Dragon War

Dragon Guard #4

by Debbie Cassidy

Threat hovers on the horizon, and it's time to meet it head on.

An unexpected betrayal, revelations, and a reunion that I didn't know I needed. But there is no time to revel in what I've gained because there is too much to lose.

Anya's Journey continues in Dragon War, the thrilling finale to the Dragon Guard series.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Paranormal, Romance, Magic, Dystopia, Paranormal Romance

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 12, 2022

About the author

Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head. She writes Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

Connect with Debbie via her website at https://debbiecassidyauthor.com, email her at debbiecassidyauthor@gmail.com or check her out on twitter https://twitter.com/authordcassidy Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/17595...

Reviews

[Dreia Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an epic conclusion!! Anya!! I want to know more! I am going to miss this series. There was so much happening in this book so much to tie up and Debbie didn’t it flawlessly. I fell in love with Orion and Vesper even more! The love between Helgi and Anya was beautifully written. Of course, Azazel was everything!

[Regan McNutt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series started off so strong and by the end I was disappointed. There was so much potential for this series to be one of the best dragon fantasies but I think the author rushed a lot of the story and missed out on a lot of key details. However, it was a good quick read, just wish the story had more depth.

[Missy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book four in the Dragon Guard series had an great ending. I am a huge fan of Cassidy's and she never disappoints on her series. I have not found one where I was ever not happy with the conclusion.

This series will grab your attention and not let go. Which is a typical Debbie book. I love how she creates the world and the characters, each unique to themselves.

As always the characters are strong, fun and the story is filled with action, and an afterthought of romance. Just how I like it.

If you have not read this series yet, I would highly recommend it. While you are at it, try anyone one of her series, they are all so good@

[Naurarwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anya has found her mother, but now she needs to find the second book. And it's a task that isn't easy especially when it leads them to a land where no one wants to go. This book is a brilliant conclusion to a brilliant series. There are so many twists and turns in this book as well as the entire series, we get to see Anya and her men strengthening their bonds and Anya coming to terms with losing the one figure saw as a father figure while plotting to take down the one who took him from her.

Can't wait to see what the author, Debbie Cassidy throws at us in the future. She is one of my one-click authors and I will never get tired of her story telling.

[Brandy Hathaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series Review: Great concept, poor execution.

The overall plot was wonderful. This tale had an epic fantasy soul with an interesting take on Nordic lore. I wish the author utilized, or was capable of, better diction. The storytelling was rushed. Scene changes that were not tied to a POV change were not clearly delineated. World building could have been better, especially concerning distance traveled and its time correlation. It does not logically take equal time to either walk, fly, or drive between the same two locations. This is a YA series therefore intended for an adult audience, as indicated by the erotic scenes that do not fade to black, so using the juvenile equivalent of adult vernacular for expletives is bad writing and a personal pet peeve. (Either skip it entirely or use adult language.) Ultimate I came away from this series wishing it had been penned by an author on par with Jacqueline Carry or Brandon Sanderson to fully narrate what should have been an amazing story.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe that this is the last book in the series, but I know that the author will have another series just a good as, if not better, than this one. Anya is dealing with so much, and this book is just so full of action and intrigue. Everything is just tied up so very well, and I am really going to miss these characters. I generally don’t like reverse harem/why-choose books, but with this author, she makes me love them and the characters. This is an epic finale, and I really hope we get to see them in the future. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Froggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I love and hate about Debbie Cassidy is that even if you think you know who is going to be endgame at the beginning of the series there’s a pretty good chance you’re wrong 😂😂. Truly, nobody is safe from her pen 😑

I enjoyed this series a lot although I will say that the ending wasn’t quite what I was hoping it would be. I can see logically why everything happened the way it did, but I was emotionally hoping for a better solution. I also don’t love that in the end there is geographical separation between some key characters (40 days a year? Come on….). I do like that we’re left with a little nugget of potential in the epilogue, but overall I just wanted a little more from the ending.

[Scheylis ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Con ese final, espero totalmente otro libro, porque yo no me puedo quedar así.🙂‍↔️🫵

Sinceramente, solo llegué a esta saga porque estaba buscando un libro para que mi Reading Journal no quedara disparejo en las páginas, perooo me he llevado una total sorpresa. Me la he pasado tan bien que no quería que se acabara; si hubiera más libros, también me los leería felizmente.😭🐉🫶

De los cuatro libros, creo que este fue el que menos me gustó. No es que no me gustara, sino que no me sentí tan metida o involucrada como con los otros. Quizás fue porque había tantos POV y muchos de ellos ni me interesaban, aunque fueran importantes para la trama; la verdad es que me daban pereza. Si no fuera porque le tengo cariño a los personajes y a estos libros, quizás le hubiera puesto menos nota.

Durante varios libros se venía construyendo algo importante y siento que el desenlace se sintió muy meh. La verdad es que esperaba más después de tantos tomos, además de que muchos temas se resolvieron súper fácil o se sintieron demasiado fáciles. También me hubiera gustado obtener algo más antes del epílogo; del último capítulo al epílogo siento que hay bastante que me hubiera gustado saber. Eso sí, qué forma de dejar a uno con la intriga y con ganas de más al final.

Creo que desde el segundo libro no siento esa conexión con Azazel y ya no estoy tan involucrada con él desde ESO en el tercero, y tenerlo aquí tan presente y leer tanto de él con Anya… no fue mi cup of tea. Lo siento, Azazel, la verdad es que te quería mucho en el segundo libro; mi yo de aquel entonces hubiera estado muy feliz con esto.😔😔

Lo que sí me gustó fue ver más de Orión y Anya; fue bonito verlos juntos y cómo se fueron acercando. También me gustó descubrir más del Dreki de hielo. Además, la amistad y el vínculo que hicieron Orión y Azazel fue tan bonito que hasta pensé que fueran BL.🙂‍↔️

Aquí estuve bien triste porque me dieron bien poquito de Vesper y Anya, y ellos sí eran mi cup of tea. La verdad es que aquí extrañé las interacciones de ellos, con sus bromas y su forma de ser tan complementaria. Entiendo que los otros también necesitaban protagonismo, pero tampoco era para dejarme sin nada de Vesper y Anya.😩😩

Y Anya, como siempre desde el primer libro… qué mujerón. Le hago una reverencia a mi reina y espero sinceramente que este no sea el último libro y que en un futuro haya más.

Pd: estoy tannn triste de despedirme de Vesper.😭🫶

[MandyViolete · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I was done losing lives. It was time to take them." I mean come ON! Even just that one line should show how epic this finale is! I absolutely love Anya and we get some point of view shifts, which I say I don't like but with this author I love every single one it seems because every shift was epically planned and well done! My favorite is the POV shift to Helgi, which is amazing to see inside her mind and how she feels about things. My favorite part of this book is the action, but the steam and feels are on point! I had legit tears during one particular scene, and the hot scenes are flaming! I can't decide who I like Anya with more so I'm glad this is a why-choose! And we get some revenge moments, or perhaps they are more avenged, and they are amazingly satisfying. I loved watching Anya do her thing, watching all of the puzzle pieces come together and twist into a 3d thing that's been piecing together all series and now we get the full picture and it is EPIC! But of all the characters, I loved Helgi and her story the most. Anya might be the FMC, but the story wouldn't have been possible without Helgi. The ending is magical and the ending line had me wanting to jump up and down and scream! This series is one that you will binge read, and when you get to the end, you'll be compelled to binge read the entire series again. This book definitely has me in a hangover and it feels like re-reading the entire set is the only cure! If you love adventure, hot steamy moments, unique monsters, action that will have you holding your breath for pages, emotional turmoil, and a HEA that hits so hard, this is the book and series for you!

[GudeRH · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rating is for the overall series.

I honestly loved the first two books.. but I felt like the last 2 were a little bit all over the place.
*SPOILERS*

In book 3, I did not agree with what happened to one of her supposed mates. It felt like it wasn't justified that the author just killed him off after rejecting the FMC, with no chance of redeeming himself. AND he was one of the characters I liked in the first 2 books. Also, the part about mother being the previous mates of her love interests just rubbed me the wrong way. The redeeming factor in this book was Vesper... hoooly, hoooly, Vesper. NUFF SAID.

The ending was just too rushed for me. Like I wished there was like maybe 5 more chapters instead of just the epilogue. But the author did tie up all the loose ends. It was just to rushed for me.

I did like the world building and the character building as well (aside from the killing off for no reason). I just wished it wasn't too rushed.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome conclusion to this series, and I will miss the extraordinary world full of magic, wonders, and strong characters at the forefront. War is on the horizon, but as Anya and her mates progress, it becomes less and less clear if the enemy is really the enemy they expect. or whether the reality is in fact completely different.. and if the revelation / realization comes too late, the price to pay might be too high.
I absolutely loved the series, the adventurous story with intricate plot with lots of surprising twists, the vivid world it was set up in, or the awesome characters that drove the story forward with their energy, motivation, and stark determination. I enjoyed Anya and her chosen family, their individuality as well as group dynamics. There were surprising elements that made me wonder about the author's great creativity (that squirrel was pretty awesome), and the conclusion gives me a tiny bit of hope we might revisit the world once again in the future.

[Denise H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a wonderful series. This last book, though it had some exciting parts - suspense, danger, edge-of-your-set anticipation, it was a little bit less that I thought it would be. I was really hoping for a different outcome between Anya and all the guys together, instead of having to just have specific time between some (though, understandable due to circumstances). I did enjoy the look ahead and recap, but I do wish that there would have been at least a little snippet from each of the main characters thoughts, instead of a story being told through someone else's eyes. I loved the main characters and the world building and everything else leading up to the final book. Again, even though I enjoyed this one too, I wish it had been a little bit more. Personal preferences aside, this is still a great series and I do recommend.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG what an epic finale! This series has been incredible from the get go and with each passing book you find yourself drawn deeper and deeper into this amazing world that the author has created for us. Anya’s journey has been such an incredible adventure filled with action, suspense, drama and danger and even as we get answers to our many many questions, we find more twists and turns thrown our way. The slow burn romance has been hot and steamy and their relationships have just gotten better and better with each passing book and told from multiple pov’s, I feel has enhanced it even more. It’s been an emotional journey with many high moments and many low but the author has done any incredible job with this epic ending and I have loved every minute of it.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final book in the Dragon Guard series, and it was so great! This series has been full of surprise twists and this book is no different. I've really enjoyed getting to see how all the characters, both main and secondary, have evolved throughout the series. The dynamic between them all has really changed and grown through the course of the books in a really special way. The relationship between Anya and her guys is full of fire but also mutual respect and love. This book is pretty epic and hits you with the full range of emotions. While I'm so glad to see these characters get their happy ending, I really hope we get the chance to revisit this world because it has been such a joy to experience.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, but could have been better.

This book is go, go, go from beginning until the last chapter when it pretty much falls flat on its face. I kid you not, I thought there would need to be another book when I was at 15 minutes estimated reading time left and there was so much that seemed to still need to happen.

Then everything gets wrapped up in one chapter and an epilogue. It was rather anticlimactic in my opinion. I know very well that life happens and maybe that was the case with this book. She needed to finish it so she did.

The book certainly isn’t bad, but it isn’t what I had hoped for either. I would encourage you to read it for yourself if you enjoyed the previous books. Just because I was disappointed doesn’t mean you will be. 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[cher · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Tenho uma sugestão para quando você rastrear o grimório. Leve Orion com você."
"Por que Orion?"

Porque você já fodeu e beijou todos os outros e falta ele, e não por qualquer outro motivo que a autora inventou do porquê você precisa dele agora.

(🚫)

Bem, eu enrolei tanto que fui agora terminar de ler e minha assinatura no kindle unlimited acabou, então... não vou pagar mais um mês só para terminar esse livro. Não vale a pena. Parei perto dos 20%, mas sinto que foi o suficiente.

(😮‍💨)

Minhas considerações finais. Essa série é decepcionante. Não sei se esse é o último livro, mas acho que não, a autora que fazer dinheiro no fim das contas. Só não sei quem pagará por isso. Eu realmente gostei dos primeiros livros, mas a história decaiu muito do último pra cá.

É um harém reverso, mas não sinto a conexão da Anya com ninguém, nem com o Azazel que era um dos meus preferidos e realmente tinha uma relação íntima com ela. Mas parece que no momento que eles puderam se tocar, todo o tesão acumulado pelo amor impossível, desapareceu. E eu realmente não me importo se ele vai se tornar próximo dos outros dois ou não. Realmente, realmente, não me importo.

E a falta que senti que Dante deixaria ficou evidente nesse livro. Os outros não conseguiram preencher seu espaço, nem com Azazel possuindo seu corpo. Até porque Dante era um dos motivos dos três primeiros livros serem bons.

Orion e o outro (que esqueci o nome) não são personagens interessantes para mim. Orion tinha algum charme no livro anterior, mas nesse sua atuação parece enferrujada e artificial. Ele parecia um homem frio que tinha 0 intimidade com Anya e iria se envolver com ela aos poucos, e apesar disso, transbordava charme sensual e misterioso. Mas aqui a mudança da chavinha de "estou fazendo sexo com ela porque é um dever" para "ela é a mulher da minha vida" foi inesperada. De repente ele estava completamente apaixonado. Soou falso, não vi essa mudança chegando. O outro integrante do harém era divertido até certo ponto nos primeiros livros, mas nunca foi do meu gosto pessoal. Nesse, ele se tornou o integrante número um para Anya e isso é irritante, porque para mim ele está em último. A autora não deveria deixar seus personagens tão tendenciosos. Se é um harém, ela deveria amar todos igualmente.

E acho que o motivo principal de ter me desconectado dessa história é essa relação estranha com a mãe dela. Primeiro, não tinha necessidade dessa mulher ressuscitar. Literalmente, ninguém pediu. Dois, é tão desconfortável que ela se sinta insegura se algum de seus homens sente algo pela mãe dela. Então, ela segue competindo com sua mãe e a autora tentando nos mostrar como Anya é superior a sua mãe. É tudo tão estranho. Apenas não.

Eu oficialmente encerro com essa série e possivelmente com essa autora.

[FluffPandas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely epic finale! I loved every second of reading this book and read it in one day!

I am obsessed with Anya and Helgi, their relationship is just so beautifully written, I just can't put into words how much I love their friendship!

Azazel is absolutely irresistible and although I love all of the guys he has carved a little space for himself inside my brain!

I have adored the plot, it's complex but not complicated and the character's relationships intertwine with it rather than them both running parallel to each other.

The writing is just amazing! I can't wait for whatever comes next!

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dragon Guard series comes to an Epic conclusion in book four. It picks up where book three left off and the transition is nicely done. This book was so hard to put down and it made me want to start reading the series over again. Anya and her crew have to divide and conquer to achieve their goals. The action, magic, suspense, Twists and adventures in this story will have you on the edge of your seat. Love the bonds that Anya has formed with her guys. It takes a lot of courage for her to achieve everything that she does and everything starts to fall into place toward the end. Highly recommend this series and author. Can’t wait to see what the author does next. A spin off perhaps?

[Tara Syrnyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has been epic and this final book was amazing. I adore the relationship between anya and Helgi, it's such a beautiful thing and it was so great to see them grow together, their friendship is one of a kind! This entire series has been a wild ride and I have loved every moment. The twists and turns, the steam and action, the drama, it was all so so good. Debbie is such a phenomenal storyteller, her world building and character creations are complex, diverse and intricately done, her stories always flow so well and read very comfortably. I loved how this series finished, and while I am sad to see it end, I am always excited to see what we will be treated with next!

[C. Erani Kole · Rating 5 out of 5]

tearsssss

Okay, this was great. There was a lot of sad ish that made me bawl on the inside and it’s almost scary how everyone had to keep doing the whole compartmentalization thing during the war just to get things done. I kinda wonder what happened to some of the humans, it’s not really talked about in detail.

The ending was great. I can’t believe the things this author does with her characters though lmao legit beast, man.

I’ll probably forget names and plot details like most stories but I won’t forget the way this made me feel, nor will I forget the new world this place has become. Ugh here come the inside tears.

[Katie Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling post-apocalyptic, magic filled, dragon roller coaster ride.

This stunning final installment of the Dragon Guard series was breathtaking. The ups and downs of the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Vesper was my favorite of this book, and I was absolutely in love with Anya’s entire harem. I really like how Anya kept her biological parents at arm's length but always kept the hope for a more in-depth relationship alive. I’m sad to see this series finish, although it felt complete, I’m hoping with the last chapter we might see these characters again.

[Jennifer Soppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left me stunned

Anya, a human/dragon hybrid, and the three Dreki lords, Vesper, Dante, and Orion, have made some startling discoveries as they finished their trek in Dragon Ashes. As the story progresses her mind is split, the find out something they can not quit, and the final battle may cause them to lose it. Dragon War left me stunned with the revelations and actions that were taken by Anya and her guys.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

[Rachel Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final book in the dragon guard series and it was beautifully wrapped up. The writing was great, we get all the answers we needed from the series, the action that the finale deserves and the characters grow into the people they're destined to be. Anya was such a fun character and I loved her strength in this final book. Wow! Azazel was perfect, loved him! The way all the characters come together and you love each and every one of them is such a talent that Debbie has given us through this story. Fantastic read!

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Anya’s tale ends, Debbie Cassidy finds a way to give us the closure we need, after following these characters through the four books in her Dragon Guard series. Dragon War is the ending we needed. And even with the heartache of this storyline ending, we are provided with an exciting and complete book.

With her hybrid bloodline, Anya and her Dreki Lords have provided us with thrills, action, sorrow, misunderstandings, passion, and finally love.

I enjoy each book I read by author Debbie Cassidy. And look forward to all the future stories she plans to tell!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic conclusion to this series. So many great examples of how stories can be twisted to make anyone and everyone believe. This finale has you going through every emotion from sadness, to rage, happiness and everything in between. Anya's relationships are perfect for her character and everything they go through is so fitting. I can't wait to see if there are more of this world in the future especially with that ending. Well done Debbie, as always.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh heavens. I kinda feel like I have been punched in the heart. I can't believe Anya's story has finally come to an end. Missing this world is definitely going to be a thing. These books will go onto my shelf for multiple rereads.

The absolute bombs dropped in this book were incredible. I couldn't believe the turn of events. This was an incredible read. I do not wish for it to be over. I will miss these characters immensely!!

[Retta · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Debbie Cassidy leads us to a fantastic ending. One that I didn’t even come close to foreseeing. Azazel is, as always, my favorite. He is such a great character and while totally devoted to Anya, still does what needs to be done to save everyone. It was magnificent! I absolutely loved the ending to this book. The only fault that I found, was that it is over!! But I’m sure there will be more from Ms Cassidy in the future that I enjoy just as much!

[Jacqueline Chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful conclusion to the series. Dragons and magic and love with wonderful characters that have grown deeply entrenched in my heart. I may have found my favorite character of all in Azazel. This book draws together all the questions and ties them up beautifully and believably. It even leaves room for a spin off or follow up. I would totally be down with that. So much action and drama kept the pages turning effortlessly and I was sad to see it end. Definitely recommend for all the feels.

[Theresa Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply amazing! This book has tons of action and surprises. Anya and Helgi are the perfect best friends. Helgi is such a well written character you can't help but love her. She will do anything for Anya. Azazel is my favorite of her guys. He so protective of Anya it makes my heart melt. This was such and amazing ending to this story. Once you start you won't be able to put it down. It's a total roller coaster of emotions but only in the best way possible.

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anya's journey comes to an epic conclusion in this long awaited final book of the Dragon Guard series. Filled with tons of action and suspense this last book does not disappoint. Answers are revealed and surprise twists kept me glued to the story from start to finish. It had been awhile sicne I read the rpevious books but my love for the characters came flooding back once I started reading. Sad to see this series end but look forward to what Ms. Cassidy brings us next.