because there's too much to try and take in and you won't really appreciate the inside jokes and the characters it has taken eight books to develop.
- Stephanie
December 23, 2015
Edit: Sort of a 3.5.
__________________________________
OMG GAIUS! I love that dude! I'M SO HAPPY~
Hmmm and he's with Kachka, I don't know how I feel about that, I suspected this pairing in Light My Fire but it was a remote - remoooote posibility. Huh/ Well I hope it'll be fun anyways!
__________________________________
OMG GAIUS! I love that dude! I'M SO HAPPY~
Hmmm and he's with Kachka, I don't know how I feel about that, I suspected this pairing in Light My Fire but it was a remote - remoooote posibility. Huh/ Well I hope it'll be fun anyways!
Want to read
April 5, 2017I'm looking forward to Gaius, but eh, not so much Kachka. I didn't like Elina (was she sister to Kachka?), either way, it's another Daughter of the Steppes - I didn't like Elina's attitude and view of the world, so I doubt I'll like this chick. I will read it for Gaius & his badass sister of doom.
Want to read
January 31, 2015FEEL THE BURN. Burn marks on the cover? Is that saying I will get a legit claiming this book? The last few have been 'We don't need a wooing, let's just get it done. You know you want me, I want you, no need to make this special. It's no biggie. Boom, done.' (Izzy and Eibhear) OR no claiming (Kieta and Ragnar) OR a pansy little burn mark. I want the kind of claiming like Annwyl and Rhiannon's. Actually, on closer inspection, it looks like a tattoo. Pity.
If this is seriously Branwen's story I will be sorely pissed. I honestly, genuinely (I need reiteration for emphasis), do not give a flying fuck about those siblings. Aiken's trying too hard to push them on her readers. I find them a bore, a drag, intolerable, suffocating. That they hang with Izzy nauseates. They're like a bunch of whiny, disgusting, snobby teenager brats who wants it all and believes they're god's gift. I really cannot tolerate them and wish Aiken would stop throwing them at us and give us the many other and better characters she's already introduced. Some before the brats were even introduced.
I would be interested in, keeping in mind their offspring won't get their books for a long time:
- Gaius and his sister.
- Some enemy dragons like the Irons or newer ones like the Sand or Ice/snow dragons.
- Rhydderch Hael and Eirianwen.
- Ren, Kieta's buddy.
- The dragon who swapped with Ren and went to the Eastern dragons; they had fur claws(?), could float, ect. I want to see his or HER perspective.
- A centaur & dragon romance, they're not just babysitters (Ebba).
- The only guy I liked was Fal from Gwenvael's book. Before the munchkins were brought into Aiken's world. After the munchkins strolled in like they owned the place, the perspective of Fal changed to that of a lazy, fat, useless sob. Such a lie to make them look better. That was failed manipulative work.I still want Fal's story.
- I like Rhiannon's sister.
- I can't recall, did petty Vateria die? I would even rather read her than Izzy's boringass crew. It would be interesting to make her on the same side as Annwyl the Bloody.
-A bit intrigued with Ragnar's uncle/cousin. Forgot his name :(
I don't want the newbies yet.
-Izzy's crew
-Mì-runach, Eíbhear's crew [Aiken just had to make a ton of them so they could get their own stories. Gah I hope not. Ragnar's crew bored (Vigholf)]
- Talwyn, Talan, Rhianwen, Frederik Reinholdt (Dagmar's bespectacled nephew)
-Kyvich, I assume after Talwyn's story something may come up with them.
-I'm a bit interested with Taliath's former husband's family (Imperial guards? Or am I wrong?). But because they're related to Izzy I can't have more of them yet. I need a break from her and her life.
If this is seriously Branwen's story I will be sorely pissed. I honestly, genuinely (I need reiteration for emphasis), do not give a flying fuck about those siblings. Aiken's trying too hard to push them on her readers. I find them a bore, a drag, intolerable, suffocating. That they hang with Izzy nauseates. They're like a bunch of whiny, disgusting, snobby teenager brats who wants it all and believes they're god's gift. I really cannot tolerate them and wish Aiken would stop throwing them at us and give us the many other and better characters she's already introduced. Some before the brats were even introduced.
I would be interested in, keeping in mind their offspring won't get their books for a long time:
- Gaius and his sister.
- Some enemy dragons like the Irons or newer ones like the Sand or Ice/snow dragons.
- Rhydderch Hael and Eirianwen.
- Ren, Kieta's buddy.
- The dragon who swapped with Ren and went to the Eastern dragons; they had fur claws(?), could float, ect. I want to see his or HER perspective.
- A centaur & dragon romance, they're not just babysitters (Ebba).
- The only guy I liked was Fal from Gwenvael's book. Before the munchkins were brought into Aiken's world. After the munchkins strolled in like they owned the place, the perspective of Fal changed to that of a lazy, fat, useless sob. Such a lie to make them look better. That was failed manipulative work.I still want Fal's story.
- I like Rhiannon's sister.
- I can't recall, did petty Vateria die? I would even rather read her than Izzy's boringass crew. It would be interesting to make her on the same side as Annwyl the Bloody.
-A bit intrigued with Ragnar's uncle/cousin. Forgot his name :(
I don't want the newbies yet.
-Izzy's crew
-Mì-runach, Eíbhear's crew [Aiken just had to make a ton of them so they could get their own stories. Gah I hope not. Ragnar's crew bored (Vigholf)]
- Talwyn, Talan, Rhianwen, Frederik Reinholdt (Dagmar's bespectacled nephew)
-Kyvich, I assume after Talwyn's story something may come up with them.
-I'm a bit interested with Taliath's former husband's family (Imperial guards? Or am I wrong?). But because they're related to Izzy I can't have more of them yet. I need a break from her and her life.
October 22, 2015
Well, it was simply fantastic. The beginning was a bit shaky at first but it quickly turned into one of the best stories in this series. I love the fact we still get the original family but now we're branching out an getting more dragons an humans involved as main characters without being overwhelmed. I'm not giving any spoilers away, just be prepared to laugh an enjoy the ride with this one because it's a bit of a curveball.
My one complaint is that the writing at certain parts didn't flow as well as I've come to expect from Aiken, but I credit that to the unusual speech patterns of some of the characters.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My one complaint is that the writing at certain parts didn't flow as well as I've come to expect from Aiken, but I credit that to the unusual speech patterns of some of the characters.
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2015
This series is straight-up crazy and it is difficult to keep track of the whole cast so to say but I still like it. Its plots are convoluted as hell and time-jumps and not the fairytale romances you expect but they are never boring!
December 8, 2015
4.5 stars
About the book: Release Date November 24, 2015
War makes strange bedfellows.
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with.
•••••••••••••
REVIEW: 4.5 stars--FEEL THE BURN is the eighth full length installment in G.A Aiken’s adult DRAGON KIN fantasy series focusing on a group of dragon shifters and their mates. This is one-eyed Rebel Dragon King Gaius Domitus, and human female Rider warrior Kachka’s storyline. FEEL THE BURN should not be read as a stand alone as there are many references to previous storylines, plots and premise all leading towards a major war for Queen Annwyl and her family of dragons.
Told from several third person perspectives FEEL THE BURN follows several different plotlines that converge in battle with a declaration of war between Annwyl’s armies and the evil forces hoping to destroy the abominations (Talan, Talwyn and Rhiannwen). As such, FEEL THE BURN has a very large ensemble cast of characters including the introduction of several new players, as well as most of the previous storyline couples, dragons, the extended Cadwaladr Clan and a new branch of the dragon family on Uncle Rhys’s side. Annwyl and Feargus's thirty year old twins Talan and Talwyn, along with Briec and Talaith's daughter Rhi play a more significant role then in previous storylines as their powers continue to grow exponentially. There is also the introduction of another god, whose focus centers on one of the, now, adult children.
The building relationship between King Gaius and the Rider known as Kachka is not the primary focus of the storyline but almost an afterthought to the journey and preparations for war. The romance and $ex scenes are limited due to the nature of the plot, and the converging paths towards battle finds little time for exploring the sexual side of their relationship. There are some definite humorous moments between Celyn and Elina as the constant barrage of interruptions finds this couple unable to find some alone time without an audience or distraction.
We were first introduced to Gaius and Kachka in LIGHT MY FIRE (Celyn and Elina’s storyline). Kachka is Elina’s sister, and a formidable warrior who is sent on a quest to retrieve something long, thought gone. Kachka has little respect for most of the people and dragons in her life. She is a barbarian with a penchant for violence, back talk, and yet she is commanded by Queen Annwyl to serve and obey. With this, Kachka sets out on her journey with a very small army of fighters, including Celyn’s sister Branwen, to retrieve a potentially, powerful weapon against anyone possessing a secondary power or magic.
Gaius is the Rebel King and a dragon who seeks revenge for the abduction and torture of his sister-something, for which, he blames himself. While trying to ensure Kachka’s survival on her journey for the Queen, Gaius promises retribution for the evil inflicted upon his younger sister. One of the final battle scenes follows Gaius as he seeks revenge against the person who has tried to destroy their lives only to see retribution disappear in a flash.
FEEL THE BURN is a little more graphically violent than previous storylines but such is the nature of war; the battle of good vs evil; and revenge. Alongside the blood, death and dismemberment, G.A. Aiken adds her amazing talent for comedic wit, sarcasm and humor such that I found myself giggling at the most inappropriate times-Aidan’s family dinner scene is a laugh out loud snort-fest as the Riders continue to sing their ‘song of death’. And don’t get me started on the recitation of all of the Rider’s full names.
Along with the previous storyline (Light My Fire), FEEL THE BURN has shifted the arc and focus of the series away from romance and individual couples, to a fantasy tale of adventure and legend; a saga that draws in more characters, more magic, and mythology resulting in an aggregation and association of various species of dragons, supernatural elements and beings all battling towards a common goal. G.A.Aiken (aka Shelly Laurenston) is one of my favorite paranormal/fantasy authors-you can’t go wrong with a dragon shifter storyline-they are the protectors of the supernatural world.
Copy supplied by the publisher
www.thereadingcafe.com
About the book: Release Date November 24, 2015
War makes strange bedfellows.
I, Gaius Domitus, one-eyed rebel dragon king of the Provinces, know that better than most, since I have to fight off half my ungrateful family on a regular basis to keep law and order here in my lands. But I never expected to have to consort with a barbarian human woman.
Kachka is beautiful, if you like them fierce—and of course I do. But she keeps complaining about how spoiled and decadent I am, and how a feared Daughter of the Steppes has no time for foolish dragons. I think she likes my eye patch, though. It is quite dashing. With death always at our tails, we take our passion like we take our allies. As they say, love the barbarian you’re with.
•••••••••••••
REVIEW: 4.5 stars--FEEL THE BURN is the eighth full length installment in G.A Aiken’s adult DRAGON KIN fantasy series focusing on a group of dragon shifters and their mates. This is one-eyed Rebel Dragon King Gaius Domitus, and human female Rider warrior Kachka’s storyline. FEEL THE BURN should not be read as a stand alone as there are many references to previous storylines, plots and premise all leading towards a major war for Queen Annwyl and her family of dragons.
Told from several third person perspectives FEEL THE BURN follows several different plotlines that converge in battle with a declaration of war between Annwyl’s armies and the evil forces hoping to destroy the abominations (Talan, Talwyn and Rhiannwen). As such, FEEL THE BURN has a very large ensemble cast of characters including the introduction of several new players, as well as most of the previous storyline couples, dragons, the extended Cadwaladr Clan and a new branch of the dragon family on Uncle Rhys’s side. Annwyl and Feargus's thirty year old twins Talan and Talwyn, along with Briec and Talaith's daughter Rhi play a more significant role then in previous storylines as their powers continue to grow exponentially. There is also the introduction of another god, whose focus centers on one of the, now, adult children.
The building relationship between King Gaius and the Rider known as Kachka is not the primary focus of the storyline but almost an afterthought to the journey and preparations for war. The romance and $ex scenes are limited due to the nature of the plot, and the converging paths towards battle finds little time for exploring the sexual side of their relationship. There are some definite humorous moments between Celyn and Elina as the constant barrage of interruptions finds this couple unable to find some alone time without an audience or distraction.
We were first introduced to Gaius and Kachka in LIGHT MY FIRE (Celyn and Elina’s storyline). Kachka is Elina’s sister, and a formidable warrior who is sent on a quest to retrieve something long, thought gone. Kachka has little respect for most of the people and dragons in her life. She is a barbarian with a penchant for violence, back talk, and yet she is commanded by Queen Annwyl to serve and obey. With this, Kachka sets out on her journey with a very small army of fighters, including Celyn’s sister Branwen, to retrieve a potentially, powerful weapon against anyone possessing a secondary power or magic.
Gaius is the Rebel King and a dragon who seeks revenge for the abduction and torture of his sister-something, for which, he blames himself. While trying to ensure Kachka’s survival on her journey for the Queen, Gaius promises retribution for the evil inflicted upon his younger sister. One of the final battle scenes follows Gaius as he seeks revenge against the person who has tried to destroy their lives only to see retribution disappear in a flash.
FEEL THE BURN is a little more graphically violent than previous storylines but such is the nature of war; the battle of good vs evil; and revenge. Alongside the blood, death and dismemberment, G.A. Aiken adds her amazing talent for comedic wit, sarcasm and humor such that I found myself giggling at the most inappropriate times-Aidan’s family dinner scene is a laugh out loud snort-fest as the Riders continue to sing their ‘song of death’. And don’t get me started on the recitation of all of the Rider’s full names.
Along with the previous storyline (Light My Fire), FEEL THE BURN has shifted the arc and focus of the series away from romance and individual couples, to a fantasy tale of adventure and legend; a saga that draws in more characters, more magic, and mythology resulting in an aggregation and association of various species of dragons, supernatural elements and beings all battling towards a common goal. G.A.Aiken (aka Shelly Laurenston) is one of my favorite paranormal/fantasy authors-you can’t go wrong with a dragon shifter storyline-they are the protectors of the supernatural world.
Copy supplied by the publisher
www.thereadingcafe.com
November 24, 2015
One of my go to authors, G.A. Aiken never fails to entertain me, and Feel The Burn was no exception though it wasn’t my favorite in the Dragon Kin series. The romance seemed to take a back seat to the rest of the story and that was disappointing. I did love seeing all my favorites from the preceding books so it made up for it…..somewhat.
Kachka, Elina’s sister and a Rider from the Outerplains, is the h for this book. She’s strong and fierce like all the Riders, which is usually how I like my h’s, but I’m just not connecting with these women. They fall completely flat to me which makes it hard to connect to them as h’s. They don’t respect men, which makes me not respect them. I realize that the dragons tend to not respect the humans, but one of the reasons I love this series is it is so fun to watch them fall in love and have to rethink their thoughts on humans, or at least their mates. Seeing Briec and Bercelak absolutely come to their knees over their women were highlights of their books. I really don’t get that the Elina or Kachka ever grew to actually respect Celyn or Gaius, and that bugged me. The good news is all the other strong characters make up for this, but I don’t know that I will ever like a Rider as a main character. Since I love this series, I can truly say that’s kind of a bummer for me.
Gaius I really liked, except for his taste in women of course. He’s alpha, proud, a great ruler, has a wicked sense of humor that I adore, and he’s a wonderful brother. He had a lot going on, what with seeking revenge for what was done to his sister, trying to get his country back on it’s feet after the horrid rule of his uncle, plus figure out what’s going on with that crazy cult trying to take over everything, but he did find the time to fall in love with a pesky Rider. I’ll forgive him for that last bit.
I do have to say, one of the things I love most about this series is that the men, Gaius included, do everything they can to make sure their women can succeed however they need to. A lot of times this means the men have to allow their women to put themselves in dangerous situations. The heroes get that they can’t wrap their women up in bubble wrap but allow them to do what they need to do no matter what the cost or how much they want to fight those battles for them. Instead, they concentrate on what they can do to support them, or even go fight their own battles, trusting the heroines to take care of business and come back to them whole.
A good part of this book was spent on the ever growing cult of Chramnisend. The Gods seem to be getting more and more involved and we are even introduced to a new War Goddess. Truthfully, I’m kind of over the whole cult thing. I really wish the Gods would just take Chramnisend out so our beloved characters can go back to fighting war lords or what have you.
Getting to spend more time with the next generation was a bonus. The twins and Rhi and their byplay with Brigida had me just cackling (not like her evil hag cackles of course). Truthfully, Brigida is starting to grow on me and I cracked up at how she got rid of pesky family and houseguests that were getting on her nerves. I wish I could do that.
Definitely not my favorite of the series, but I still love all things Dragon Kin and can’t wait for the next one.
Spice’s Rating: 4 I’m Glad I Got My Dragon Kin Fix Stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review
For this review and more, check out http://edgyreviews.com
Kachka, Elina’s sister and a Rider from the Outerplains, is the h for this book. She’s strong and fierce like all the Riders, which is usually how I like my h’s, but I’m just not connecting with these women. They fall completely flat to me which makes it hard to connect to them as h’s. They don’t respect men, which makes me not respect them. I realize that the dragons tend to not respect the humans, but one of the reasons I love this series is it is so fun to watch them fall in love and have to rethink their thoughts on humans, or at least their mates. Seeing Briec and Bercelak absolutely come to their knees over their women were highlights of their books. I really don’t get that the Elina or Kachka ever grew to actually respect Celyn or Gaius, and that bugged me. The good news is all the other strong characters make up for this, but I don’t know that I will ever like a Rider as a main character. Since I love this series, I can truly say that’s kind of a bummer for me.
Gaius I really liked, except for his taste in women of course. He’s alpha, proud, a great ruler, has a wicked sense of humor that I adore, and he’s a wonderful brother. He had a lot going on, what with seeking revenge for what was done to his sister, trying to get his country back on it’s feet after the horrid rule of his uncle, plus figure out what’s going on with that crazy cult trying to take over everything, but he did find the time to fall in love with a pesky Rider. I’ll forgive him for that last bit.
I do have to say, one of the things I love most about this series is that the men, Gaius included, do everything they can to make sure their women can succeed however they need to. A lot of times this means the men have to allow their women to put themselves in dangerous situations. The heroes get that they can’t wrap their women up in bubble wrap but allow them to do what they need to do no matter what the cost or how much they want to fight those battles for them. Instead, they concentrate on what they can do to support them, or even go fight their own battles, trusting the heroines to take care of business and come back to them whole.
A good part of this book was spent on the ever growing cult of Chramnisend. The Gods seem to be getting more and more involved and we are even introduced to a new War Goddess. Truthfully, I’m kind of over the whole cult thing. I really wish the Gods would just take Chramnisend out so our beloved characters can go back to fighting war lords or what have you.
Getting to spend more time with the next generation was a bonus. The twins and Rhi and their byplay with Brigida had me just cackling (not like her evil hag cackles of course). Truthfully, Brigida is starting to grow on me and I cracked up at how she got rid of pesky family and houseguests that were getting on her nerves. I wish I could do that.
Definitely not my favorite of the series, but I still love all things Dragon Kin and can’t wait for the next one.
Spice’s Rating: 4 I’m Glad I Got My Dragon Kin Fix Stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review
For this review and more, check out http://edgyreviews.com
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