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Heartstone #2
Dragonshadow
The author of Heartstone once again infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved novels with her own brand of magic in this addictive fantasy that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world
The Battle of North Fields is over—or so Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe. But rumors are spreading of an unseen monster ravaging the isolated Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom. When she and Alastair are summoned from their honeymoon by the mysterious Lord Selwyn, they must travel with their dragon Akarra through the Tekari-infested Old Wilds of Arle to answer his call.
They are not alone on this treacherous journey. Shadowing the dragonriders is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste, and soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth: the real war is only beginning.
The Battle of North Fields is over—or so Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe. But rumors are spreading of an unseen monster ravaging the isolated Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom. When she and Alastair are summoned from their honeymoon by the mysterious Lord Selwyn, they must travel with their dragon Akarra through the Tekari-infested Old Wilds of Arle to answer his call.
They are not alone on this treacherous journey. Shadowing the dragonriders is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste, and soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth: the real war is only beginning.
381 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2018
140 people are currently reading
1480 people want to read
About the author
Elle Katharine White
9 books349 followersA textbook introvert who likes to throw out the textbook every once in a while just to see what happens, Elle grew up in Buffalo, NY, where she learned valuable life skills like how to clear a snowy driveway in under twenty minutes and how to cheer for the perennial underdog. When she’s not writing, she spends her time drinking tea, loitering in libraries and secondhand bookshops, and dreaming of world travel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
February 2, 2022
3.5 stars - While this was not as strong as the original book, there is still a lot intriguing world building and general interesting *vibes* of the different monsters and ye fantasie beasties. I think the pacing was pretty disjointed and overall, the story felt like a side quest. That said, I was interested in the characters and the different adventures, so I was still very entertained & am excited to get to the finale
CW: child loss
CW: child loss
February 27, 2019
Rating ~2.5
I'm not sure what is it, but this book just failed to capture me at all. It wasn't bad per se, but it also doesn't quite interest me enough to continue on either.
I'm not sure what is it, but this book just failed to capture me at all. It wasn't bad per se, but it also doesn't quite interest me enough to continue on either.
November 19, 2018
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/11/19/...
When I first learned of Dragonshadow, I admit I was taken a bit by surprise. I honestly hadn’t expected a sequel to Heartstone, mainly because the first book did such a good job of being a faithful retelling of Pride and Prejudice, albeit set in a high fantasy setting. Things ended well for our protagonists Aliza Bentaine and Alastair Daired, and I thought that was the end of that.
But apparently, the author had more planned for her characters, and I suppose in this world full of magic and extraordinary monsters, I should have anticipated the possibility of more stories. Dragonshadow picks up not long after the end of Heartstone, which saw the dragonriders prevail over the monstrous forces at the Battle of North Fields. Aliza and Alastair are now married, enjoying the final few days of their honeymoon when an unexpected visit from a messenger arriving from the Castle Selwyn forces them to return home early. It appears that an unknown monster has been terrorizing the rural countryside, killing other preternatural creatures for their precious hearts. But now a young serving girl has gone missing, and everyone fears that the monster must have taken her too.
Reminded of the way her own little sister had been attacked and killed by a wild gryphon, Aliza’s heart immediately goes out to the people of Castle Selwyn, and she convinces Alastair to take the contract. Not content to remain at home, however, she also persuades him to let her come along. The journey will be long and arduous, taking them through dangerous territory infested with monsters, but Aliza knows in her heart this is something she must do, or else she will forever be left behind and shut out of the most important part of her husband’s life.
As unexpected as this sequel was, I am happy that we got it. After the first book, I think many readers, myself included, were keen to know more about this world beyond the Jane Austen elements. I wouldn’t say the story was one of Heartstone’s strong points, mainly because Elle Katharine White was working under so many constraints in order to follow the original plot of Pride and Prejudice so closely, though she more than made up for it with her incredible world-building. Hence, the more I thought about it, Dragonshadow seemed like the perfect opportunity for the author to further spread her wings and explore her characters and develop her storytelling more fully.
This moment, I’m pleased to say, was not wasted. With retellings you always run the risk of readers having preconceived notions of how your characters should think and act, using their familiarity with the original work as a template. However, Elle Katharine White immediately leapt to the task of making these characters her own. The attention is shifted to more serious matters, now that the honeymoon period is literally over. Every marriage comes with its own unique problems, and Aliza is trying to figure out her new role as a dragonrider’s wife, knowing she has certain traditions to uphold. However, she also has her own hopes and dreams for the future and is reluctant to let Alastair shoulder all his responsibilities without her, a thread of conflict that runs though much of this book. That said, their love for each other remains unshakeable, and romance still plays a prominent role in this book, only now it feels even deeper and more meaningful.
I was also glad to see this sequel expand the world that so enchanted me in Heartstone. There was much less focus on dragons and their lore in this one, sad to say, but this also gave the author a chance to show off other aspects of the setting, because there is so much more to this series. The story is a mix of mystery and drama, as Aliza and Alastair come in contact with all sorts of amazing fantastical creatures in their quest to discover who or what it is responsible for all the killings, and why the two of them might have become targets themselves. White puts our couple through plenty of challenges and ordeals, both physical and emotional. It’s heartbreaking, but also rewarding in the end to watch the characters support and pull each other through hard times.
If you liked Heartstone, I would highly recommend picking up Dragonshadow, especially if you enjoyed the general concept and wanted to see more. With this sequel, I felt the series has come into its own, moving beyond any restrictions a retelling would have placed on characters and plot. I felt that Elle Katharine White took full advantage of her new freedom to deeply explore Aliza and Alastair’s relationship, and fans of fantasy adventure and romance should find plenty to sink their teeth into with this one.
Audiobook Review: I was fortunate enough to also receive a listening copy of Dragonshadow in audio, which I enjoyed just as much as the print version. I wasn’t familiar with Billie Fulford-Brown as a narrator, though she sounded very familiar and had a distinct elegance to her voice that I felt was perfectly suited for Aliza. She did a wonderful job and brought an extra layer of dynamism to the experience.
When I first learned of Dragonshadow, I admit I was taken a bit by surprise. I honestly hadn’t expected a sequel to Heartstone, mainly because the first book did such a good job of being a faithful retelling of Pride and Prejudice, albeit set in a high fantasy setting. Things ended well for our protagonists Aliza Bentaine and Alastair Daired, and I thought that was the end of that.
But apparently, the author had more planned for her characters, and I suppose in this world full of magic and extraordinary monsters, I should have anticipated the possibility of more stories. Dragonshadow picks up not long after the end of Heartstone, which saw the dragonriders prevail over the monstrous forces at the Battle of North Fields. Aliza and Alastair are now married, enjoying the final few days of their honeymoon when an unexpected visit from a messenger arriving from the Castle Selwyn forces them to return home early. It appears that an unknown monster has been terrorizing the rural countryside, killing other preternatural creatures for their precious hearts. But now a young serving girl has gone missing, and everyone fears that the monster must have taken her too.
Reminded of the way her own little sister had been attacked and killed by a wild gryphon, Aliza’s heart immediately goes out to the people of Castle Selwyn, and she convinces Alastair to take the contract. Not content to remain at home, however, she also persuades him to let her come along. The journey will be long and arduous, taking them through dangerous territory infested with monsters, but Aliza knows in her heart this is something she must do, or else she will forever be left behind and shut out of the most important part of her husband’s life.
As unexpected as this sequel was, I am happy that we got it. After the first book, I think many readers, myself included, were keen to know more about this world beyond the Jane Austen elements. I wouldn’t say the story was one of Heartstone’s strong points, mainly because Elle Katharine White was working under so many constraints in order to follow the original plot of Pride and Prejudice so closely, though she more than made up for it with her incredible world-building. Hence, the more I thought about it, Dragonshadow seemed like the perfect opportunity for the author to further spread her wings and explore her characters and develop her storytelling more fully.
This moment, I’m pleased to say, was not wasted. With retellings you always run the risk of readers having preconceived notions of how your characters should think and act, using their familiarity with the original work as a template. However, Elle Katharine White immediately leapt to the task of making these characters her own. The attention is shifted to more serious matters, now that the honeymoon period is literally over. Every marriage comes with its own unique problems, and Aliza is trying to figure out her new role as a dragonrider’s wife, knowing she has certain traditions to uphold. However, she also has her own hopes and dreams for the future and is reluctant to let Alastair shoulder all his responsibilities without her, a thread of conflict that runs though much of this book. That said, their love for each other remains unshakeable, and romance still plays a prominent role in this book, only now it feels even deeper and more meaningful.
I was also glad to see this sequel expand the world that so enchanted me in Heartstone. There was much less focus on dragons and their lore in this one, sad to say, but this also gave the author a chance to show off other aspects of the setting, because there is so much more to this series. The story is a mix of mystery and drama, as Aliza and Alastair come in contact with all sorts of amazing fantastical creatures in their quest to discover who or what it is responsible for all the killings, and why the two of them might have become targets themselves. White puts our couple through plenty of challenges and ordeals, both physical and emotional. It’s heartbreaking, but also rewarding in the end to watch the characters support and pull each other through hard times.
If you liked Heartstone, I would highly recommend picking up Dragonshadow, especially if you enjoyed the general concept and wanted to see more. With this sequel, I felt the series has come into its own, moving beyond any restrictions a retelling would have placed on characters and plot. I felt that Elle Katharine White took full advantage of her new freedom to deeply explore Aliza and Alastair’s relationship, and fans of fantasy adventure and romance should find plenty to sink their teeth into with this one.
Audiobook Review: I was fortunate enough to also receive a listening copy of Dragonshadow in audio, which I enjoyed just as much as the print version. I wasn’t familiar with Billie Fulford-Brown as a narrator, though she sounded very familiar and had a distinct elegance to her voice that I felt was perfectly suited for Aliza. She did a wonderful job and brought an extra layer of dynamism to the experience.
October 1, 2024
Dragonshadow is the not the sequel I expected to Heartstone, a book I read mainly because it was a Pride and Prejudice adaptation. Although I thoroughly enjoyed Heartstone, I expected Dragonshadow to continue in the same vein as many P&P sequels- mainly romance and usually disappointing. Imagine my surprise and delight when Dragonshadow did not follow that path! In this installment (of what I hope is a fully fleshed out series), Alastair and Aliza are enjoying a few weeks of honeymoon after the events of the Battle of North Fields. However, their honeymoon is cut short when a contract is brought to them from the north, where something is killing the Idar. Aliza, refusing to be left behind, joins Alastair and Akarra, the dragon, as they journey north to stop whatever is killing innocent creatures.
This sequel expands the world of Riders in the fantasy world of Arle and continues to build toward a giant war in the future between the different creatures and humans. The writing is strong and I believe this is going to be an amazing series. I can't wait to read more!
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from the publisher.
This sequel expands the world of Riders in the fantasy world of Arle and continues to build toward a giant war in the future between the different creatures and humans. The writing is strong and I believe this is going to be an amazing series. I can't wait to read more!
I received an advanced reader copy of this title from the publisher.
January 26, 2020
Tw: miscarriage. While handled in a respectful way, I want to ensure readers that need to know about this plot element in the later half of the book have that heads up.
I still think this works better as a standalone, but I'll read the 3rd in the trilogy to see where it goes. Heartstone was one of my FAVORITE books of 2017 which is why this is kind of a let down.
I still think this works better as a standalone, but I'll read the 3rd in the trilogy to see where it goes. Heartstone was one of my FAVORITE books of 2017 which is why this is kind of a let down.
Want to read
November 28, 2017NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD. :O
December 3, 2018
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: Another winning story in the
Heartstone
series, I was once again enchanted by White's lively storytelling and wonderful world-building elements.
One of my favorite things about Heartstone , the first book in White's Pride & Prejudice fantasy retelling, was the world building. I'm a big P&P fan, but those elements are not what won me over the first time around. Although White did an admirable job integrating that classic story into her exciting tale of dragons, dragon riders and other mythical and supernatural creatures, there was definitely a feeling that the author had certain plot points she had to hit. This didn't ruin the story for me by any means, because I absolutely loved Heartstone , but it was the characters and White's unique world that kept me reading.
Readers who haven't read the first book might be a little lost, so I'd recommend starting with Heartstone . You'll get lots of background on the characters and the world which will make this easier to understand. Even I had forgotten some of the events that took place, although it didn't take long to catch up. When the story opens, Aliza has married Alastair and is now Lady Daired. As the new mistress of House Pendragon, she’s just starting to get her feet wet, learning how to run a large household. She and Alastair are on the last days of their honeymoon, and neither one is anxious to end their relaxing break from the bloodshed that took place only months before, when Aliza helped slay the Greater Lindworm and saved her village. But a letter has arrived from Lord Selwyn asking for Alastair’s services as a Rider, as a monster of some sort appears to be stalking and killing creatures around the castle and stealing their heartstones as well. Not only that, but a young servant girl has gone missing, and Lord Selwyn fears the worst.
Aliza encourages Alastair to take the job, and bucking the tradition of staying home while her Rider husband is off slaying monsters, she convinces him to take her along on the arduous journey to Castle Selwyn. But the journey turns out to be extremely dangerous as well, as at each stop along the way, Aliza, Alastair and Akarra encounter more and more dead bodies. It’s almost as if the monster is . . . following them. When they finally arrive at the castle, even more mysteries await. Lord Selwyn and his wife Cordelia are clearly hiding something, and a mysterious silver box that won’t open keeps appearing in Aliza’s luggage, even after she’s tried to ditch it. Something even more dangerous than the monster who is terrorizing the town is out there, and Alastair and Akarra need to stop it before anyone else dies.
I enjoyed Heartstone a little more than Dragonshadow, I think because the plot was more straightforward. Dragonshadow meanders a bit in the first half, especially because a good chunk of the story takes place as our three main characters are traveling through the Widdermere to get to the castle. And although I loved the different places they stop along the way and the people they meet, they never stay long enough for the reader to really become invested in those new characters. Once they arrive at Castle Selwyn, however, everything comes to a head, as each mystery is solved and additional dangers come into play.
This is also a darker story than the first one. In Heartstone, we had the romantic and mostly lighthearted Pride & Prejudice theme (well, until the end, that is). There is still romance this time around, but Aliza and Alastair are now married and facing different challenges. I loved that Aliza is still stubborn and insists on being part of her husband’s Rider life, even though he simply wants to keep her safe and out of any danger. Luckily, Aliza will have none of that, which is good because otherwise there wouldn’t be much of a story.
When they arrive at Castle Selwyn, we get to meet a couple of my favorite characters. First is the seemingly hard-edged housekeeper, a woman named Madam Mòrag, who wastes no time in telling Aliza exactly what she thinks of a Rider’s wife following him into battle. But as the story progresses, we learn more about Mòrag and by the end, she really was one of my favorite characters. I also loved Selwyn’s wife Cordelia, an odd sort who immediately befriends Aliza and eventually lets her in on a BIG secret. Cordelia’s storyline was one of my favorites in the book, and I hope that this is not the last time we see her in this series.
And of course, there is the fantastic world-building that once again captivated my imagination. I loved all the different creatures, some mythological and some purely imagined. In this book we get to meet the horribly dangerous valkyries, vulture-like creatures who attack from the sky; mermaids, who White has imbued with an alien-like other worldliness; selkies, from Scottish folklore; and the vicious direwolves who hunt in packs. Heartstones—the precious gems that hide inside each creature’s heart and can only be acquired when that creature is dead—play an important role in this story as well. Someone is after the heartstones that Aliza and Alastair wear around their necks, which is one of the mysteries that isn’t solved by the end of the story.
Which brings us to the end. Some things are eventually resolved, but others are left open-ended and will hopefully be addressed in the next book. At least we know for sure that a third book is on the horizon, which makes me very happy. I’m anxious to find out the answers to all of my questions, and of course, I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
My review of HeartstoneThis review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
One of my favorite things about Heartstone , the first book in White's Pride & Prejudice fantasy retelling, was the world building. I'm a big P&P fan, but those elements are not what won me over the first time around. Although White did an admirable job integrating that classic story into her exciting tale of dragons, dragon riders and other mythical and supernatural creatures, there was definitely a feeling that the author had certain plot points she had to hit. This didn't ruin the story for me by any means, because I absolutely loved Heartstone , but it was the characters and White's unique world that kept me reading.
Readers who haven't read the first book might be a little lost, so I'd recommend starting with Heartstone . You'll get lots of background on the characters and the world which will make this easier to understand. Even I had forgotten some of the events that took place, although it didn't take long to catch up. When the story opens, Aliza has married Alastair and is now Lady Daired. As the new mistress of House Pendragon, she’s just starting to get her feet wet, learning how to run a large household. She and Alastair are on the last days of their honeymoon, and neither one is anxious to end their relaxing break from the bloodshed that took place only months before, when Aliza helped slay the Greater Lindworm and saved her village. But a letter has arrived from Lord Selwyn asking for Alastair’s services as a Rider, as a monster of some sort appears to be stalking and killing creatures around the castle and stealing their heartstones as well. Not only that, but a young servant girl has gone missing, and Lord Selwyn fears the worst.
Aliza encourages Alastair to take the job, and bucking the tradition of staying home while her Rider husband is off slaying monsters, she convinces him to take her along on the arduous journey to Castle Selwyn. But the journey turns out to be extremely dangerous as well, as at each stop along the way, Aliza, Alastair and Akarra encounter more and more dead bodies. It’s almost as if the monster is . . . following them. When they finally arrive at the castle, even more mysteries await. Lord Selwyn and his wife Cordelia are clearly hiding something, and a mysterious silver box that won’t open keeps appearing in Aliza’s luggage, even after she’s tried to ditch it. Something even more dangerous than the monster who is terrorizing the town is out there, and Alastair and Akarra need to stop it before anyone else dies.
I enjoyed Heartstone a little more than Dragonshadow, I think because the plot was more straightforward. Dragonshadow meanders a bit in the first half, especially because a good chunk of the story takes place as our three main characters are traveling through the Widdermere to get to the castle. And although I loved the different places they stop along the way and the people they meet, they never stay long enough for the reader to really become invested in those new characters. Once they arrive at Castle Selwyn, however, everything comes to a head, as each mystery is solved and additional dangers come into play.
This is also a darker story than the first one. In Heartstone, we had the romantic and mostly lighthearted Pride & Prejudice theme (well, until the end, that is). There is still romance this time around, but Aliza and Alastair are now married and facing different challenges. I loved that Aliza is still stubborn and insists on being part of her husband’s Rider life, even though he simply wants to keep her safe and out of any danger. Luckily, Aliza will have none of that, which is good because otherwise there wouldn’t be much of a story.
When they arrive at Castle Selwyn, we get to meet a couple of my favorite characters. First is the seemingly hard-edged housekeeper, a woman named Madam Mòrag, who wastes no time in telling Aliza exactly what she thinks of a Rider’s wife following him into battle. But as the story progresses, we learn more about Mòrag and by the end, she really was one of my favorite characters. I also loved Selwyn’s wife Cordelia, an odd sort who immediately befriends Aliza and eventually lets her in on a BIG secret. Cordelia’s storyline was one of my favorites in the book, and I hope that this is not the last time we see her in this series.
And of course, there is the fantastic world-building that once again captivated my imagination. I loved all the different creatures, some mythological and some purely imagined. In this book we get to meet the horribly dangerous valkyries, vulture-like creatures who attack from the sky; mermaids, who White has imbued with an alien-like other worldliness; selkies, from Scottish folklore; and the vicious direwolves who hunt in packs. Heartstones—the precious gems that hide inside each creature’s heart and can only be acquired when that creature is dead—play an important role in this story as well. Someone is after the heartstones that Aliza and Alastair wear around their necks, which is one of the mysteries that isn’t solved by the end of the story.
Which brings us to the end. Some things are eventually resolved, but others are left open-ended and will hopefully be addressed in the next book. At least we know for sure that a third book is on the horizon, which makes me very happy. I’m anxious to find out the answers to all of my questions, and of course, I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.
My review of HeartstoneThis review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
July 9, 2022
I’ve debated a lot wether or not I should add this bit or not because I’ve seen it so many times being overused, but I think this might be one of the times where it’s required, so:
TRIGGER WARNING for abortion and the trauma tied to it.
CHARACTERS:
Just like the last book we follow Aliza and Alastair as they settle into the life of a newly married couple: they’re learning each other on a deeper level and finding a life rhythm.
For Alastair it means learning to completely open up to a person that it’s not related to him and showing all of his personas
And for Aliza it means dealing with the change of social status (and what all of that brings) and learning how to cope with the the expectations and pressures that come with being married to the best warrior in the country and the fact that she’s a very different kind of person compared to the women of the family.
Both of them are still reeling from the big battle against the worm, dealing with various levels of PTSD and the grief of losing their friends and family.
All in all I quite enjoyed their character development, both as individual characters and as a couple.
WORLD-BUILDING AND PLOT:
The plot is a fast paced race: the story picks up a few months after the epilogue of the first book and while it starts with a bunch of chapters that are very calm, it picks up the pace pretty quickly....which leads to many small adventures that will set the scene for the big climax (and lay down the groundwork for the final book).
The world building was expanded with the addition of new creatures and new settings. I’ll admit that it would’ve been nice to have a legend or some sort of guide because I think that if I hadn’t reread the first book I would’ve been super confused by the terminology specific to that world.
WRITING:
The writing maintained the same quality of the first book: it’s practical, easy to understand and read through while still maintaining the structure and semantics of an historic context.
FINAL NOTE:
I’m so excited to see what the final book will bring: the stakes are pretty high and it seems we’re in for another big battle.
SPOILERY MINI RANT
I’m gonna talk about the trigger warning without giving away all the plot:
.
TRIGGER WARNING for abortion and the trauma tied to it.
CHARACTERS:
Just like the last book we follow Aliza and Alastair as they settle into the life of a newly married couple: they’re learning each other on a deeper level and finding a life rhythm.
For Alastair it means learning to completely open up to a person that it’s not related to him and showing all of his personas
And for Aliza it means dealing with the change of social status (and what all of that brings) and learning how to cope with the the expectations and pressures that come with being married to the best warrior in the country and the fact that she’s a very different kind of person compared to the women of the family.
Both of them are still reeling from the big battle against the worm, dealing with various levels of PTSD and the grief of losing their friends and family.
All in all I quite enjoyed their character development, both as individual characters and as a couple.
WORLD-BUILDING AND PLOT:
The plot is a fast paced race: the story picks up a few months after the epilogue of the first book and while it starts with a bunch of chapters that are very calm, it picks up the pace pretty quickly....which leads to many small adventures that will set the scene for the big climax (and lay down the groundwork for the final book).
The world building was expanded with the addition of new creatures and new settings. I’ll admit that it would’ve been nice to have a legend or some sort of guide because I think that if I hadn’t reread the first book I would’ve been super confused by the terminology specific to that world.
WRITING:
The writing maintained the same quality of the first book: it’s practical, easy to understand and read through while still maintaining the structure and semantics of an historic context.
FINAL NOTE:
I’m so excited to see what the final book will bring: the stakes are pretty high and it seems we’re in for another big battle.
SPOILERY MINI RANT
I’m gonna talk about the trigger warning without giving away all the plot:
.
September 28, 2024
This was a mess! I’m pretty sure all this could have been sweetly wrapped up in a duology since this second book in the trilogy does very little to further the plot. It is also more romance focused, which for me is always a minus.
June 4, 2023
Preface
I was not expecting amazing writing, world building and plot to come out of this book at all. It caught me off guard; it hit me quickly; I was breathless then excited. What a lovely turn of events! The previous book was sort of a fun rip off but the second book made it entirely it’s own. It was all quite elating.
Until we hit the gut wrenching part that was the last hundred pages. They were still wonderful in their making… it was just brutal. The author didn’t come to play around with the emotional parts.
I am beginning the next one immediately.
————————————————————————————
RATINGS:
Plot : 3.5 📚📚📚💫 A fair amount of plot. We have murder, intrigue, mystery creatures, mystery boxes and marital bliss!
World Building(Immersion): 3.5 🌎🌎🌎💫 Under the water looking for a way to come up.
Angst : 4 👹👹👹👹 Twisting an ankle.
Funniness: 2.5 🌝🌝💫 I snorted.
Scariness: 2 💀💀 Meh. I don’t know if it was because I read it in the dead of the night or what but some parts gave the shivers.
Romance: 3.5 💖💖💖💫 Adorable.
Spice: ❎ No spice. There is plenty of allusions to it though.
Goriness: 3.5 🫀🫀🫀💫 Hearts got ripped out… literally.
Sadness: 3.5 🥲🥲🥲💫 Multiple tears.
Overall star rating : 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 On the edge of glory.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨
The Good Place:
▫️Aliza was stubborn. She wanted to go and be beside her husband besides not being a Rider. I definitely understand that. I just wish she would have trained a bit more for the dangers that she was willing to expose herself to. I admired her grit and kindness. She managed to have both without coming off as shrill or a doormat. Eventually as the book developed she even learned to listen to Alastair when it was smart to do so! Really, some heroines are dumb on that department, they go about it saying “I won’t let any man tell me what to do, not even the one I trust and love”, when that is the total wrong angle to have. It is not that Alastair is a man who wants to tell Aliza what to do; he was just an experienced warrior with countless battles who had an inkling of the imperilment of the life they lead. Listening to him (sometimes) was the intelligent thing. Thankfully, despite her mistakes, Aliza proved to be intelligent.
▫️I enjoyed that Alastair and Aliza learned to be married and a pair throughout the book. It was not prim, there were edges that needed polishing in order for them to fit better. Once the honeymoon was over it was nice to see them realize love was an everyday choice. And get to working on it.
▫️Akarra was awesome as always. Would have liked to see her more though.
▫️Rhys. He wasn’t around much but I have a tendency to have a soft spot for this name. (I definitely blame Rhysand from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series).
▫️Cordelia
▫️The Lay of Saint Elia was awesome.
The Bad Place:
▪️The Miscarriage. It broke me into a million pieces. I know this doesn happen in real life but Aliza better be pregnant in the next book to make up for it. I don’t care. If you are going to add a miscarriage scene you better give a freaking baby on the next book’s epilogue. Aliza and Alastair were so happy 😭.
▪️Lord Selwyn. 🤬
▪️Wydrick. Can the man just die? 😒
Romance Safety:
Safe romance for main couple. They are fully committed to their relationship, no others (orb even thought of others). Currently happily married (with ups and downs that I would judge normal and nicely handled).
Unsafe for a side couple: the man kidnapped the woman and forced her to be his wife. I cannot give more details since it might border the super mega spoiler city.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨🚨 SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨🚨
Some ( Very Random) Moments of Notice Along With (Sometimes) My Very Live Reactions Straight From My Notes App to You:
📌I’ll die a thousand deaths before I let
that happen. I will not bury you.”
“No more than I’ll bury you, dearest.” I spat out each word like a mouthful of rotten fruit.
“You may not get that choice.”
I turned away, my words spent. He could tend the rest of his injuries by himself.
📌You know, unless you want our child’s second language to be Low Gnomic you really should start teaching me Eth.”
There were tears in his eyes when he stood, and he laughed as we embraced. “You’re not fluent already?”
“You’re not the most attentive tutor. I’m guessing that was something to Odei and Janna.”
“‘All honor to He-Who-Begins; all honor to She-Who-Sustains.’ What would your hobgoblin friends say?”
“Ghep thgud gnomi.”
“Meaning?”
“‘Thanks for the sprouts.’”
He laughed. “I’ll remember that.”
This made me laugh hard. It’s not even that funny; I just kept on building scenarios where the Gnomes would say that to each other. Ridiculously cute.
📌Connell Polton is straight as an arrow, Lord Daired.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“The straight arrows are usually the ones that kill.”
I was not expecting amazing writing, world building and plot to come out of this book at all. It caught me off guard; it hit me quickly; I was breathless then excited. What a lovely turn of events! The previous book was sort of a fun rip off but the second book made it entirely it’s own. It was all quite elating.
Until we hit the gut wrenching part that was the last hundred pages. They were still wonderful in their making… it was just brutal. The author didn’t come to play around with the emotional parts.
I am beginning the next one immediately.
————————————————————————————
RATINGS:
Plot : 3.5 📚📚📚💫 A fair amount of plot. We have murder, intrigue, mystery creatures, mystery boxes and marital bliss!
World Building(Immersion): 3.5 🌎🌎🌎💫 Under the water looking for a way to come up.
Angst : 4 👹👹👹👹 Twisting an ankle.
Funniness: 2.5 🌝🌝💫 I snorted.
Scariness: 2 💀💀 Meh. I don’t know if it was because I read it in the dead of the night or what but some parts gave the shivers.
Romance: 3.5 💖💖💖💫 Adorable.
Spice: ❎ No spice. There is plenty of allusions to it though.
Goriness: 3.5 🫀🫀🫀💫 Hearts got ripped out… literally.
Sadness: 3.5 🥲🥲🥲💫 Multiple tears.
Overall star rating : 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 On the edge of glory.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨
The Good Place:
▫️Aliza was stubborn. She wanted to go and be beside her husband besides not being a Rider. I definitely understand that. I just wish she would have trained a bit more for the dangers that she was willing to expose herself to. I admired her grit and kindness. She managed to have both without coming off as shrill or a doormat. Eventually as the book developed she even learned to listen to Alastair when it was smart to do so! Really, some heroines are dumb on that department, they go about it saying “I won’t let any man tell me what to do, not even the one I trust and love”, when that is the total wrong angle to have. It is not that Alastair is a man who wants to tell Aliza what to do; he was just an experienced warrior with countless battles who had an inkling of the imperilment of the life they lead. Listening to him (sometimes) was the intelligent thing. Thankfully, despite her mistakes, Aliza proved to be intelligent.
▫️I enjoyed that Alastair and Aliza learned to be married and a pair throughout the book. It was not prim, there were edges that needed polishing in order for them to fit better. Once the honeymoon was over it was nice to see them realize love was an everyday choice. And get to working on it.
▫️Akarra was awesome as always. Would have liked to see her more though.
▫️Rhys. He wasn’t around much but I have a tendency to have a soft spot for this name. (I definitely blame Rhysand from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series).
▫️Cordelia
▫️The Lay of Saint Elia was awesome.
The Bad Place:
▪️The Miscarriage. It broke me into a million pieces. I know this doesn happen in real life but Aliza better be pregnant in the next book to make up for it. I don’t care. If you are going to add a miscarriage scene you better give a freaking baby on the next book’s epilogue. Aliza and Alastair were so happy 😭.
▪️Lord Selwyn. 🤬
▪️Wydrick. Can the man just die? 😒
Romance Safety:
Safe romance for main couple. They are fully committed to their relationship, no others (orb even thought of others). Currently happily married (with ups and downs that I would judge normal and nicely handled).
Unsafe for a side couple: the man kidnapped the woman and forced her to be his wife. I cannot give more details since it might border the super mega spoiler city.
————————————————————————————
🚨🚨🚨🚨 SPOILERS 🚨🚨🚨🚨
Some ( Very Random) Moments of Notice Along With (Sometimes) My Very Live Reactions Straight From My Notes App to You:
📌I’ll die a thousand deaths before I let
that happen. I will not bury you.”
“No more than I’ll bury you, dearest.” I spat out each word like a mouthful of rotten fruit.
“You may not get that choice.”
I turned away, my words spent. He could tend the rest of his injuries by himself.
📌You know, unless you want our child’s second language to be Low Gnomic you really should start teaching me Eth.”
There were tears in his eyes when he stood, and he laughed as we embraced. “You’re not fluent already?”
“You’re not the most attentive tutor. I’m guessing that was something to Odei and Janna.”
“‘All honor to He-Who-Begins; all honor to She-Who-Sustains.’ What would your hobgoblin friends say?”
“Ghep thgud gnomi.”
“Meaning?”
“‘Thanks for the sprouts.’”
He laughed. “I’ll remember that.”
This made me laugh hard. It’s not even that funny; I just kept on building scenarios where the Gnomes would say that to each other. Ridiculously cute.
📌Connell Polton is straight as an arrow, Lord Daired.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.
“The straight arrows are usually the ones that kill.”
July 21, 2020
I enjoyed Dragonshadow, but not quite as much as the first book. Heartstone had that sort of Pride and Prejudice meets dragons charm, but this was more of a standard fantasy story since the love story came to a conclusion in the last one. But this had a mystery as well, which drew me in because of the fantasy elements involved. The ending left it open for a possible great story in the next book as well, but this didn’t really wow me in any way.
November 21, 2018
4.5 of 5 stars
Dragonshadow is the second book in the Heartstone series by Elle Katharine White and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The first book was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice but with dragons and other fantastical beasts. It was a great start to the series and one that took me by surprise as retellings can be a little hit or miss especially when they’re using a favourite classic as inspiration. As it is Heartstone was a definite hit for me and so you can imagine how happy I was when I caught a whiff of No.2.
To be honest, I think I liked this book even more than the first although that hardly seems possible. Whereas the first book felt a little restricted by the Pride and Prejudice storyline and the author’s clear desire to stick to it as much as is possible in a fantasy setting, this book is able to ‘be itself’ to throw off any such restrictions and really come into its own.
The world building was good in the first book but with this instalment we get to travel much further afield when Alastair takes on a job at a remote castle on the Northern Border. As the story begins Alastair and Aliza are enjoying a peaceful and romantic honeymoon when their time is interrupted by a rider from Castle Selwyn. It seems that the castle is being targeted for attack by an unknown monster – the latest is the disappearance of a young girl from the castle. Alastair accepts the job but it seems that Aliza has some decisions of her own to make.
So, I love that the story has moved into its own territory now. Aliza and Alistair are married and this is unfamiliar ground for both of them. Alistair is a Rider, bonded to a dragon, Riders have a certain status and much like in Pride and Prejudice Aliza’s family is quite far removed in many people’s opinions. Of course Aliza and Alistair are at the pink tinted glasses stage – okay they’re in love – of their relationship but nonetheless they’re also both positioning themselves and trying to find their feet in terms of the future and this theme plays an important part in the story. Aliza isn’t ready to become Alistair’s housekeeper and stay behind every time he flies into danger, let’s face it, she played a rather pivotal role in the war in the previous book, but Alistair doesn’t want Aliza to face danger, he has a point, she isn’t trained to fight and it means his attention will be split. But, Aliza wins the battle to accompany Alistair on his most recent job. To be honest, they both need to find their feet and fast.
On top of the character development there is plenty going on in the world. It seems that somebody is paying an inordinate amount of attention to heartstones and also there are stirrings in the wild. Things are roaming. I don’t really want to go into what’s really taking place but Alistair’s and Aliza’s travels across the Old Wilds of Arle are beset by attacks, almost like they’re being followed. Upon reaching the slightly eerie and ghost like Castle of Selwyn things escalate. Ghosts of the past seem to come knocking on their door. Things definitely take a creepy turn and the setting really helps to enhance that. Mists, cliffs, dark waters, a castle with underground tunnels and secret passageways. Lots of different creatures, centaurs and merpeople and so much more. I’m not going to go further into the plot but more discuss the things that really stood out for me.
The expansion of the world and the people and fantastic creatures that dwell in it. This is so well done and I loved it. Aliza really is the main character and she plays an almost detective role here, asking questions and coming up with suggestions while Alistair is roaming the place looking for beasts. Aliza has really developed. She wants to learn, she wants to help but more than that she has a sympathetic nature which almost makes a bridge between the humans and the beasts. I think this is something that could really develop and I enjoyed this aspect of the story and in particular the connection that Aliza seems to forge with Akarra.
Overall, I loved this. The plot is good, the character arcs are developing well and the world building has been strengthened.
I can’t wait to read more.
I received a copy through Edelweiss, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Dragonshadow is the second book in the Heartstone series by Elle Katharine White and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The first book was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice but with dragons and other fantastical beasts. It was a great start to the series and one that took me by surprise as retellings can be a little hit or miss especially when they’re using a favourite classic as inspiration. As it is Heartstone was a definite hit for me and so you can imagine how happy I was when I caught a whiff of No.2.
To be honest, I think I liked this book even more than the first although that hardly seems possible. Whereas the first book felt a little restricted by the Pride and Prejudice storyline and the author’s clear desire to stick to it as much as is possible in a fantasy setting, this book is able to ‘be itself’ to throw off any such restrictions and really come into its own.
The world building was good in the first book but with this instalment we get to travel much further afield when Alastair takes on a job at a remote castle on the Northern Border. As the story begins Alastair and Aliza are enjoying a peaceful and romantic honeymoon when their time is interrupted by a rider from Castle Selwyn. It seems that the castle is being targeted for attack by an unknown monster – the latest is the disappearance of a young girl from the castle. Alastair accepts the job but it seems that Aliza has some decisions of her own to make.
So, I love that the story has moved into its own territory now. Aliza and Alistair are married and this is unfamiliar ground for both of them. Alistair is a Rider, bonded to a dragon, Riders have a certain status and much like in Pride and Prejudice Aliza’s family is quite far removed in many people’s opinions. Of course Aliza and Alistair are at the pink tinted glasses stage – okay they’re in love – of their relationship but nonetheless they’re also both positioning themselves and trying to find their feet in terms of the future and this theme plays an important part in the story. Aliza isn’t ready to become Alistair’s housekeeper and stay behind every time he flies into danger, let’s face it, she played a rather pivotal role in the war in the previous book, but Alistair doesn’t want Aliza to face danger, he has a point, she isn’t trained to fight and it means his attention will be split. But, Aliza wins the battle to accompany Alistair on his most recent job. To be honest, they both need to find their feet and fast.
On top of the character development there is plenty going on in the world. It seems that somebody is paying an inordinate amount of attention to heartstones and also there are stirrings in the wild. Things are roaming. I don’t really want to go into what’s really taking place but Alistair’s and Aliza’s travels across the Old Wilds of Arle are beset by attacks, almost like they’re being followed. Upon reaching the slightly eerie and ghost like Castle of Selwyn things escalate. Ghosts of the past seem to come knocking on their door. Things definitely take a creepy turn and the setting really helps to enhance that. Mists, cliffs, dark waters, a castle with underground tunnels and secret passageways. Lots of different creatures, centaurs and merpeople and so much more. I’m not going to go further into the plot but more discuss the things that really stood out for me.
The expansion of the world and the people and fantastic creatures that dwell in it. This is so well done and I loved it. Aliza really is the main character and she plays an almost detective role here, asking questions and coming up with suggestions while Alistair is roaming the place looking for beasts. Aliza has really developed. She wants to learn, she wants to help but more than that she has a sympathetic nature which almost makes a bridge between the humans and the beasts. I think this is something that could really develop and I enjoyed this aspect of the story and in particular the connection that Aliza seems to forge with Akarra.
Overall, I loved this. The plot is good, the character arcs are developing well and the world building has been strengthened.
I can’t wait to read more.
I received a copy through Edelweiss, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
November 26, 2020
Dragonshadow picks up right where Heartstone ends, and having finished its Pride and Prejudice parallel, White is able to take her original tale by the horns and really let it shine. I wasn’t fully satisfied with Heartstone because even though I am a fan of Austin’s writing I feel White’s reliance on her plot is a detriment to her storytelling ability. She relies heavily on pre-fabricated points, having to fit her original ideas into them, creating an uneven, incomplete feel. The same cannot be said of Dragonshadow. Here, all the intricacies of Arle that I was excited to discover in Heartstone, get their comeuppance, and this along with the ever growing relationship between Alastair and Aliza, makes Dragonshadow a fun read.
Aliza and Alastair, after harrowing, mutual, near death experiences, finally get a chance to relax in the comfort of Dragonsmoor. Fresh from their honeymoon, the two have grown even closer, though they are not without their scars. From the opening to its close, I find Aliza and Alastair’s relationship to be one of the most realistic, mature relationships that I have read in quite some time. I find that a lot of authors, once they have completed the initial ‘courting’ phase of their relationships, seem to have issues building committed, enduring relationships for their characters, choosing instead to have their characters fight and/or geographically separate until the end of the series, fearing proximity may lead to boredom. White, however, has no such issues.
Alastair, freshly scarred, and mentally weak because of it, has used his time wisely, choosing to spend one on one time with his wife and really get to know her. It sweet to watch Aliza and Alastair working hard to build a strong relationship. But when it’s once again time for Alastair and Akarra to take up the sword and return to active duty, White does a great job detailing the potential issues separation can have on their union. Instead of bickering endlessly however, Aliza and Alastair have some great moments where they discuss the pros and cons of a nakla joining her husband on the hunt. Although some of the moments are intense and hurtful, most important, they ring true. White has a brilliant grasp on this next level relationship between Alastair and Aliza. And as Aliza eventually gets her way and embarks on a intriguing mission to stop the murder of Idar and Nakla alike, there are consequences to the decisions made, making their union a rocky one as they constantly must come to terms with each and every choice made along the way. And because of this, what we readers are treated to is a exciting plot bolstered by a beautifully intricate pairing. I enjoyed Aliza and Alastair in Heartstone because they mirrored my ever favorite Eliza/Darcy pairing. Now I love them because they are Aliza and Daired, with no relation to the former.
White always had an interesting concept in her creation of Arle, heartstones, and her Tekari/Idar/Shani contingent, but here, unencumbered by must have plot points, she is really able to extrapolate her own world to the fullest. With the mysterious murders occurring, regardless of species, in Lake Meera, our heroic duo must once again take up the sword and get to the bottom of it. Traveling from the crags of House Pendragon to the northern reaches of Lake Meera, Aliza and Alastair are pitted against friend and foe in the form of Valkyries, Vesh, Merman, and Mauntells, each group more intricately interesting then the last. White creatively weaves together monsters that only come into contact in the deepest reaches of Mari‘s bestiary. And as her plot splits and twists in order to contain more and more of these fascinating creatures, White does an excellent job coherently following one line of thought before resuming and returning to the main plot. Neither track suffers for the other, and the complexity with which she manipulates the multiple games at play make for an intriguing read, one in which you may be hard pressed to figure out what’s really going on.
Dragonshadow is a definite step up from it’s predecessor but it is not without its issues. Although I am ecstatic with what White has done with her story, I found the overall progression of the plot to be a bit unbalanced. I’m not exactly sure why, but I found myself much more engaged during the first half as opposed to the second. For me, I think was more enamored with Aliza and Alastair’s growing relationship, and once it is finally time to tackle to meat of the plot, the darkness attacks, and the subsequent consequences create a rather dreary second half. It’s not bad, and White deals with the emotional trauma associated with everything appropriately, but Aliza and Daired must go through a lot together and it’s not pretty. Mature, yes. Well executed, yes, but we have to spend a period of time dealing with the trauma, and it is in here that the story slows down and we lose the traction on the plot.
I would have also liked Aliza to have a bit more involvement in the storyline. I know she is a nakla and as such, will never be out in the forefront swinging swords, and I’m okay with that, but I wanted her to have more autonomy in terms of figuring things out, and executing things that she is good at. For one, there are continuous hints that Aliza must choose a side, and I can’t tell if it’s simply because everyone must eventually choose a side, or because something about Aliza is special, and sadly we don’t learn much more in regards to this this time around either. We also already know that she is already an accomplished healer, and it is only through her quick thinking that Alastair is even around to marry her in the first place. In Dragonshadow, however, although she will always be level headed and steadfast, she really starts to feel like a burden to the trip, something that both she and Alastair are intimately aware of. It’s important for her relationship because it is a test that both she and Alastair must over come, but I was hoping more for a situation where, not that she would prove herself in a blaze of glory, but that the skills she has always had would prove her at least a complimentary part of the journey.
It’s not perfect, but overall, Dragonshadow is an engaging read. Although the areas that I had issue with did cause me to slow down my reading in the middle, the ending makes up for the drag and sets up for what should be a thrilling conclusion. I’m still looking forward to more of Aliza and Alastair’s journey, and I’m hoping that there will be some happier days ahead for the two to them, because they have been through a lot and most likely will have to go through even more before the story is through. ***4 progressing stars***
Aliza and Alastair, after harrowing, mutual, near death experiences, finally get a chance to relax in the comfort of Dragonsmoor. Fresh from their honeymoon, the two have grown even closer, though they are not without their scars. From the opening to its close, I find Aliza and Alastair’s relationship to be one of the most realistic, mature relationships that I have read in quite some time. I find that a lot of authors, once they have completed the initial ‘courting’ phase of their relationships, seem to have issues building committed, enduring relationships for their characters, choosing instead to have their characters fight and/or geographically separate until the end of the series, fearing proximity may lead to boredom. White, however, has no such issues.
Alastair, freshly scarred, and mentally weak because of it, has used his time wisely, choosing to spend one on one time with his wife and really get to know her. It sweet to watch Aliza and Alastair working hard to build a strong relationship. But when it’s once again time for Alastair and Akarra to take up the sword and return to active duty, White does a great job detailing the potential issues separation can have on their union. Instead of bickering endlessly however, Aliza and Alastair have some great moments where they discuss the pros and cons of a nakla joining her husband on the hunt. Although some of the moments are intense and hurtful, most important, they ring true. White has a brilliant grasp on this next level relationship between Alastair and Aliza. And as Aliza eventually gets her way and embarks on a intriguing mission to stop the murder of Idar and Nakla alike, there are consequences to the decisions made, making their union a rocky one as they constantly must come to terms with each and every choice made along the way. And because of this, what we readers are treated to is a exciting plot bolstered by a beautifully intricate pairing. I enjoyed Aliza and Alastair in Heartstone because they mirrored my ever favorite Eliza/Darcy pairing. Now I love them because they are Aliza and Daired, with no relation to the former.
White always had an interesting concept in her creation of Arle, heartstones, and her Tekari/Idar/Shani contingent, but here, unencumbered by must have plot points, she is really able to extrapolate her own world to the fullest. With the mysterious murders occurring, regardless of species, in Lake Meera, our heroic duo must once again take up the sword and get to the bottom of it. Traveling from the crags of House Pendragon to the northern reaches of Lake Meera, Aliza and Alastair are pitted against friend and foe in the form of Valkyries, Vesh, Merman, and Mauntells, each group more intricately interesting then the last. White creatively weaves together monsters that only come into contact in the deepest reaches of Mari‘s bestiary. And as her plot splits and twists in order to contain more and more of these fascinating creatures, White does an excellent job coherently following one line of thought before resuming and returning to the main plot. Neither track suffers for the other, and the complexity with which she manipulates the multiple games at play make for an intriguing read, one in which you may be hard pressed to figure out what’s really going on.
Dragonshadow is a definite step up from it’s predecessor but it is not without its issues. Although I am ecstatic with what White has done with her story, I found the overall progression of the plot to be a bit unbalanced. I’m not exactly sure why, but I found myself much more engaged during the first half as opposed to the second. For me, I think was more enamored with Aliza and Alastair’s growing relationship, and once it is finally time to tackle to meat of the plot, the darkness attacks, and the subsequent consequences create a rather dreary second half. It’s not bad, and White deals with the emotional trauma associated with everything appropriately, but Aliza and Daired must go through a lot together and it’s not pretty. Mature, yes. Well executed, yes, but we have to spend a period of time dealing with the trauma, and it is in here that the story slows down and we lose the traction on the plot.
I would have also liked Aliza to have a bit more involvement in the storyline. I know she is a nakla and as such, will never be out in the forefront swinging swords, and I’m okay with that, but I wanted her to have more autonomy in terms of figuring things out, and executing things that she is good at. For one, there are continuous hints that Aliza must choose a side, and I can’t tell if it’s simply because everyone must eventually choose a side, or because something about Aliza is special, and sadly we don’t learn much more in regards to this this time around either. We also already know that she is already an accomplished healer, and it is only through her quick thinking that Alastair is even around to marry her in the first place. In Dragonshadow, however, although she will always be level headed and steadfast, she really starts to feel like a burden to the trip, something that both she and Alastair are intimately aware of. It’s important for her relationship because it is a test that both she and Alastair must over come, but I was hoping more for a situation where, not that she would prove herself in a blaze of glory, but that the skills she has always had would prove her at least a complimentary part of the journey.
It’s not perfect, but overall, Dragonshadow is an engaging read. Although the areas that I had issue with did cause me to slow down my reading in the middle, the ending makes up for the drag and sets up for what should be a thrilling conclusion. I’m still looking forward to more of Aliza and Alastair’s journey, and I’m hoping that there will be some happier days ahead for the two to them, because they have been through a lot and most likely will have to go through even more before the story is through. ***4 progressing stars***
May 2, 2019
The first book of the series was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice and ended pretty cleanly, so I was nervous to see where she’d do with this one.
I loved it! I feel like we get to know Aliza and Alastair better, and seeing how their relationship developed was a delight.
While the last one closed nicely, this one definitely much more of a cliffhanger-y feel. Can’t wait til the next one!
I loved it! I feel like we get to know Aliza and Alastair better, and seeing how their relationship developed was a delight.
While the last one closed nicely, this one definitely much more of a cliffhanger-y feel. Can’t wait til the next one!
January 21, 2021
2.5*s. Almost all of the tension in this book would have been resolved if just one of two characters had opened their mouths and said something. This was ok but very much hangs on the coattails of its predecessor. I don't think I'll be reading the next; there are too many other good books out there.
dnf
December 17, 2018The scenes between Aliza and Alastair at the beginning are pretty adorable, but I enjoyed the first more for the humor and the P&P connections, so, once the actual plot set in, I lost interest.
December 19, 2019
Aliza Bentaine and Alastair Daired are now married. However, their honeymoon is cut short due to an urgent matter at the kingdom’s northern border that requires a dragonrider’s expertise. Aliza manages to persuade a reluctant Alastair to allow her to accompany him and his dragon Akarra on their journey. An ancient and unidentified monster follows the newlyweds to Lake Meera. The heartstone-stealing creature is not the only foe Aliza and Alastair must face. What secrets will Aliza unearth? Can a weakened Alastair keep his wife safe from unknown dangers?
Alastair is also adapting to married life and the changes brought on from his encounter with the lindworm. He has a rough time at first, especially with his Rider’s instinct to protect and keep Aliza safe from danger. I like how Alastair and Akarra work in concert with Aliza. They are aware that her strengths and skills lie off the battlefield, and they accept that she will never be battle-savvy like they are. What I love the most about Alastair is how he shares his vulnerable side to his wife. He trusts her enough to bare all his secret insecurities, doubts, and fears.
Aliza has really grown since book one, HEARTSTONE. She is slowly assimilating to her new life as a noblewoman and a dragonrider’s wife. I admire Aliza’s determination to protect her warrior husband, even though she is a pacifist and a healer. She understands she will never know the battlefield as her husband does, yet she still insists on sharing Alastair’s burdens. What I adore the most about Aliza is the compassion she shows to the Tekari despite her fear of them and their cruel tendencies. Her empathy does sometimes contradict Alastair’s Rider ethnics.
DRAGONSHADOW is book two in Elle Katharine White’s fantasy romance series, HEARSTONE. The book can standalone; however, it is better to read the prior book to understand Aliza and Alastair’s dynamics. I like how the author moves away from the PRIDE & PREJUDICE theme to explore not only her vivid world but her characters’ lives as newlyweds.
DRAGONSHADOW is a spellbinding tale of love withstanding all sorts of difficult trials. I love how the author’s writing style transported me to this fascinating world. I cannot wait to read more of Alastair and Aliza’s perilous adventures.
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies
Alastair is also adapting to married life and the changes brought on from his encounter with the lindworm. He has a rough time at first, especially with his Rider’s instinct to protect and keep Aliza safe from danger. I like how Alastair and Akarra work in concert with Aliza. They are aware that her strengths and skills lie off the battlefield, and they accept that she will never be battle-savvy like they are. What I love the most about Alastair is how he shares his vulnerable side to his wife. He trusts her enough to bare all his secret insecurities, doubts, and fears.
Aliza has really grown since book one, HEARTSTONE. She is slowly assimilating to her new life as a noblewoman and a dragonrider’s wife. I admire Aliza’s determination to protect her warrior husband, even though she is a pacifist and a healer. She understands she will never know the battlefield as her husband does, yet she still insists on sharing Alastair’s burdens. What I adore the most about Aliza is the compassion she shows to the Tekari despite her fear of them and their cruel tendencies. Her empathy does sometimes contradict Alastair’s Rider ethnics.
DRAGONSHADOW is book two in Elle Katharine White’s fantasy romance series, HEARSTONE. The book can standalone; however, it is better to read the prior book to understand Aliza and Alastair’s dynamics. I like how the author moves away from the PRIDE & PREJUDICE theme to explore not only her vivid world but her characters’ lives as newlyweds.
DRAGONSHADOW is a spellbinding tale of love withstanding all sorts of difficult trials. I love how the author’s writing style transported me to this fascinating world. I cannot wait to read more of Alastair and Aliza’s perilous adventures.
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies
January 7, 2019
White transitions smoothly from the creative retelling of Pride and Prejudice of the first book to crafting a wholly original story in its sequel. I remember being more impressed with her treatment of Pride and Prejudice than her fantasy writing the first time around, but I thought this follow-up showed she can do more than neat tricks with a beloved classic.
I like that Aliza is still trying to figure out where she fits into to Daired’s world, especially that she hasn’t had one training session and is suddenly a warrior woman . Daired’s self-doubt after the events of the first book make sense too, and I’m glad White explores both characters’ internal struggles without a lot of secret-keeping and overdone angst.
If you’re into folklore at all, you’ll probably figure out the deal with Cordelia—I did—but there were still twists in the book that I didn’t anticipate. I’m not sure I liked all of them, but I did enjoy the book, especially how the last part felt like a gothic mystery.
I’m interested to see how the larger arc plays out in the next installment, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for continued healing for Aliza and Daired.
I like that Aliza is still trying to figure out where she fits into to Daired’s world, especially that she hasn’t had one training session and is suddenly a warrior woman . Daired’s self-doubt after the events of the first book make sense too, and I’m glad White explores both characters’ internal struggles without a lot of secret-keeping and overdone angst.
If you’re into folklore at all, you’ll probably figure out the deal with Cordelia—I did—but there were still twists in the book that I didn’t anticipate. I’m not sure I liked all of them, but I did enjoy the book, especially how the last part felt like a gothic mystery.
I’m interested to see how the larger arc plays out in the next installment, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for continued healing for Aliza and Daired.
December 19, 2018
4.5 stars
This is a sequel I didn't realize was happening until a week after it was released, which is a shame because I absolutely adored the first book--I just thought it was a standalone. Nope, apparently not. White has a lot more wiggle room in this book, as it does not follow Pride & Prejudice's main plot like the first book did. I still find the world and the creatures to be fascinating, but this book didn't quite live up to the standards of the first. In fact, most of the characters from the first book are absent in this one, only mentioned in passing, which is a shame. And then I felt like the book dragged a little bit, especially considering how much of the novel was spent with Aliza and Alistair traveling to his next Rider contract. However, I did still really enjoy the story, and by the end I was hooked. So I'm looking forward to the release of book three...and I will be paying more attention to book releases by White in the future.
This is a sequel I didn't realize was happening until a week after it was released, which is a shame because I absolutely adored the first book--I just thought it was a standalone. Nope, apparently not. White has a lot more wiggle room in this book, as it does not follow Pride & Prejudice's main plot like the first book did. I still find the world and the creatures to be fascinating, but this book didn't quite live up to the standards of the first. In fact, most of the characters from the first book are absent in this one, only mentioned in passing, which is a shame. And then I felt like the book dragged a little bit, especially considering how much of the novel was spent with Aliza and Alistair traveling to his next Rider contract. However, I did still really enjoy the story, and by the end I was hooked. So I'm looking forward to the release of book three...and I will be paying more attention to book releases by White in the future.
November 20, 2018
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Epic Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Dragonshadow, by author Elle Katharine White, is the second installment in the authors Heartstone series. If you haven't read the first book, Heartstone, I do suggest you do so. The author infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved novels with her own brand of magic that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world. Picking up several months after the Battle of North Fields, and the War of the Worm ended, Aliza Bentaine nee Daired is on her honeymoon with Alastair Daired, Rider, House of Pendragon.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Epic Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Dragonshadow, by author Elle Katharine White, is the second installment in the authors Heartstone series. If you haven't read the first book, Heartstone, I do suggest you do so. The author infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved novels with her own brand of magic that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world. Picking up several months after the Battle of North Fields, and the War of the Worm ended, Aliza Bentaine nee Daired is on her honeymoon with Alastair Daired, Rider, House of Pendragon.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
July 28, 2019
I loved the first book for the world building, which is detailed and entwined into the storytelling so seamlessly. Now this second book is one of my new faves! I’ll be recommending this series to everybody.
Freed from the constraints of the original P&P storyline, White’s second in the series is more exciting and unpredictable, but still keeps the amazing world building and endearing characters. It’s suspenseful, mysterious, adventurous, emotional, and at times downright frightening.
If you liked the first but thought it was too predictably similar to the original P&P, definitely pick up the sequel. It’s much better than the first (and I loved the first)!
Freed from the constraints of the original P&P storyline, White’s second in the series is more exciting and unpredictable, but still keeps the amazing world building and endearing characters. It’s suspenseful, mysterious, adventurous, emotional, and at times downright frightening.
If you liked the first but thought it was too predictably similar to the original P&P, definitely pick up the sequel. It’s much better than the first (and I loved the first)!
July 18, 2019
White moves away from mannered world of Jane Austen and closer to the sword-and-sorcery territory of Andre Norton. If you're a fan of the Witchworld novels like "Year of the Unicorn" than you'll probably enjoy this tale of a married pair, fighter and healer, hunting down monsters. Politics are swirling around the Daireds and big hints are dropped for the final novel in this fun trilogy. And if you enjoy these books and never read Andre Norton, you should definitely look those up too!
August 1, 2020
4.5⭐️ This book was fantastic, but literally took me a month to read. The character development was awesome. This is such a great adventure story. It was nice to spend some time just watching Aliza and Alastair be a happily married couple. But it was also really interesting to read about the aftermath of the massive battle in the previous book.
Overall, this series is great!
Overall, this series is great!
December 19, 2019
It was so lovely to return to this world and these characters. I was delighted to find a murder mystery at the core of this plot, which I love. The ending didn't wrap up as much as I would want, but now I'm dying to get my hands on the last book so I can finally have my happy ending.
Want to read
November 12, 2017P L E A S E give me anything this woman writes, oh my god.
Want to read
May 7, 2018It's only one of my most anticipated reads this year! <3
December 21, 2021
TW: mutilation, gore, pregnancy, miscarriage
October 29, 2022
Dragonshadow is the sequel to Heartstone, following Aliza and Alistair after they've been wed. Alistair takes a contract to help find the murderer of a child, and Aliza forces herself to go along with him. But there are sinister things happening behind what they find, and a dead man's face is haunting them.
I enjoyed this sequel very much. It wasn't as amazing as book one was for me, but it was still a fantastic story. I do miss the amount of humor and fun from book one, as that's part of what made me fall in love with the characters and writing- but I do understand that the tone of this book fits the plot. Elle White did a great job at writing eerie scenes and building tension for the brewing war and about what unknowns the characters have yet to face. While I did love the romance between them now that they're finally a couple, there were some moments I really wanted to slap these characters at the start of the book.
I also loved the mythical creature plot line to this! The small town creepy vibes surrounding this mystery were fantastic.
Now to get into a bit of a spoiler as it pertains to the relationship:
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
TW For miscarriage. I want to start by saying I have never had any experience with miscarriages, through others or myself. However, I do think that the way it was handled was well-done. I think that it added to the characters, and the emotional distress they went through had me tearing up.
I enjoyed this sequel very much. It wasn't as amazing as book one was for me, but it was still a fantastic story. I do miss the amount of humor and fun from book one, as that's part of what made me fall in love with the characters and writing- but I do understand that the tone of this book fits the plot. Elle White did a great job at writing eerie scenes and building tension for the brewing war and about what unknowns the characters have yet to face. While I did love the romance between them now that they're finally a couple, there were some moments I really wanted to slap these characters at the start of the book.
I also loved the mythical creature plot line to this! The small town creepy vibes surrounding this mystery were fantastic.
Now to get into a bit of a spoiler as it pertains to the relationship:
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
TW For miscarriage. I want to start by saying I have never had any experience with miscarriages, through others or myself. However, I do think that the way it was handled was well-done. I think that it added to the characters, and the emotional distress they went through had me tearing up.
December 20, 2018
DRAGONSHADOW is an easy read even if you haven't picked up the first one. It owes some of that ease to Austen. If you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice, you'll find familiar characters within DRAGONSHADOW's pages. If you're not, the fantasy and mystery elements are strong enough on their own merits to draw in readers.
DRAGONSHADOW has enough world building to set it apart from Austen's novel while still retaining some Austen flair. I enjoyed the fantastical elements and Aliza's personality--a healer making her way among warriors. But the main conflicts between her and Alastair could have been avoided if they talked to each other.
I quite enjoyed that romance takes a backseat to action and mystery in DRAGONSHADOW. Aliza's point-of-view drew me in. And while I did have some frustration with lack of communication, I enjoyed my time in a Pride and Prejudice and dragons world.
DRAGONSHADOW has enough world building to set it apart from Austen's novel while still retaining some Austen flair. I enjoyed the fantastical elements and Aliza's personality--a healer making her way among warriors. But the main conflicts between her and Alastair could have been avoided if they talked to each other.
I quite enjoyed that romance takes a backseat to action and mystery in DRAGONSHADOW. Aliza's point-of-view drew me in. And while I did have some frustration with lack of communication, I enjoyed my time in a Pride and Prejudice and dragons world.
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