Dragon Slayers

Slayers & Protectors #1

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

A reverse harem with a powerful magical heroine, a mystery that’s dying to be solved, and four smoking hot dragon shifters. This series will be your latest reading addiction!

Brooklyn is New York’s newest up-and-coming dragon slayer. Known as a Kill Shot, an elite assassin who can destroy dragons with one blow, Brooklyn is descended from slayer royalty. As her magic becomes more powerful—and more destructive—than it should, she seeks the help of four guys with unique abilities of their own.

Then love happens. The boys are hiding something, and are more than they appear. They’re stronger. Faster. Dangerous.
But things are about to go from bad to worse. Brooklyn isn’t just the strongest slayer alive—she also has no idea who she really is, and once she discovers the truth, her entire world will be changed forever.

* * *

A suspenseful urban fantasy combined with the best of paranormal romance, Dragon Slayers is a young adult novel packed with spells, secret kisses, and multiple forbidden romances. This edgy book by USA Today Bestselling author Kristin D. Van Risseghem will have you turning the pages all night!

* * *
This is a reverse harem urban fantasy - paranormal romance series appropriate for ages 16+.

Mild language/swearing, open mouth kissing, low burn heat level, behind closed-door sex scenes, while the 17yo main character is dating four guys.

If you want to ease yourself into reverse harem, find out what the hype is all about, then this Dragon’s Story series is right for you!

***
This book ends on a cliffhanger.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Amazon, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2018

About the author

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https://www.kristinvanrisseghem.com/n...

USA Today bestselling and Award-Winning, Kristin D. Van Risseghem grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River. Currently, Kristin lives in Minnesota with her husband and a pomsky named Elise. She also loves attending book clubs, going shopping, and hanging out with friends. She has come to realize that she absolutely has an addiction to purses and shoes. They are her weakness and probably has way too many of both.

In the summer months, Kristin can usually be found lounging on her boat, drinking an ice cold something. Being an avid reader of YA and Women's Literature stories, she still finds time to read a ton of books in-between writing. And in the winter months, her main goal is to stay warm from the Minnesota cold!

Kristin's books are published by Kasian Publishing LLC.

Reviews

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Read my review on Smada's Book Smack**
Brooklyn needs to complete one last task to complete her Level 1 training to become a Dragon Slayer- and that is to kill her first Dragon. While out on the hunt, Brooklyn is given the perfect opportunity to prove herself and she made the killing blow to bring the beast down. Loner Brooklyn finally has the spotlight and attention from the other students- including her instructor Manny and his friend Bronx. But still there is something not quite right about her life, something secret that she never knew.

I have been wanting to read a book by Kristin for forever, I seriously think I own most of her books I just haven't had time to read them​ so when I saw that she had a brand new Reverse Harem coming out I knew this was what I needed to read, now. Keep in mind, RH books are my new current obsession and I have been blowing through them and this was listed as not super dirty (aka erotic) I was even more happy (yes, I like to keep my heat at moderate to mild- no orgy action please!)

Anywho, I found this book to be a very quick read and I liked the setting, that it was modern New York with dragons running amok and nobody knows except this elite group of well trained warriors. Very cool. The three love interest- unique, attractive, attentive- check! The three guys were great (Bronx was my favorite but did loose points after his lack of action in one important scene, and Brooklyn forgave him WAY TOO FAST- heck, I's still holding a grudge and it didn't even happen to me.)

My big problem with the story was that Brooklyn was really boring and had almost no personality. She was kind of a rich plain Jane girl who has not had the chance to develop a personality. I really could not connect to her or care about her very much (her bestie on the other hand, I loved that girl). There was a huge bombshell dropped at the end of the story and she basically was like, huh, ok- it was a little surprising to me (but the name connection was a little over the top, but oh well). Brooklyn has potential I think, so I would love to continue the series to see if she can grow as a person (independent of the guys!) and for more awesome dragon action.

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it

As soon as I heard of this book I knew I wanted to read it. I liked the idea of a world with dragons and dragon slayers, secrets and a Reverse Harem romance. I jumped on the chance to read an early copy of this book and excitedly started reading right away. Overall this was a good read, I easily read through it and I did enjoy the book for the most part, but I also had some issues with the book, the world didn't come alive for me and I never fully warmed up to the characters.

Dragons Slayers follows the story of Brooklyn who is training to become a dragon slayer at an elite school hidden in New York. We get thrown right in the middle of the story when she and her class goes out for their graduation mission. They have to kill a dragon to graduate to the next level or class. I had some trouble getting a good grip on the world, but the story flowed well. My ARC copy had some formatting issues and a bunch of grammatical/ editing errors that got me out fo the story a few times as some sentences didn't make sense now until I realized what it should say. But those probably will be fixed in the final version.

The story is a nice mix between action, the high school aspect and the romance. With the romance getting a bit more focus than the other elements, but that totally worked for me. It's pretty low on the drama. The whole book gives these hints that more is going on with Brooklyn and that the boys are hiding something. They even tell her so a few times, but we only find out in the last chapter what it is and then the book ends. This book felt a bit like an introduction to the series of sorts. It does make me curious how things will progress in book 2. Although it was pretty easy to predict part of what was going on and I wouldn't have minded if the big reveal had been a bit earlier in the book. the main character even suspects the part of the reveal once and then never thinks of it again.

Brooklyn is a bit of a loner until someone finally reaches out to her. She doesn't have any friends in school even tough she has been there for a year already, but I think that's mostly due to her keeping her distance. Which is something she realized herself too. So it was nice to see her make a friend now. I did like reading about her life, but never fully warmed up to Brooklyn. Some parts of how she thought or acted didn't fully work for me. I did like that she struggled with the killing dragons thing a bit, as that made me feel a bit sad as well that they had to kill dragons. I didn't like how she seemed a bit too special snowflake, although with the twist at the end that suddenly makes a lot more sense.

I liked how the book had a strong focus on the romance, but at the same I struggled a bit with the romance at times. I didn't really feel Brooklyn's connection with Manny as their relationship starts at the start of the book almost the reader doesn't have time to get to know him much before that. There is basically no build-up at all, so it was hard to feel their romance.

I did like Manny well enough, he was a nice guy who liked movies and treated Brooklyn well. But he just didn't seem that interesting somehow and I didn't really feel the romance with him. The second love interest is a bit of a flirt, which annoyed me a bit, although he did tone that down as things progressed luckily. The third potential love interest is a bit of the broody, moody silent type, he was a bit rude to Brooklyn at times, which I didn't care for. But I did like how he took some time to warm up to her, unlike the other two who basically had this instant connection with her. The romance doesn't progress further than heated kisses, but there are a lot of making out sessions with the first two boys.

There was a scene with the second love interest involved that made me a pretty uncomfortable and rubbed me wrong. He is her teacher and didn't really act like that. It felt unprofessional. In this case he takes things harder on her than on the other students and she seriously gets hurt. I am glad everyone in the book seemed to take this seriously, but I don't get why no one questioned his ability as a teacher, as he obviously couldn't treat Brooklyn as any other student. And while she said it would take some time to get over it and forgive him, she forgive him pretty easily. While I also wouldn't have wanted it to get drawn out, now it felt a bit too easily resolved.

I was curious how the author would handle the Reverse Harem aspect. I have to say I wans't sure of it at first, especially when Brooklyn had a relationship with one boy already and then got close to another boy as well. That felt a bit off to me as he never said he was okay with her dating other guys. Until he did clarify that, I wasn't too happy how she acted with the second boy. Even tough I knew this book would be a reverse harem the main character didn't know that. And I felt uncomfortable with how far things progressed with the second boy until she knew her current boyfriend was okay with that. It made me wonder how much she cared about the first boy if she was willing to go that far with boy two without considering his feelings. Once that got resolved tough I was able to enjoy it a lot more how things progressed. And I am pretty sure I know who more will join her harem in the next book. I also thought it was a bit weird no one seemed to find it weird at all that she dated two boys.

I liked the whole dragons and dragon slayer theme of the book, but felt like the world didn't fully come alive. I had trouble getting a good feel for how things looked and worked. I just would've liked a bit more information about everything as now it just didn't full make sense or come alive for me. There were lots of little things that just felt weird or unrealistic to me. Like how only those with magic can graduate and become slayers, but they never find out if they have magic until level 2. Then they are invisible for normal humans, but how this worked with the overlap between campuses and the city just didn't make sense to me. Also how do they hide themselves when they can't control their magic yet? Then there are teachers and some of the teachers are still students. It just seemed weird that some of the main classes were thought by level three students instead of teachers who were trained for that. And more little things like that. Most of them are small things, but they all added up over the course of the book and I wasn't able to get as fully immersed in the stroy as I would've liked.

To summarize: I liked this story of dragons and dragon slayers. The story moves along nicely with some high school scenes, some action, magic and a big dose of romance. There is a lot of build up and toward the end of the book there is a big reveal, which wasn't too big of a surprise. I am curious how that will progress in later books. I did enjoy this book, but also struggled with a few things. Brooklyn was a nice enough main character, but I never fully warmed up to her. I liked that there was a lot of focus on the romance, but I had some trouble feeling the romance. With her first love interest their relationship starts at the start of the book so there's little build-up. The second one was a bit of a flirt, but he did tone that down as things progressed. And the third love interest was a bit broody and moody and rude, although I did like it took him some time to warm up to the main character. I felt like the world building was a bit lacking, there wasn't enough information and explanation for it to come alive and I felt some things didn't fully make sense.

[Runningrabbit · Rating 3 out of 5]

KU 2.5

This story could have been so much better with some badly needed editing and attention to sentence structure. The plotline is decent and the characters likable enough, but so much could have been improved with extra finessing and a solid all round cleanup.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. The plot sounded intriguing and the fact that it's reverse harem but isn't graphic was a huge motivator for me. But right from the start reading it was a struggle. It honestly felt like a chore. There were so many times when I was tempted to just stop reading it for good. I don't have many books on my DNF list, but this one came dangerously close to it. I spent a good 75% of this book being very confused as to what was going on, and the 25% I did have a clear view of pissed me off.

First, Brooklyn. I hated her. She was so whiny and annoying and pathetic. She spent way to much time worrying about inconsequential things and couldn't seem to make up her mind about anything. The entirety of the book was basically her going back and forth from 'I think I'm falling in love' to 'They're talking about me behind my back and keeping secrets I can't trust them'. And the fact that she's more powerful than pretty much everyone else (which is such a commonly used trope in YA that it alone was enough to be annoying) only highlighted how pathetic she really was instead of having it's intended effect (which was probably to make her seem badass or something. I don't know). And the rest of the characters weren't much better. They all felt ridiculously 2D and stereotypical - there was the bubbly and overenthusiastic best friend, the best friend's boyfriend, the nice guy, the flirt, the cold and distant one who seems like he hates you but doesn't really, and even the typical mean and snobby girl. None of them really had any substance - it kind of felt like they'd been taken straight out of the character's section of a 'how to write YA' instructor manual and just thrown together.

And the writing was so subpar, hence my confusion 75% of the time. I feel like I could have done a better job writing it, and while I can recognise good writing, I'm a complete amateur when it comes to producing it. There were so many times when details were left out and I had to go back and try and make sense of the situation. I say try, because more often than not I couldn't and had to just keep going. The chapters also had a habit of ending really abruptly, and I don't mean right in the middle of the action as kind of a cliffhanger. The characters would be talking and all of a sudden the chapter ended along with the conversation, but the conversation didn't feel finished. And don't even get me started on all the grammatical errors, cause I could write a whole other review on those. And it was so, incredibly predictable. I knew just from the blurb what the 'special thing' about Brooklyn was. And of course you don't find out till the very end (which I also predicted) and then you're supposed to be like 'what's going to happen next? How will Brooklyn deal with this new information? I need the next one!', but was just a huge let down for me. Because you can tell the whole book is supposed to be leading up to this reveal at the end and you're supposed to be left wanting more, but it could not be more anticlimactic; it's the very definition of anticlimactic. So its safe to say that I was incredibly disappointed with this book and will definitely not be reading the next one, nor will I be recommending it to anyone. Ever.

[Rena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story, it is very original and interesting. The writing style is very simple but good. The guys -Manny, Bronx and Staten- were the best part of the book. Manny is the nice boyfriend who would do anything for her, Bronx is playful and hot, and Staten is the one who is cold in the beginning. Nevertheless, what I didn't particularly enjoy is the heroine, Brooklyn. I couldn't relate to her: she is rich, spoiled, whines a lot and everything comes easy for her. She follows her guys without them knowing and listens in on their private conversations -I really disliked that. Due to her very monotone "voice", her feelings seemed rather dull and didn't transfer to me.
I find it weird that the heroine dates one of the guys for months and then meets the other guys and falls for them too. I am a fan of reverse harem stories but even though the guys are fine with sharing, it seemed to me like she is cheating.

All in all it is a nice read but has its flaws.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

For complete review check out my blog at https://booksaplentybookreviews.blogs...

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has two at the moment quite popular things: Dragons and reverse harems.
While I love dragons and shifters, I don't enjoy harems, reverse or not. Most of the time, they are around a girl that can't decide and goes back and forth. In the worst case, the girl is not even likable and the attraction she gets is totally not understandable. Unfortunately, this is the case in this book. Brooklyn comes from money and kind of „royalty“ amongst the dragon slayers. The author tries very hard to characterise her as humble, shy, keeping to herself because everybody is ignoring her. This didn't work for me. I don't know why but it just felt false. Very often she has a smart thought and the next second she does the opposite. Or she is complaining about not seeing her family but then again, she is in the same city and could go home every weekend, like when she brings her friend to prepare for the party but doesn't want to brag, well way to go to your upper east side penthouse. This contradicted behaviour goes on and on. Funny enough, her not being able to choose one of the boys isn't the most annoying thing.

I had a bit of a problem with the fact that we get thrown in with her dating Manny more or less from the start of the book and then getting attracted to number two and starting making out with him. I could see her point though in being attracted to two, Manny is sweet but maybe too smooth and I don't really believe him being ok with open relationship. So, I got used to Brooklyn but every now and then, I cringed and want to shake her.

The teacher/student thing made me uneasy. Why are there level three students teaching the level two and are even allowed to have relationships with them?

I also didn't get the dragon world setup. A bit more information about them and less about what Brooklyn showers with and wears would have been nice.

The good point is that there are dragons, their slaughter made me sad right from the start, which was intended I guess. So why are the humans/dragon slayer trainees not feeling remorse?

The book finishes with revelations I guessed from the beginning but again, Brooklyn changes like a sock in the wind. It starts to get interesting but I already have a lot logical questions (e.g. Brooklyn's mum must be genetically involved, why does this dragon slaughter go on since millenia, especially as the dragons are human at times).

[Linda Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great paranormal reverse harem featuring young adults at a special school to become dragon slayers.

The school is in NYC and parallel to Columbia University. It offers instruction in magic as well as combat skills.

Brooklyn is the child of a very prominent family in the slayer community. She is expected to be very strong magically and works hard. It keeps her from really being one of the crowd until she gets her kill shot. Suddenly, everyone wants to be her friend and she has a boyfriend too.

As Brooklyn becomes more involved with her new boyfriend and his brothers, her life changes dramatically. She begins to realize they are keeping some real secrets from her. She also struggles with feeling so drawn to his brothers.

It is a really good story and it does end on a major cliffhanger. I like that it does surprise you and it is not so predictable. You definitely get hints of what is to come but need to read on to answer more questions.

I am really intrigued to see what is next for them all. It is written at a Young Adult level so there is no graphic sex but definitely strong chemistry among the characters.

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy I received.

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy I received.

[Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader's copy of this book ahead of its release next week on March 28th.

This is a fun fast read that sucks you in quickly to the world that Brooklyn resides, going to school to become a Dragon Slayer in an alternative universe to New York City. As the story begins Brooklyn is about to graduate from level 1 to level 2 and discovers that one of her skills instructors is awfully interested in her, as well as his brothers...

This is complicated even by love triangles (or maybe more of a rectangle) standards but a lot of fun and nothing past PG 13 is ever described.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series as it was left in a cliffhanger and I want to know what happens next, now that Brooklyn understands more of the world she has gotten herself into.

[Tiki Kos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other then Laurell K Hamilton, I've never read another RH book until now. Dragon Slayers was an entertaining quick read. The MC Brooklyn is the closest thing this universe has to Slayer Royalty. I enjoyed the Dragons, the setting in modern day New York and how each guy had a distinct personality. I wished that Brooklyn could've been more aggressive and at some points, the writing was a little repetitive but it didn't hinder the story. It was a good read with an intriguing twist. I will definitely check out the rest of the series. I give Dragon Slayers 4 out of 5 skulls.💀💀💀💀 https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Slayers...

[Isabella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not going to lie, I was extremely excited to read a reverse harem. While reverse harems seem to be more common in anime, manga, or Korean dramas, I had never read one before. That being said, perhaps my expectations were a little too high.

Dragon Slayers fall more along the lines of a teen romance than anything paranormal or supernatural (especially with such a cover). I was looking forward to learning more about dragons and the two Councils, but unfortunately, this book was more romance-heavy. Now I completely understand that it is difficult to establish a balance between furthering the plot and romance, especially since such a balance is so subjective and especially in a reverse harem where one has to give all the characters their due time, but at the same time, something about the romance in this just didn't seem right.

One thing I would like to point out is that just because a book falls under Teen & YA, it does not mean that the romance should be superficial or cliched. There is such thing as a deeper and more meaningful relationship than just physical skinship. Because this book was too rushed, it never felt like there was any meaningful connection between the female protagonist and anyone else.

There are a few spelling errors and some oddly worded phrases like comparing eyes to 'chocolate added to milk.' Character inconsistency can be annoying. Brooklyn, a self-described 'prude,' somehow opens up to 3-4 different guys and is so accepting of an open relationship in what seems like a matter of days. Then there's the abrupt ending that's like a slap in the face. The entire time we're reading about the whirlwind of emotions that Brooklyn is going through and now we suddenly learn that there's a Dragon Council?!

Nonetheless, I feel that this series has potential. If the author were to slow the pace down and better balance the romance with the plot, this could become a great series for readers seeking an adventurous romance with a supernatural backdrop.

I voluntarily read and reviews an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Spells & Stars Books for providing me with a digital copy.

[Nerdy Housewifey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been really good. It had a nice plot and an interesting world. But the writing was a little juvenile. The best way I can explain it is most books I read I can picture them in my head, like a movie. This book though was more like a fading dream, not a lot of description and not a very good flow.

[Topsues · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thing, this is the first reverse harem genre book I’ve read. I will admit I am a one man woman and found the periphery a bit unsettling as it goes against my natural boundaries. But I was intrigued to find out how this new buzz word genre worked. If you think you would be uncomfortable with this genre then don’t pick it to read, as it would be unfair to the author to knock the book down in your review based on those personal feelings.
So, this storyline’s main character is a female, who has insecurities, that have dictated her life thus far. The boys she becomes drawn to, have personalities that are so different, it feels like she is having one relationship at a time, I will admit I felt sorry for boys who had to watch the girl they loved display PDA in front of them with another guy. This author has managed to turn fiction into what feels like reality, she has turned the written word of emotions into feelings that I felt in my heart, and the world that this story takes place in as a normal every day occurrence, that is a compliment to the author, alongside a very creative imagination. I don’t normally read much into reviews as we are all different, and I believe we should judge a book on its own merit. However because of this being the first for me in this genre, I did. A few people said it was abit slow and not enough action, but I disagree. This is the first book in this series, and I felt it introduced us to all the revelent information on the characters involved and the world they lived in, I felt the foundations building, the secrecy, the mystery, the action, friendships, insecurities and the anticipation running through the story, i feel this series will have so much more to give, that it compels me to want to see how it develops. If you want a well written and absorbing storyline with dragon shifters and slayers, swoon worthy men with many secrets and a female lead that is becoming stronger chapter by chapter and a prodigious cliffhanger ending, that will leave you impatiently waiting for book 2. Then welcome to The Slayers & Protectors new series

[Gabrielle Hashimoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not incredibly familiar with the reverse harem books, but because I enjoy books by this author, I was happy to get a chance to read this one. This is a young adult novel with sexual chemistry but not really any inappropriate sex scenes. Brooklyn is at a hidden school in New York training to become a dragon slayer and because she’s descended from slayer royalty, she is expected to be strong. In the opening scenes, her class is hunting a dragon and Brooklyn kills it with one shot becoming known as a Kill Shot and suddenly she finds herself with friends where once she was ignored. Among her new friends are four dragon shifters, also Kill Shot’s, two of which become enamored with her and neither one seems to have a problem with sharing her. As Brooklyn’s powers become stronger and more destructive, she turns to the guys for help controlling them and the more time she spends with them, the more she realizes that things are not what they seem and that she may more than she could have ever guessed.
This was a well written and well conceived story and the author did a good job developing the characters. I found it interesting that the two love interests didn’t have a problem sharing Brooklyn but it did seem to make it easier for her to choose in the end, and I wasn’t disappointed. The pacing of the book was pretty good, it wasn’t non stop action, but it did provide a solid story leading to the next book. The ending was somewhat of a surprise and I’m excited to see where the series will go from here. This was a good solid urban fantasy and paranormal romance story and the ending itself made the story worth reading. I received a copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily reviewing it.

[T.L. McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragon Slayers is the first reverse harem book I’ve read, and while I’m still a little bit on the fence with how exactly I feel about reverse harem in general, I did enjoy the overall storyline.

Brooklyn is student at an elite school who’s just trying to fit in and find her place in the world. She a little shy and doesn’t have many friends until she becomes the latest Kill Shot, thus opening the door for people to take notice of her, including four hot guys whom she develops feelings for. But these four hot guys may not be what they seem, and with her growing magic, Brooklyn may not be either. As her relationship with each one progresses, and her magical skills intensifies, things are revealed that may make her question everything.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The world created—even though it’s full of magic and dragons—felt real and grounded. The characters had their own unique personalities, which made the reverse harem aspect feel natural in the how’s and why’s to Brooklyn’s attraction to Manny, Bronx, and Staten. Though truth be told, I would’ve liked to have seen a little more conflict in regards to the guys’ feelings about sharing one girl between them, or even Brooklyn herself on dating four guys simultaneously. (I also want to take a moment to point out that this is a clean read. There are no explicit scenes.) But as I said, the storyline itself was great and intriguing; especially the twist, and I look forward to reading the next book to find out what happens next.

[Gemma McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragon Slayer is a Teen drama in a magical world. 

Dragon Slayer feels like a book that is setting up the world. It's setting up the action for the next books in the series. 

The lead character is Brooklyn, I felt like I understood certain aspect of her personality. Brooklyn is weary of the people around her. After spends the first year at the school on her own,  people start making an effort to be her friend after she becomes a Kill Shot. She want to be their friends but worried they are after something. I think any shy person has probably had that thought.

Brooklyn is drawn to several different men in the story all for different reasons. It  is interesting seeing the female character have multiple boyfriends or as the synopsis suggests her own Harem.

One of my favourite aspects is that the slayer school is hidden in plain sight, it’s location is at a New York college.

In addition  to a hidden school the Dragon disguised as human living normal lives. That battles between dragons and slayers happen in the streets of New York hidden by magic and if anything does get out the stories are twisted by school media removing any traces of magic or dragons.  

By the end of the book we know of one mystery revolving Brooklyn. It will be interesting to see what else will come out or more secrets the level three boys are hiding.

My rating for Dragon Slayer is 3.5 out of 5.

[Katherine Bogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goddamn I need to stop reading book 1's late at night. Books like this are why I get zero sleep. Seriously. It's currently 6:30 am and I'm going to bed after I write this.

Holy crap, Dragon Slayers was a thrill! I loved the slow burn intensity, the characters, the pacing. Everything felt like it mattered, and nothing was rushed, but it never for a moment got boring. Though I was a bit skeptical when I started, as it went through Dragon slayage to more high school-esque stuff, I ended up fiercely enjoying it, especially Brooklyn's developing friendships, and relationships with her boys.

Though I wasn't in the least bit startled by the end of the book, it was definitely the ending I saw coming, but somehow it just felt so right, like Brooklyn was finally caught up to what the reader could see. Somehow it made this first book a very satisfying experience while making me crave more. And crave it HARD. Waiting 2 weeks for the sequel is about to be a nightmare!

5 stars. Perfect for fans of YA, fantasy romance, and slow burn RH. Like the author claims, it is the perfect way to div into reserve harem, especially if you're unsure you'll like it, or just curious to know what it can be like. Dip your toes with this page turner! It's a hot one! ;)

[Alimac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book had great potential to be a five star book but unfortunately there were some things that bothered which is why I cannot give it more than 3,5 stars.
1. There were a lot of typos, wrong names used and grammar errors that made the reading experience less enjoyable.
2. The MC Brooklyn wasn’t very relatable and thought trough for me. There were several instances were she thought about doing/not doing something and in the next instant she does exactly the opposite without a second thought. That was very confusing for me. It felt like the author wasn’t sure herself what kind of personality Brooklyn has.
3. During the plot things happened regarding action, romance, etc but at the same time it felt like nothing really happened. While reading I had a feeling something was missing.

Overall I did enjoy the take on magic, dragons and fantasy. Also the Reverse Harem Element that was hinted at during the book is a plus. I will give the second book a shot hoping that the story, characters and plot develops further.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fact that I gave it a 3 star is based on Brooklyn's character. For her age parts seem really juvenile, awkward, and sheltered while others seemed too intense for her character. Cover shows her heavily made up but the books says she doesn't do that unless it is a special event. It really threw me off with the whole book. Her character needs some fine tuning and picking a personality. Another was throwing out the "love" word to 2 different guys without having the relationships develop. I feel the relationship should have developed more before going that intense with the feelings. The idea of the story is a good one. I really enjoyed that part. Staten, Bronx, and Manny are three completely different characters and their personalities are to the extreme of each. Bronx, as her instructor, and coming on to her was a bit creepy especially when it was right from the introduction. Overall I am interested in seeing where the story goes and if the characters find their place. I received an ebook at no charge for which I voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a strange and interesting blend of YA, dragon slaying, and reverse harem!

Brooklyn (I know, you get used to the names) is a rich kid who was raised in a family that has always been involved in dragon slaying. When she reaches the age that you can enter the dragon slayer academy, she signs right up. She’s worked hard to train and get ahead, but even she is surprised when she shows the aptitude required for killing dragons in the field. After getting moved from level 1 to 2 she is suddenly inundated with guys interested in her (who all have the borough names, you get used to it).

On top of this seemingly simple (if not paranormal) story, there’s an added element of mystery. Why does Brooklyn feel so drawn to these guys? Why does she show an amazing gift for magic? Why does it feel so wrong to kill dragons, something she was raised to do? All of these things tumble together in a cliffhanger ending that definitely left you wanting more answers. As the start of a series, I could see this as a good intro, though!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

So our heroine Brooklyn is awful. I'll give you a few examples...

She "feels slutty"for making out with a guy that she hardly knows. But she's had a crush on him for a year, what exactly is slutty about that? Or is the author just showing us how "good" Brooklyn is?

She refers to her love interest as "a menu item she'd like to sample"

She chases after this guy she barely knows and his friends because they might need her help. Because she got the Kill Shot of course. Don't mind the fact it was because she completely froze and was the only one with ammo left. Oh and she also didn't bring any weapons, so I guess she was going to help with her ample wit.

The final straw was when she starting judging her classmates that she didn't know. During a round of introductions she decides that a girl says a little but too much about herself, so she dubs the girl selfish "miss snooty pants". Brooklyn seems more like the mean girl stereotype but I'm supposed to like her because the author told me how nice she is? I don't think so.

[Saundra Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brooklyn thought attending the dragon slayer academy was her inherent responsibility but maybe she's going to meet her destiny! Brought up as the only daughter of two of the most influential members of the Dragon Slayer Council, Brooklyn spends her first year at the academy as an outsider, a loner, classes, study and hiding in her room, keeping her head down literally. The mission that signals graduation from Oners to Twoers for her class is about to change her life for good! Brooklyn will discover that not only does she not know herself as well as she thought but many of her ideas about the world will be changing too! Join Brooklyn at the Dragon Slayer Academy as she becomes perhaps too well aquainted with her three instructors, strives to unlock and contol her magic, her emotions and slay her dragons. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sairaika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical read!

A powerful magical heroine...
A mystery that’s dying to be solved...
And four smoking hot dragon shifters...

The writing and story is great but, at times, I felt the story was lacking - it was missing something. I cannot explain it but I felt that it was lacking - it was an enjoyable read that made me smile at times but it is not like how the author normally writes her books - it was different and the style that she uses in her other series was missing (which was disappointing).

Great world building. Loved getting to know this magical world and the characters.

After that ending, I would love to see what happens next in the heroine's journey even though that ending was disappointing - it was not executed well.

Full of dragons, dragon slayers, magic, secrets, attraction, suspense, action and romance.

Perfect for readers of urban fantasy/paranormal reverse harem romances.

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m curious for more but I wasn’t surprised at the ending

I wasn’t sure about this whole reverse harem thing, but I hoped that this book would win me over; the blurb really enticed me! But in the end it didn’t fully win me over to the reverse harem hype. Apart from that, I did like the story. I liked that Brooklyn doesn’t take a life easily even if it is a very dangerous dragon. I liked Manny. He has a tough exterior but is actually sweet, compassionate, laid back and easy to be with. And then we have Bronx and Staten. At first, I didn’t like Bronx at all. Way, way too flirty and pushy. Too forward. But he grew on me. Staten is more serious and more distant. At the end of the book there is a twist. But I was already expecting that, so it wasn’t a surprise for me. Sadly, the blurb already gave it away. I think it would be wise to slightly alter the blurb so that the ending can be a surprise. But the end did make me curious for more!

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I’m in a hospital and asked my husband to post this since I don’t have the time or ability right now to do better - even though the book definitely deserves it.

Bottom line: Kristin D. Van Risseghem‘s Dragon Slayers (the first book of her new Slayers & Protectors series) is, quite simply, wonderful. This was one totally fun novel and definitely recommended. It had just what I wanted and was well written and with a great plot and great cast of characters. Brooklyn - “elite assassin who can destroy dragons with one blow” - is an incredibly wonderful character. She’s also even more than she fist appears to be, as is her yummy gang of guys (in more than just the reverse harem way - as hot as that is). I can’t say more as I don’t want to give things away, but ... wow.

Highly recommended and I’m definitely looking forward to book 2.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragon Slayer was an interesting book. At times, the dialogue felt forced and childish, not natural and teenager-like. I hope that since I got an ARC copy, the book will get another runthrough from a copy editor. In terms of plot, the book was okay, but not groundbreaking. It would have benefited from more worldbuilding. I liked the characters alright. The MC was a little irritating sometimes, and I thought she accepted that the boys were shifters and she might be one too at the end too easily. It went against everything she knows, and she just says "okay" to it, which was weird to me. In general, the book was not overwhelming. 3 stars. I will read book two because of the cliffhanger.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brooklyn has just graduated from the first year at the dragon slaying academy and has three year three sexy instructors interested in her.
Descended from the last direct line to the original dragon slayers Brooklyn has just graduated from her first year in the academy that trains dragon slayers. Entering into the second year she attracts the attention of one of the year three instructors then two and eventually three. Her magic shows itself at her first lesson and as time passes it appears to be of above average in strength. But she is finding it hard to come to terms with the deaths of the dragons. A dragon adventure to relax and enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting and fascinating story about dragons! Brooklyn is new to the dragon slayer school. She's been there a year and has made no friends. So she spends her time studying and practicing the moves needed for weapons as well as without weapons. She's been drawn to the young man who she met the first day there. Then the day to advance came...she's going out on a mission to kill a dragon. She's sent with Manny as the head of the group. On this mission she makes the first kill. From this point on Brooklyn finds friends both male and female..although the male friends get a trifle confusing. But from this point on her life takes on a really strange and unique change.
Fantastic story and read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly Stepp · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun read but needs a little attention to really reach its potential. I loved the premise of modern NYC with its whole hidden layer of paranormal action, slayers and dragons. Noelle was adorable and bubbly and I enjoyed each of the guys distinctly different personalities. I did have trouble connecting with Brooklyn and felt the characters in general were two-dimensional and underdeveloped. I’d have liked the writing to focus more on character development and emotional details rather than benign ones such as clothing designs and signs of status. While I can usually overlook the occasional typo, there were enough that they became a distraction at times. Overall, the story holds promise and left me wanting more.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine realizing that everything you thought you were and would be is wrong? After being told all her life that she would be a Dragon Slayer, Brooklyn attends the academy to hone her skills. She kills a dragon on their first patrol, earning the nickname Kill Shot. As Brooklyn gets to know her Kill Shot instructors, she becomes attracted to two of the three, and curious about the third. Great plot and characters, and even though this is reverse harem, it has light sexual references, innuendos, and behind closed doors intimacy. I loved it! I received a complimentary copy and freely give my honest review.