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Dragonflight Academy #1
Lesson in Sparks
Welcome to Dragonflight Academy, where you have all the room to soar...and so very far to fall.
I'm Lina Hearne. Top of my graduating class. Kin to dragon royalty. Survivor of great evil.
And a dragon who can't fly.
I just got my acceptance letter to the elite Dragonflight Academy. I'll have my chance to become a leader of our people, carving a new path of human-dragon interaction into the modern age.
But the cursed rune carved into my flesh prevents me from shifting, and no one can know or I'm out of this school. Out of dragon society. Outcast.
I can't tell Beau, my good friend who went and got all hunky on me over the summer. Not Kavi, the sweet dreamer with the gift for healing. Not even Dalton, the outcast with the smoldering smile and the keen understanding of what it means to fall from grace.
And sure as hell not the dragon bullies who are determined to see me fail...or die trying.
Lesson in Sparks is the first in the Dragonflight Academy series, set in the world of Arysia Bellmont. It's a fast-burn reverse harem romance with some potentially triggering scenes, action, adventure, and steamy romance between collegiate-aged individuals.
I'm Lina Hearne. Top of my graduating class. Kin to dragon royalty. Survivor of great evil.
And a dragon who can't fly.
I just got my acceptance letter to the elite Dragonflight Academy. I'll have my chance to become a leader of our people, carving a new path of human-dragon interaction into the modern age.
But the cursed rune carved into my flesh prevents me from shifting, and no one can know or I'm out of this school. Out of dragon society. Outcast.
I can't tell Beau, my good friend who went and got all hunky on me over the summer. Not Kavi, the sweet dreamer with the gift for healing. Not even Dalton, the outcast with the smoldering smile and the keen understanding of what it means to fall from grace.
And sure as hell not the dragon bullies who are determined to see me fail...or die trying.
Lesson in Sparks is the first in the Dragonflight Academy series, set in the world of Arysia Bellmont. It's a fast-burn reverse harem romance with some potentially triggering scenes, action, adventure, and steamy romance between collegiate-aged individuals.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2019
40 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 1, 2020
Lesson in Sparks reads on a very YA vibe if you were to remove the sexual scenes. It's just too tame and lacks the sharp edge of maturity and danger from the story.
My dumbass didn't read the last bit of the blurb properly to realise this is a spinoff from a different series so I felt like I was dropped into something that didn't read like a first book in a series. It wasn't hard to follow and get a gist of whatever events have occurred in the previous series since the world building is not that complicated but I feel like the whole point of having the academy scene isn't explored beyond the obvious needed scenes of flying classes and brushed over scenes of warding. There isn't much academy related scenes you would expect from an academy book.
The plot is just very bare bones, there isn't much content to build on things we are presented in the beginning itself. With dragons involved, I expected action scenes you know especially after learning the FMC has combat experience but the action is barely there. The YA feel hits home when even the end scene doesn't have any action before just going we gotta figure out what's going on here.. in the next book.
The characters are okay with a very evident sense of young characters feel permeating throughout the book with how they talk and react. The harem guys are just too cutesy sweet types. They don't have much details and honestly they don't have much content to show the relationship they develop with Lina. I get Beau has a history with her but the other two didn't have anything to go so gaga over her.
The book is not so bad but it's not that creative with underwhelming use of the academy or the dragon elements that could have added more substance to this plot or a romance that doesn't have the intensity for a bunch of dragons.
My dumbass didn't read the last bit of the blurb properly to realise this is a spinoff from a different series so I felt like I was dropped into something that didn't read like a first book in a series. It wasn't hard to follow and get a gist of whatever events have occurred in the previous series since the world building is not that complicated but I feel like the whole point of having the academy scene isn't explored beyond the obvious needed scenes of flying classes and brushed over scenes of warding. There isn't much academy related scenes you would expect from an academy book.
The plot is just very bare bones, there isn't much content to build on things we are presented in the beginning itself. With dragons involved, I expected action scenes you know especially after learning the FMC has combat experience but the action is barely there. The YA feel hits home when even the end scene doesn't have any action before just going we gotta figure out what's going on here.. in the next book.
The characters are okay with a very evident sense of young characters feel permeating throughout the book with how they talk and react. The harem guys are just too cutesy sweet types. They don't have much details and honestly they don't have much content to show the relationship they develop with Lina. I get Beau has a history with her but the other two didn't have anything to go so gaga over her.
The book is not so bad but it's not that creative with underwhelming use of the academy or the dragon elements that could have added more substance to this plot or a romance that doesn't have the intensity for a bunch of dragons.
August 31, 2019
TLDR: If you like any of Katya Moore's books, this one is not to be missed. If you haven't read anything of Katya Moore's, this is a good (although perhaps not the best) place to start.
Technical stuff: This story is a paranormal (dragons) adventure/reverse harem (RH), intended for adults. There is explicit sex in the story line (helping the storyline along, rather than sex scenes strung together with attempts at a story), as well as some NSFW language (again, not gratuitous). If these bother you, then perhaps this isn't the book for you. There are shades of Academy and bully genres included in this book; there is some violence (bullying and fighting) which may be triggering for some, but again, it is not gratuitous.
This is a continuation of the universe where Arysia Bellmont is Shadow (Dragon) Queen. The Arysia Belmont series is a quintet of books that is helpful to have, but not necessary. This book focuses on Sia's sister-in-law, Chase's younger sister, Lina Hearne. (For those who are interested in reading this specific backstory, read "Shadow and Flame: The Third of the Arysia Bellmont Series".
The story is told in first person, from several people's perspectives. There is a cliff-hanger ending in the overarching story line although the "immediate" story is resolved within the book. It stands alone as a story, but a bit of nuance may be missing if you have not read the Arysia Belmont quintet.
Opinions and overview of story (with minimal spoilers): For nearly 20 years of dragon shifters being unable to shift more than half-way due to the absence of a Shadow Queen. Sia has become queen, and dragonkind has recovered the full ability to shift. The fact that so many of these young adults (18-25ish) haven't learned how to handle their dragon shifting prompts the royal family and the Elders (the royal advisors) agree (with decidedly mixed willingness) to create an Academy to teach those dragons how to manage shifting, and all that goes with it.
We also learn more about dragonkind's culture: since female dragons are not as populous as male dragons, it is not unusual to have females have multiple partners/mates, and the male dragons are happy when they manage to get along with their female's other paramours. Sexual orientation isn't nearly the "big deal" that it is for American humans--lesbian and bi-sexual behavior is acceptable, and it is accepted and even expected that dragons will be sexually active as adults, with or without marriage.
As with any significant change in power structures, there are those that are willing to attempt new things, while others want to hang on to their own power like "in the good old days". Sia has become Queen and has a daughter with her prince (king?) consorts cohort. One of the Elders has been held accountable for being a traitor, and there is significant politics and conspiracies around. There appear to be three factions: One faction is separatists--humans and dragons don't mix; the second faction seeks dragon and human co-existence and awareness; the third, dragon domination over humankind. This is the overarching story for the series.
Lina is a fire dragon: the warriors of dragon society. She was the premier student in the military school and scout, captured by the cult Chosen of Apep--dragonkind's mortal enemies-- resulting in her being seriously hurt and tortured ("Shadow and Flame: The Third of the Arysia Bellmont Series".). Lina survived the physical torture, but is struggling with resulting PTSD. To compound problems, Lina's father is a fanatical soldier who does not believe his "good" child (Lina) would need anything but her own internal strength. (Chase, her older brother, was and is considered the black sheep of the family, despite being consort to Sia.) Lina is sent to Dragonflight Academy, and hopes to "make" her career by being successful in Dragonflight Academy.
Lina reconnects with a friend of hers, Beau, only that he's finally grown into his potential, and with Alzane, another young dragon who was captured by the Chosen of Apep. Lina and Alzane become roommates (to both of their relief, knowing that PTSD night-terrors are common between them both.) Lina is continuously finding her accomplishments marginalized (since she is the Queen's sister-in-law) or because she has excelled so much that it is simply expected.
Throw in an "intellectual elitist jerk", an entitled catty bully, a family member of the previously dishonored traitor, a protective healer, a curse, a professor reminiscent of Snape from Harry Potter, a professor who sees everything as an intellectual puzzle, a senator, a meddling headmistress determined to dictate Lina's love-life, and guys being stupid with noble intentions, and you get a sense of who the main players are and perhaps where things might go.
I definitely enjoyed the story, the sex scenes are fun and hot, the emotions and relationships feel authentic. I definitely recommend reading this book.
Technical stuff: This story is a paranormal (dragons) adventure/reverse harem (RH), intended for adults. There is explicit sex in the story line (helping the storyline along, rather than sex scenes strung together with attempts at a story), as well as some NSFW language (again, not gratuitous). If these bother you, then perhaps this isn't the book for you. There are shades of Academy and bully genres included in this book; there is some violence (bullying and fighting) which may be triggering for some, but again, it is not gratuitous.
This is a continuation of the universe where Arysia Bellmont is Shadow (Dragon) Queen. The Arysia Belmont series is a quintet of books that is helpful to have, but not necessary. This book focuses on Sia's sister-in-law, Chase's younger sister, Lina Hearne. (For those who are interested in reading this specific backstory, read "Shadow and Flame: The Third of the Arysia Bellmont Series".
The story is told in first person, from several people's perspectives. There is a cliff-hanger ending in the overarching story line although the "immediate" story is resolved within the book. It stands alone as a story, but a bit of nuance may be missing if you have not read the Arysia Belmont quintet.
Opinions and overview of story (with minimal spoilers): For nearly 20 years of dragon shifters being unable to shift more than half-way due to the absence of a Shadow Queen. Sia has become queen, and dragonkind has recovered the full ability to shift. The fact that so many of these young adults (18-25ish) haven't learned how to handle their dragon shifting prompts the royal family and the Elders (the royal advisors) agree (with decidedly mixed willingness) to create an Academy to teach those dragons how to manage shifting, and all that goes with it.
We also learn more about dragonkind's culture: since female dragons are not as populous as male dragons, it is not unusual to have females have multiple partners/mates, and the male dragons are happy when they manage to get along with their female's other paramours. Sexual orientation isn't nearly the "big deal" that it is for American humans--lesbian and bi-sexual behavior is acceptable, and it is accepted and even expected that dragons will be sexually active as adults, with or without marriage.
As with any significant change in power structures, there are those that are willing to attempt new things, while others want to hang on to their own power like "in the good old days". Sia has become Queen and has a daughter with her prince (king?) consorts cohort. One of the Elders has been held accountable for being a traitor, and there is significant politics and conspiracies around. There appear to be three factions: One faction is separatists--humans and dragons don't mix; the second faction seeks dragon and human co-existence and awareness; the third, dragon domination over humankind. This is the overarching story for the series.
Lina is a fire dragon: the warriors of dragon society. She was the premier student in the military school and scout, captured by the cult Chosen of Apep--dragonkind's mortal enemies-- resulting in her being seriously hurt and tortured ("Shadow and Flame: The Third of the Arysia Bellmont Series".). Lina survived the physical torture, but is struggling with resulting PTSD. To compound problems, Lina's father is a fanatical soldier who does not believe his "good" child (Lina) would need anything but her own internal strength. (Chase, her older brother, was and is considered the black sheep of the family, despite being consort to Sia.) Lina is sent to Dragonflight Academy, and hopes to "make" her career by being successful in Dragonflight Academy.
Lina reconnects with a friend of hers, Beau, only that he's finally grown into his potential, and with Alzane, another young dragon who was captured by the Chosen of Apep. Lina and Alzane become roommates (to both of their relief, knowing that PTSD night-terrors are common between them both.) Lina is continuously finding her accomplishments marginalized (since she is the Queen's sister-in-law) or because she has excelled so much that it is simply expected.
Throw in an "intellectual elitist jerk", an entitled catty bully, a family member of the previously dishonored traitor, a protective healer, a curse, a professor reminiscent of Snape from Harry Potter, a professor who sees everything as an intellectual puzzle, a senator, a meddling headmistress determined to dictate Lina's love-life, and guys being stupid with noble intentions, and you get a sense of who the main players are and perhaps where things might go.
I definitely enjoyed the story, the sex scenes are fun and hot, the emotions and relationships feel authentic. I definitely recommend reading this book.
September 2, 2019
The story flowed well, and held my interest. I didn't read the series that this sprang from, and wasn't lost. I liked this book, but there were a few little hiccups here & there in the story. I did like Lina, Beau, Kavi, & Dalton -for the little I really got to know them on the pages. I felt like the relationship aspect for them were glossed over a bit too much, in order for the sexual situations to be inserted. I wanted to see a bond or love form between them, not just her needing the sex to overcome the curse in order to fly. She knew Beau previously, but not really the others, but yet she suddenly wants them in her RH. I suspect there will be one more guy added to the harem in the end, & it will be interesting to see if it's who I think it will be. I will definitely want to read book 2.
August 25, 2019
So good !
I really like this book! The characters are well written and interesting. The storyline is solid and well written. !
I really like this book! The characters are well written and interesting. The storyline is solid and well written. !
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews