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Dragon Falls #1
Dragon Fall
YOU FLIRT WITH FIRE...
For Aoife Dakar, seeing is believing—and she's seen some extraordinary things. It's too bad no one else believes that she witnessed a supernatural murder at an outdoor fair. Returning to the scene for proof, Aoife encounters a wise-cracking demon dog—and a gloriously naked man who can shift into a dragon and kiss like a god. Now thrust into a fantastical world that's both exhilarating and terrifying, Aoife is about to learn just how hot a dragon's fire burns.
WHEN YOU DATE A DRAGON
Kostya has no time for a human woman with endless questions, no matter how gorgeous or tempting she is. He must break the curse that has splintered the dragon clans before more of his kind die. But his powerful attraction to Aoife runs much deeper than the physical—and there may be more to her than even his sharp dragon eyes can see. To survive the coming battle for the fate of his race, he needs a mate of true heart and soul . . .
For Aoife Dakar, seeing is believing—and she's seen some extraordinary things. It's too bad no one else believes that she witnessed a supernatural murder at an outdoor fair. Returning to the scene for proof, Aoife encounters a wise-cracking demon dog—and a gloriously naked man who can shift into a dragon and kiss like a god. Now thrust into a fantastical world that's both exhilarating and terrifying, Aoife is about to learn just how hot a dragon's fire burns.
WHEN YOU DATE A DRAGON
Kostya has no time for a human woman with endless questions, no matter how gorgeous or tempting she is. He must break the curse that has splintered the dragon clans before more of his kind die. But his powerful attraction to Aoife runs much deeper than the physical—and there may be more to her than even his sharp dragon eyes can see. To survive the coming battle for the fate of his race, he needs a mate of true heart and soul . . .
323 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2015
About the author
Katie MacAlister
101 books5,936 followersFor as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
December 26, 2015
This ring ain't so precious.
Dragon Fall was like visiting old friends. I'm a dedicated romance reader whose as fickle as a pickle. A couple of my friends read this book and struggled with the humour. To be honest, it made me want it more. Katie MacAlister has a dorky sense of humour and I was definitely in a dorky mood. Mix that with an attractive, brooding, stubborn, possessive, alpha and shapeshifting dragons, you definitely have me hooked. This author is definitely an acquired taste, but obviously her style suits me. A HUGE step away from reality, Dragon Fall is paranormal romance with silly humour, action, adventure, mystery and love.
The storyline at first made me a little cranky. The heroine, Aiofe, witnesses a crime that is completely unexplainable. No one believes her story, so she is dumped in a medical facility so she can see the errors of her ways. So on behalf of her, I already had my back up. She is eventually released after suffering some horrible treatments, but when she returns home, the sister (cow), who put her in the facility, leaves her immediately. So much for caring for her mental well-being. Within hours, Aiofe's world is changed forever.
The hero of the story, the leader of the black wyvern, Kostya, has a permanent frown on his face. He's been through a lot in recent years, which has made him weary. When he meets the heroine he knows what she is to him but denies it till the end.
There's this ring, sort of like Lord of the Rings, but different. Everyone wants it, but doesn't necessarily want to possess it. This ring holds a lot of power and tends to create mischief. This story mainly focuses on Aiofe learning and harnessing its power.
If you're a true Katie MacAlister fan you will get and love this story. If you stepped in for a visit, you'll probably think it's silly and juvenile. Aisling, Drake, Rene and Jim are back, with Jim, the talking demon dog, stealing the show. I still enjoy this series, but I know what I'm getting and know what mood I need to be in to fully enjoy it. I will definitely be interested to see how Aiofe's cow of a sister Bee, redeems herself in her own story which is up next.
To buy Dragon Fall from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1OklLmy
Dragon Fall was like visiting old friends. I'm a dedicated romance reader whose as fickle as a pickle. A couple of my friends read this book and struggled with the humour. To be honest, it made me want it more. Katie MacAlister has a dorky sense of humour and I was definitely in a dorky mood. Mix that with an attractive, brooding, stubborn, possessive, alpha and shapeshifting dragons, you definitely have me hooked. This author is definitely an acquired taste, but obviously her style suits me. A HUGE step away from reality, Dragon Fall is paranormal romance with silly humour, action, adventure, mystery and love.
The storyline at first made me a little cranky. The heroine, Aiofe, witnesses a crime that is completely unexplainable. No one believes her story, so she is dumped in a medical facility so she can see the errors of her ways. So on behalf of her, I already had my back up. She is eventually released after suffering some horrible treatments, but when she returns home, the sister (cow), who put her in the facility, leaves her immediately. So much for caring for her mental well-being. Within hours, Aiofe's world is changed forever.
The hero of the story, the leader of the black wyvern, Kostya, has a permanent frown on his face. He's been through a lot in recent years, which has made him weary. When he meets the heroine he knows what she is to him but denies it till the end.
There's this ring, sort of like Lord of the Rings, but different. Everyone wants it, but doesn't necessarily want to possess it. This ring holds a lot of power and tends to create mischief. This story mainly focuses on Aiofe learning and harnessing its power.
If you're a true Katie MacAlister fan you will get and love this story. If you stepped in for a visit, you'll probably think it's silly and juvenile. Aisling, Drake, Rene and Jim are back, with Jim, the talking demon dog, stealing the show. I still enjoy this series, but I know what I'm getting and know what mood I need to be in to fully enjoy it. I will definitely be interested to see how Aiofe's cow of a sister Bee, redeems herself in her own story which is up next.
To buy Dragon Fall from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1OklLmy
August 6, 2015
1 - "We are not in any sense of the word ordinary." Star.
DNF @ 76%
This went from enjoyably ridiculous, to ridiculously annoying.
The most entertaining character in the book... Jim the talking demon dog.
Aoife, has a choice selection of phrases she uses, which at the beginning were endearing, but got way too repetitive and annoying as the book went on, below for your delectation are just a few of said exclamations -
"Holy cheese on whiz!"
"Sweet sadistic salamanders!"
"Sweet salty balls!"
"Sweet Samarian sandals!"
"Sweet suffering Sycophants!"
"Sweet scuppering salamanders!"
Add in the regular use of words like -
- Hurty
- Ploppies
- Noogies
- Boobies (don't mind this one usually, but on top of everything else, notsomuch!)
I lost the actual point and the direction of the storyline with all of this going on, and I haven't got the energy to try and pick it up again. This is my first book by Katie MacAlister, if the writing style used in Dragon Fall is her usual way to tell a story, I think it is best we part ways now.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, I am sorry I cannot offer a more positive review on this occasion.
DNF @ 76%
This went from enjoyably ridiculous, to ridiculously annoying.
The most entertaining character in the book... Jim the talking demon dog.
Aoife, has a choice selection of phrases she uses, which at the beginning were endearing, but got way too repetitive and annoying as the book went on, below for your delectation are just a few of said exclamations -
"Holy cheese on whiz!"
"Sweet sadistic salamanders!"
"Sweet salty balls!"
"Sweet Samarian sandals!"
"Sweet suffering Sycophants!"
"Sweet scuppering salamanders!"
Add in the regular use of words like -
- Hurty
- Ploppies
- Noogies
- Boobies (don't mind this one usually, but on top of everything else, notsomuch!)
I lost the actual point and the direction of the storyline with all of this going on, and I haven't got the energy to try and pick it up again. This is my first book by Katie MacAlister, if the writing style used in Dragon Fall is her usual way to tell a story, I think it is best we part ways now.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, I am sorry I cannot offer a more positive review on this occasion.
May 29, 2015
Dragon Fall was a dragon fail.
I thought the synopsis sounded fun and I thought I would really enjoy it, that wasn't the case though.
the main character drove me insane. I did feel sorry for what she had been through but she was so dull. Then there was this thing either her dialogue, I understand her not cursing, doesn't bother me at all, however the phrases that she uses to substitute cursing? they just made her seem immature and did nothing to add to her character.
no chemistry between the two mc's and the story was just all over the place. this was not the book for me. I had a hard time making it through. the beginning was interesting and the last few pages but was not a fan of the rest.
I thought the synopsis sounded fun and I thought I would really enjoy it, that wasn't the case though.
the main character drove me insane. I did feel sorry for what she had been through but she was so dull. Then there was this thing either her dialogue, I understand her not cursing, doesn't bother me at all, however the phrases that she uses to substitute cursing? they just made her seem immature and did nothing to add to her character.
no chemistry between the two mc's and the story was just all over the place. this was not the book for me. I had a hard time making it through. the beginning was interesting and the last few pages but was not a fan of the rest.
July 29, 2015
This is the latest book in MackAlister’s Dragon collection. It appears as though Dragon Fall begins a new “mini-series” within the larger collection and although familiarity with the large series provides a nice back-story, it is not strictly necessary to enjoy this book. I’ve long been a fan of MacAlister’s work but fell out of reading this series a couple of years ago when the focus transitioned off of the primary couple (Aisling and Derek) and on to more secondary couples. Aisling and Derek feature prominently in this book and the overall style of the novel reminded me of MacAlister’s earlier work in the series.
Aoife Dakar has spent the past 2 years at a Sweedish psychiatric hospital after witnessing a paranormal murder. She is determined to return to her life of normalcy and stability but, less than 24 hours after returning to her home, she is confronted with a talking dog, a man-shaped dragon, and a mystical ring.
Kostya is focused on breaking the curse that has befallen the dragons and, after Aoife save him, decides that her involvement is key. He is hesitant to become romantically involved with her because of problems in a previous relationship, but the lure of the “Dragon’s Mate” is too strong.
Although this book is definitely a part of a series, it provides enough of an introduction to MacAlister’s world for new readers to begin here. There are a few plot points that are obviously carry-overs from previous books (the biggest being the curse that is on the dragons) but I was able to follow along without any problems. Likewise, since this is part of a series, there are plot points that are unresolved in this book and you will have to wait until the next book (which is due to come out in November 2015.)
Overall, I really enjoyed Aoife (who is a new character in the series) and Kostya (who has been featured in earlier books.) MacAlister writes hilarious dialog and the banter between these two characters was realistic and funny. The tension and chemistry between them was believable and worked to move the story forward. As always, MacAlister’s world-building is superb and her writing easy to read and enjoy.
What I liked: Updates on characters from previous novels (it’s kind of like unexpectedly running into old friends); The relationship between Aoide and Kostya; The humor and banter between characters; Overall world building
What I didn’t like: A large plot point was left unresolved (due to this being a series) and the next book will not be out for several months.
Final Verdict: I love MacAlister so I loved this book. I will definitely be reading more (and might even go back and read some of her earlier dragon books that I’ve missed.)
- Jessica
Aoife Dakar has spent the past 2 years at a Sweedish psychiatric hospital after witnessing a paranormal murder. She is determined to return to her life of normalcy and stability but, less than 24 hours after returning to her home, she is confronted with a talking dog, a man-shaped dragon, and a mystical ring.
Kostya is focused on breaking the curse that has befallen the dragons and, after Aoife save him, decides that her involvement is key. He is hesitant to become romantically involved with her because of problems in a previous relationship, but the lure of the “Dragon’s Mate” is too strong.
Although this book is definitely a part of a series, it provides enough of an introduction to MacAlister’s world for new readers to begin here. There are a few plot points that are obviously carry-overs from previous books (the biggest being the curse that is on the dragons) but I was able to follow along without any problems. Likewise, since this is part of a series, there are plot points that are unresolved in this book and you will have to wait until the next book (which is due to come out in November 2015.)
Overall, I really enjoyed Aoife (who is a new character in the series) and Kostya (who has been featured in earlier books.) MacAlister writes hilarious dialog and the banter between these two characters was realistic and funny. The tension and chemistry between them was believable and worked to move the story forward. As always, MacAlister’s world-building is superb and her writing easy to read and enjoy.
What I liked: Updates on characters from previous novels (it’s kind of like unexpectedly running into old friends); The relationship between Aoide and Kostya; The humor and banter between characters; Overall world building
What I didn’t like: A large plot point was left unresolved (due to this being a series) and the next book will not be out for several months.
Final Verdict: I love MacAlister so I loved this book. I will definitely be reading more (and might even go back and read some of her earlier dragon books that I’ve missed.)
- Jessica
June 26, 2015
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.
*This review is for a DNF*
Is this a continuation from another series? A spin-off maybe? I was pretty confused at the start and I never found my footing at any point after that. I really did not care for this book.
I hate to be crude but I really felt like Aoife was an idiot. She witnesses this other-worldly attack and calls the police. Everyone thinks she's crazy but she keeps insisting what she saw was real.... all the way until she was committed to an insane asylum!! Whaaaaa??? At no point did she think, "Hmm, maybe I should just shut the hell up if I want to continue to breathe free air..."? Her immaturity is astounding. Taking a dog for a walk so it can relieve itself is called "walkies" and testicles are called "noogies". Is this a joke? Am I being punked right now? Then, she's (figuratively) running after the hero like a love struck 12-year old and that was annoying at best. It would have made sense for her to poke him with a stick and say "You know you like me" over and over again. I just couldn't stand her and had a hard time finding anything about her worth liking.
Kostya was just as awful. He's angry and taciturn and doesn't have a great grasp of modern day speech... things like sarcasm and general figures of speech. Even by 80% through the book, he had not lightened up at all. He also didn't seem to be interested in Aoife at all. He was all like Yes I'll service you in the sex you are requesting. Ugh. To be honest, he seemed to be pretty irritated with her for the entire book (or at least as far as I read) and I didn't blame him. But that didn't make him likable at all.
I couldn't even be bothered to finish this book, even though I quit at the 80% mark. I'm obviously not going to recommend this book. Aoife was very stupid and not funny at all (I think she was supposed to be cute or funny, maybe?). Kostya showed no emotions other than exasperation. Even Jim, the talking dog, was a bore. I must be missing something because this was the worst book I've read all year.
*This review is for a DNF*
Is this a continuation from another series? A spin-off maybe? I was pretty confused at the start and I never found my footing at any point after that. I really did not care for this book.
I hate to be crude but I really felt like Aoife was an idiot. She witnesses this other-worldly attack and calls the police. Everyone thinks she's crazy but she keeps insisting what she saw was real.... all the way until she was committed to an insane asylum!! Whaaaaa??? At no point did she think, "Hmm, maybe I should just shut the hell up if I want to continue to breathe free air..."? Her immaturity is astounding. Taking a dog for a walk so it can relieve itself is called "walkies" and testicles are called "noogies". Is this a joke? Am I being punked right now? Then, she's (figuratively) running after the hero like a love struck 12-year old and that was annoying at best. It would have made sense for her to poke him with a stick and say "You know you like me" over and over again. I just couldn't stand her and had a hard time finding anything about her worth liking.
Kostya was just as awful. He's angry and taciturn and doesn't have a great grasp of modern day speech... things like sarcasm and general figures of speech. Even by 80% through the book, he had not lightened up at all. He also didn't seem to be interested in Aoife at all. He was all like Yes I'll service you in the sex you are requesting. Ugh. To be honest, he seemed to be pretty irritated with her for the entire book (or at least as far as I read) and I didn't blame him. But that didn't make him likable at all.
I couldn't even be bothered to finish this book, even though I quit at the 80% mark. I'm obviously not going to recommend this book. Aoife was very stupid and not funny at all (I think she was supposed to be cute or funny, maybe?). Kostya showed no emotions other than exasperation. Even Jim, the talking dog, was a bore. I must be missing something because this was the worst book I've read all year.
July 14, 2015
Mon avis en Français
My English review
When I saw the release of a new series by Katie MacAlister, featuring once again some dragons, I admit that I was really intrigued. I must say that the author always has an incredible gift with her paranormal romances, creating something unique and very pleasant to read.
We discover Aoife, a young woman just released out of a mental institution where she spent two years after announcing to everyone having witnessed a murder with the presence of dragons and a man who disappeared in a cloud of smoke. But now, our heroine is now determined to get her life in hand, determined not to fall into anything fantastic again. However, fate does not really seem to agree with her when it places on her path a demon dog who speaks or even a naked man straight out of macho-land. Projected in a world she doesn’t know anything about, she will understand that she is not crazy and that there is far more than she imagined. Teaming up with this man, Kostya, they will try to find a way to break the terrible curse spreading among the dragons, but they will also have to deal with the feelings they have for each other.
I must say I’m really not a big fan of insta-love, and it’s a bit like what we have here. Yet the author plays with the characters so well that it makes it much easier in history. Indeed, there is a big search for each protagonist. I think this is why we appreciate them all very quickly. So we have Aoife, a young woman who is projected into an unknown world, but who finds a place there rather quickly. Oh yes, because she seems stingy with answers and always ready to provoke Kostya to see how he will react. As for the dragon, we easily find a macho man, straight out of the Middle Ages we might think as he remains obtuse and stubborn in all circumstances. It’s funny because even seeing the truth in the face, he remains on his positions whatever it costs him. And then we have our demon dog. Oh I loved him! His spikes make us smile easily throughout the chapters and it’s very funny to see how he provokes all the characters.
Finally, as you can see, I had a great time with this novel. Many passages make us smile and I loved all the interactions between the characters. They all have completely conquered me. A very good first novel for a series to follow.
My English review
When I saw the release of a new series by Katie MacAlister, featuring once again some dragons, I admit that I was really intrigued. I must say that the author always has an incredible gift with her paranormal romances, creating something unique and very pleasant to read.
We discover Aoife, a young woman just released out of a mental institution where she spent two years after announcing to everyone having witnessed a murder with the presence of dragons and a man who disappeared in a cloud of smoke. But now, our heroine is now determined to get her life in hand, determined not to fall into anything fantastic again. However, fate does not really seem to agree with her when it places on her path a demon dog who speaks or even a naked man straight out of macho-land. Projected in a world she doesn’t know anything about, she will understand that she is not crazy and that there is far more than she imagined. Teaming up with this man, Kostya, they will try to find a way to break the terrible curse spreading among the dragons, but they will also have to deal with the feelings they have for each other.
I must say I’m really not a big fan of insta-love, and it’s a bit like what we have here. Yet the author plays with the characters so well that it makes it much easier in history. Indeed, there is a big search for each protagonist. I think this is why we appreciate them all very quickly. So we have Aoife, a young woman who is projected into an unknown world, but who finds a place there rather quickly. Oh yes, because she seems stingy with answers and always ready to provoke Kostya to see how he will react. As for the dragon, we easily find a macho man, straight out of the Middle Ages we might think as he remains obtuse and stubborn in all circumstances. It’s funny because even seeing the truth in the face, he remains on his positions whatever it costs him. And then we have our demon dog. Oh I loved him! His spikes make us smile easily throughout the chapters and it’s very funny to see how he provokes all the characters.
Finally, as you can see, I had a great time with this novel. Many passages make us smile and I loved all the interactions between the characters. They all have completely conquered me. A very good first novel for a series to follow.
November 28, 2015
Ahhh I'm so excited to be back with MacAlister's dragons! They're so silly but fun :D
~~~~~~~~~
I had a good time with this one. It was a little slow in spots and I didn't love the open and rather abrupt ending (despite there being an HEA) but I did enjoy the characters, being back with this dragon world, and the bits of goofy added in. I think this would be best enjoyed after reading the other series that are connected to it since you'd know some of the characters and already care about them. All in all, an enjoyable though not perfect read. I do want to check out the next one and see what happens with the Black Dragons. Hopefully it'll have it's series-legs under it by then and be a little more solid of a read.
~~~~~~~~~
I had a good time with this one. It was a little slow in spots and I didn't love the open and rather abrupt ending (despite there being an HEA) but I did enjoy the characters, being back with this dragon world, and the bits of goofy added in. I think this would be best enjoyed after reading the other series that are connected to it since you'd know some of the characters and already care about them. All in all, an enjoyable though not perfect read. I do want to check out the next one and see what happens with the Black Dragons. Hopefully it'll have it's series-legs under it by then and be a little more solid of a read.
July 14, 2015
"You are not a mate, and even if you were, I do not want you."- Kostya
Let me just say that the overview sounded fun, amusing, and an all around good time. I have to say that Katie MacAlister dropped the ball a bit with her writing in this book. I normally love her stuff and scream it from the rooftops but this book was just alright for me. In saying that, I did laugh quite a bit because Kostya is hilarious with how obnoxious he is. I give Dragon Fall 3.75 amused but not in love stars.
Aoife is so dull and kind of was funny because of that. If that was what MacAlister was going for, she succeeded. If not, oops? I didn't care for Aoife but she didn't turn me completely away from the read which is important.
Kostya is obnoxious, demanding, commanding, and downright arrogant. It is actually really funny to watch him and Aoife deal with one another because she's so dull and he's so vivid. I think of Kostya like the sun and Aoife like Pluto, Kostya is almost always seen and bright while Aoife can literally fall into the grey space background. I like Kostya because he made me laugh.
This book is more of a fantasy and paranormal romance than contemporary but it has elements of all of them. I've found myself like the concept of dragons much more appealing than vampires or werewolves. I normally read MacAlister so wanted to read this even before I read the overview. It didn't blow me away, as I stated previously, but it wasn't complete garbage, either. I could get through this book without too much of a struggle. I guess I wanted a stronger female characters, a better plotted story line, and some serious character development which this story lacked.
Let me just say that the overview sounded fun, amusing, and an all around good time. I have to say that Katie MacAlister dropped the ball a bit with her writing in this book. I normally love her stuff and scream it from the rooftops but this book was just alright for me. In saying that, I did laugh quite a bit because Kostya is hilarious with how obnoxious he is. I give Dragon Fall 3.75 amused but not in love stars.
Aoife is so dull and kind of was funny because of that. If that was what MacAlister was going for, she succeeded. If not, oops? I didn't care for Aoife but she didn't turn me completely away from the read which is important.
Kostya is obnoxious, demanding, commanding, and downright arrogant. It is actually really funny to watch him and Aoife deal with one another because she's so dull and he's so vivid. I think of Kostya like the sun and Aoife like Pluto, Kostya is almost always seen and bright while Aoife can literally fall into the grey space background. I like Kostya because he made me laugh.
This book is more of a fantasy and paranormal romance than contemporary but it has elements of all of them. I've found myself like the concept of dragons much more appealing than vampires or werewolves. I normally read MacAlister so wanted to read this even before I read the overview. It didn't blow me away, as I stated previously, but it wasn't complete garbage, either. I could get through this book without too much of a struggle. I guess I wanted a stronger female characters, a better plotted story line, and some serious character development which this story lacked.
July 1, 2015
Ive always enjoyed this authors dragon tales ( pun intended!) so I was quite keen to read this new spin off series . I love the way old characters reappear and this book connects so well with previous stories giving even more insight into what has become such a humorous and magical world .
Our heroine here is Aoife and right from the first page it's obvious that she's not the usual kick ass type that so many authors give us. Oh she's no shrinking violet and quite skeptical but her life is about to take quite a violent turn. Faced with seeing the impossible as let's be honest how often do you see someone murdered and then simply disappear! Aoife does the right thing ( or does she?) and goes to the police but no one believes her and worse still her own family have her committed! Fast forward two years and Aoife has survived shock treatments and counselling and is finally free but her life is changed irrevocably. First she accidentally hits a dog with her car and then later she finds an unconscious man . Ok so far that's not too extreme but when the dog starts talking and the man , Kostya turns out to be a dragon you just know that there's not enough counselling in the world to make Aoife forget this!
Hmm fans of the Aisling Grey series will be jumping for joy to read this book. Yes we meet new characters here and as usual it's Jim who steals the limelight but for me the heroines dialogue just at times felt too juvenile. I didn't really buy into the romance if honest and the sibling interactions and by that I mean fights just seemed childish but yes I get that there's a curse and I cannot say more because spoilers! Aoife goes through so much in this book and I thought the ultimate betrayal was just glossed over . I must be a nasty vengeful person because that was wrong on so many levels and I didn't really feel satisfied . Will I read more? Well of course because as usual there's still so much up in the air and naturally smoking hot dragons will always be in my wish list!
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
Our heroine here is Aoife and right from the first page it's obvious that she's not the usual kick ass type that so many authors give us. Oh she's no shrinking violet and quite skeptical but her life is about to take quite a violent turn. Faced with seeing the impossible as let's be honest how often do you see someone murdered and then simply disappear! Aoife does the right thing ( or does she?) and goes to the police but no one believes her and worse still her own family have her committed! Fast forward two years and Aoife has survived shock treatments and counselling and is finally free but her life is changed irrevocably. First she accidentally hits a dog with her car and then later she finds an unconscious man . Ok so far that's not too extreme but when the dog starts talking and the man , Kostya turns out to be a dragon you just know that there's not enough counselling in the world to make Aoife forget this!
Hmm fans of the Aisling Grey series will be jumping for joy to read this book. Yes we meet new characters here and as usual it's Jim who steals the limelight but for me the heroines dialogue just at times felt too juvenile. I didn't really buy into the romance if honest and the sibling interactions and by that I mean fights just seemed childish but yes I get that there's a curse and I cannot say more because spoilers! Aoife goes through so much in this book and I thought the ultimate betrayal was just glossed over . I must be a nasty vengeful person because that was wrong on so many levels and I didn't really feel satisfied . Will I read more? Well of course because as usual there's still so much up in the air and naturally smoking hot dragons will always be in my wish list!
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review
July 28, 2015
3.5 Stars
Katie MacAlister has funny characters and always makes me laugh. Her heroes and heroines aren't always perfect, and I adore listening to the Aisling Grey series on audio. Dragon Fall is the start of a new series centering on her Black Dragons. Longtime fans will love this, and Aoife's story will have you charmed.
INTERVIEW WITH KATIE MACALISTER
What color dragon would you be?
Katie: No color — if I could have any dragon, I'd probably go for the First Dragon, the ancestor of all the dragonkin. He's a very complicated man, one who has not only started the entire race of dragons, but who's fallen in love with a mortal, and lost her to violence. There's something eternal about him that really rings my chimes.
What is your favorite thing about Aoife?
Katie: I love that she's a survivor. She went through a perfectly horrific experience, and emerged a stronger person for it, without changing her core self. She's still the same quirky soul who sees things in a unique manner, but that is now tempered with a little extra wisdom.
To read more of the interview head over to the HEA Blog!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Katie MacAlister has funny characters and always makes me laugh. Her heroes and heroines aren't always perfect, and I adore listening to the Aisling Grey series on audio. Dragon Fall is the start of a new series centering on her Black Dragons. Longtime fans will love this, and Aoife's story will have you charmed.
INTERVIEW WITH KATIE MACALISTER
What color dragon would you be?
Katie: No color — if I could have any dragon, I'd probably go for the First Dragon, the ancestor of all the dragonkin. He's a very complicated man, one who has not only started the entire race of dragons, but who's fallen in love with a mortal, and lost her to violence. There's something eternal about him that really rings my chimes.
What is your favorite thing about Aoife?
Katie: I love that she's a survivor. She went through a perfectly horrific experience, and emerged a stronger person for it, without changing her core self. She's still the same quirky soul who sees things in a unique manner, but that is now tempered with a little extra wisdom.
To read more of the interview head over to the HEA Blog!
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
July 5, 2015
Once again Kaite MacAlister, you had me at Jim.
Dragon Fall is the first book in a new spin off series by Katie MacAlister. Same world, lots of character crossovers and that same witty snark we've come to love and expect from this wonderfully inventive author.
I have to admit, I wasn't sure where the story was heading in the first chapter or so and then I was hooked. I also had serious issues with the sister.
I found Dragon Fall a fabulous new urban fantasy to sink your teeth into. Sexy, witty and highly entertaining its a must read for all MacAlister fans.
Exciting new dragon tale.
I received this ARC copy of Dragon Fall from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication July 28, 2015.
Written by: Katie MacAlister
Series: Dragon Fall
Sequence in Series: 1
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 28, 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
ISBN-10: 1455559210
ISBN-13: 978-1455559213
Genre: Paranormal \ Urban Fantasy
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Dragon Fall is the first book in a new spin off series by Katie MacAlister. Same world, lots of character crossovers and that same witty snark we've come to love and expect from this wonderfully inventive author.
I have to admit, I wasn't sure where the story was heading in the first chapter or so and then I was hooked. I also had serious issues with the sister.
I found Dragon Fall a fabulous new urban fantasy to sink your teeth into. Sexy, witty and highly entertaining its a must read for all MacAlister fans.
Exciting new dragon tale.
I received this ARC copy of Dragon Fall from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication July 28, 2015.
Written by: Katie MacAlister
Series: Dragon Fall
Sequence in Series: 1
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 28, 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
ISBN-10: 1455559210
ISBN-13: 978-1455559213
Genre: Paranormal \ Urban Fantasy
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 17, 2017
I should have read more reviews, but before I read this I had only seen the good reviews and the hype surrounding this book. I was looking forward to something out of my normal genre, but...as another reviewer stated it was a fail - a Dragon Fail.
What worked for me:
1. I'm thinking...still thinking...not coming up with anything.
What didn't work for me:
1. It seemed like every scene had Jim, the talking demon dog, doing something with or talking about his noogies (the author's word, not mine). Something that might seem cute once (maybe) becomes an eyeroll, then an irritant, then you start questioning if you should continue reading the book.
2. There were so many times when the dialogue was cringe worthy. It made me feel like I fell down the rabbit hole into some twisted version of junior high where every time a body part or the word sex is mentioned you can hear the irritating high giggle of teen-age girls. Or maybe it was that it felt like irritating middle-schoolers wrote the dialogue. And please, don't even get me started on Aoife's version of swear words and swear phrases.
3. Although the world building had potential there were times that it felt like it was written on the fly. When you don't know where to go with the plot, create a new element of the world and go visit it. It didn't always seem like the world building was part of the plot as much as just throwing in more elements.
4. It seemed like in the middle of so many scenes the H/h have to stop the presses and have a personal discussion on their relationship.
5. After all that I endured to read this book, there is no conclusion. I'm not sure how many books you will have to read to find the conclusion to end the curse. I felt cursed reading the book and won't continue.
What worked for me:
1. I'm thinking...still thinking...not coming up with anything.
What didn't work for me:
1. It seemed like every scene had Jim, the talking demon dog, doing something with or talking about his noogies (the author's word, not mine). Something that might seem cute once (maybe) becomes an eyeroll, then an irritant, then you start questioning if you should continue reading the book.
2. There were so many times when the dialogue was cringe worthy. It made me feel like I fell down the rabbit hole into some twisted version of junior high where every time a body part or the word sex is mentioned you can hear the irritating high giggle of teen-age girls. Or maybe it was that it felt like irritating middle-schoolers wrote the dialogue. And please, don't even get me started on Aoife's version of swear words and swear phrases.
3. Although the world building had potential there were times that it felt like it was written on the fly. When you don't know where to go with the plot, create a new element of the world and go visit it. It didn't always seem like the world building was part of the plot as much as just throwing in more elements.
4. It seemed like in the middle of so many scenes the H/h have to stop the presses and have a personal discussion on their relationship.
5. After all that I endured to read this book, there is no conclusion. I'm not sure how many books you will have to read to find the conclusion to end the curse. I felt cursed reading the book and won't continue.
![Profile Image for Michelle [Helen Geek].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1448463806i/5557851._CR0,13,200,200_.jpg)
May 29, 2015
05/27/2015 -- 1 Star
Not for me. I really liked the cover and the premise for the book.
I started the book and struggled from the beginning. It's like it started in the middle of a conversation. I just couldn't get the gist for the purpose of the conversation or a good feel for the characters. I lost patience with it and figured that if it didn't pull me in, then I wouldn't waste my time trying to be pulled. Too little time and so many books to choose from.
You may like this one. Hope you do, but I didn't. This girl is movin' on.
Happy Reading!!
Not for me. I really liked the cover and the premise for the book.
I started the book and struggled from the beginning. It's like it started in the middle of a conversation. I just couldn't get the gist for the purpose of the conversation or a good feel for the characters. I lost patience with it and figured that if it didn't pull me in, then I wouldn't waste my time trying to be pulled. Too little time and so many books to choose from.
You may like this one. Hope you do, but I didn't. This girl is movin' on.
Happy Reading!!
January 7, 2016
This was a fun and easy-going read. I never realised nothing was happening until I noticed I wasn't eager to go back to it. These were these characters, some of who I know already and they were hung fun chats but apart from that nothing much was going on. Thing finally picked up BF I'm cruelly looking foreword to the next installment. Hopefully, there'll be some prof there.
Shelved as 'tbr-series-sequels-x'
February 5, 20165 February 2016: $2.99 on Kindle
30 November 2015: $1.99 on Kindle
3 November 2015: $1.99 on Kindle
30 November 2015: $1.99 on Kindle
3 November 2015: $1.99 on Kindle
February 10, 2017
~ 3.5 Dragon Fall Stars ~
Dragon Fall is book one in the Dragon Falls series by Katie MacAlister. I was excited to return to MacAlister's Dragons. I like the humor, arrogant dragons, and world.
I liked Dragon Fall. It is a new “mini-series” within the larger collection. I would say you don't have to have read the previous dragon books (we get enough of an introduction into the world MacAlister has created), but I feel it would help if you read the others (you might get more enjoyment out of the novel). There are a few plot points that are obviously carry-overs from previous novels. The previous novels also give you more of an overview of how the world is set up and all the different Dragon Septs. As well as previous characters do make appearances throughout the different dragon books and some play big parts in this novel.
Even with me reading all the previous dragon books I felt I was missing something with this curse plot. It might have to do with how long in-between releases of the books (last one was in 2012). I did get caught back up, but still at times felt like I was missing something.
Kostya & Aoife where enjoyable as characters. We get to learn/understand Kostya (who has been featured in earlier books) and Aoife (yes, I have to point out the name. What is up with that name?) The chemistry and tension was believable and worked to move the story along between these two. I do enjoy the banter and humor between the characters, but some of the things said got to be annoying fast. I still enjoyed the novel and characters.
My main issue was that a large plot point was left unresolved. I felt a little bereft with the ending left open like it was. I would have liked a little more of something. I know that this is a series and it will resolve, but I felt it need more for the ending.
Overall Dragon Fall was a nice start for this series. I am looking forward to more. I do enjoy MacAlisters writing and world.
*Disclaimer: I won a complimentary copy provided from Hachette Book Group through Goodreads giveaway, with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Dragon Fall is book one in the Dragon Falls series by Katie MacAlister. I was excited to return to MacAlister's Dragons. I like the humor, arrogant dragons, and world.
I liked Dragon Fall. It is a new “mini-series” within the larger collection. I would say you don't have to have read the previous dragon books (we get enough of an introduction into the world MacAlister has created), but I feel it would help if you read the others (you might get more enjoyment out of the novel). There are a few plot points that are obviously carry-overs from previous novels. The previous novels also give you more of an overview of how the world is set up and all the different Dragon Septs. As well as previous characters do make appearances throughout the different dragon books and some play big parts in this novel.
Even with me reading all the previous dragon books I felt I was missing something with this curse plot. It might have to do with how long in-between releases of the books (last one was in 2012). I did get caught back up, but still at times felt like I was missing something.
Kostya & Aoife where enjoyable as characters. We get to learn/understand Kostya (who has been featured in earlier books) and Aoife (yes, I have to point out the name. What is up with that name?) The chemistry and tension was believable and worked to move the story along between these two. I do enjoy the banter and humor between the characters, but some of the things said got to be annoying fast. I still enjoyed the novel and characters.
My main issue was that a large plot point was left unresolved. I felt a little bereft with the ending left open like it was. I would have liked a little more of something. I know that this is a series and it will resolve, but I felt it need more for the ending.
Overall Dragon Fall was a nice start for this series. I am looking forward to more. I do enjoy MacAlisters writing and world.
*Disclaimer: I won a complimentary copy provided from Hachette Book Group through Goodreads giveaway, with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
July 15, 2015
At A Glance
Started out great, then bleh.
The Good
Dragonshifters!!!! I loved how Dragon Fall started. Aoife witnesses a dragonshifter fight and possible murder. So she does what any sane person would, she calls the cops. Then gets thrown in the loony bin for her trouble. For TWO YEARS! Man, I would be pissed! When she gets out, all she wants to do is live a normal life, except the damn dragons show up again!
I really felt bad for Aoife. It's so not fair all the crap she goes through. She gets dragged into dragonshifter politics and a world she never knew existed. She handles everything pretty well though. Aoife was a fun, goofy character that helped me follow the story easily. Kostya was accidentally hilarious because he didn't understand a lot of human phrases or customs so it made for a good time. He had his endearing moments.
The Bad
Despite the few smiles this book gave me, it was really hard for me to finish. It was slow in a lot of parts and the plot dragged on and on. Aoife had this odd way of cussing with silly phrases and it irritated the crap out of me. I mean, I want to bang my head against the wall kind of irritated. It just didn't feel natural.
Aoife and Kostya were tolerable sometimes, but for the most part I couldn't stand them. Aoife was too childish and Kostya was like watching white paint dry. They had no chemistry and I didn't want to root for them as a couple at all.
The ending was completely open-ended. The couple gets a wrap-up but the story gets no conclusion at all. I turned the last page and thought, "What was the point to all that shit?"
The Snuggly
I didn't even care about the sex. I know, I know, shocking.
Final Thoughts
It was not for me. I only gave it 2 stars because I would say the first quarter was pretty entertaining. But it went downhill from there. Not recommended.This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
Started out great, then bleh.
The Good
Dragonshifters!!!! I loved how Dragon Fall started. Aoife witnesses a dragonshifter fight and possible murder. So she does what any sane person would, she calls the cops. Then gets thrown in the loony bin for her trouble. For TWO YEARS! Man, I would be pissed! When she gets out, all she wants to do is live a normal life, except the damn dragons show up again!
I really felt bad for Aoife. It's so not fair all the crap she goes through. She gets dragged into dragonshifter politics and a world she never knew existed. She handles everything pretty well though. Aoife was a fun, goofy character that helped me follow the story easily. Kostya was accidentally hilarious because he didn't understand a lot of human phrases or customs so it made for a good time. He had his endearing moments.
The Bad
Despite the few smiles this book gave me, it was really hard for me to finish. It was slow in a lot of parts and the plot dragged on and on. Aoife had this odd way of cussing with silly phrases and it irritated the crap out of me. I mean, I want to bang my head against the wall kind of irritated. It just didn't feel natural.
Aoife and Kostya were tolerable sometimes, but for the most part I couldn't stand them. Aoife was too childish and Kostya was like watching white paint dry. They had no chemistry and I didn't want to root for them as a couple at all.
The ending was completely open-ended. The couple gets a wrap-up but the story gets no conclusion at all. I turned the last page and thought, "What was the point to all that shit?"
The Snuggly
I didn't even care about the sex. I know, I know, shocking.
Final Thoughts
It was not for me. I only gave it 2 stars because I would say the first quarter was pretty entertaining. But it went downhill from there. Not recommended.This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
July 28, 2015
Dragon Fall is one of those books that's really hard to rate so what it comes down to is this... Did I enjoy it? Yes. Was it everything I was hoping it would be? Unfortunately, no. That being said, it was a fun, lighthearted paranormal romance that had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
The story starts off with our heroine, Aoife, recalling an event that landed her in a mental hospital for two years. On her first night home, Aoife comes across a demon dog that has lost it's memory and a dragon shifter searching for a magic ring to end a curse that was put on the dragons. Of course things get a little complicated when Kostya realizes that Aoife has had the ring all along.
From their very first meeting, Aoife and Kostya had me cracking up. Aoife is quirky and a little dense, maybe? And Kostya is the typical brooding hero that you hate to love but ends up growing on you. He doesn't have a great grasp on modern day speech and when you put his words with his slavic accent things ended up sounding funnier in my head than they were probably meant to but that's what made it so enjoyable.
And then you have Jim, the demon dog. Jim really made this book for me. I mean, the things that would come out of that dogs mouth! Not to mention when Aoife turns him into a human... Seriously, this book needs to be read for that scene alone.
There was a pretty big twist towards the end that I did not see coming and I wanted to throat punch Aoife's sister, but other than that there wasn't really a whole lot going on. I mean, you have the red dragons that are after Kostya and Aoife, then of course there are a few other baddies along the way, but none of it took away from the humor which is what stood out for me.
We're left with a bit of a cliffhanger with one of the baddies, which I'm guessing will carry on to the next book in the series, but we do get a HEA for Aoife and Kostya which was a long time coming, in my opinion. Will I read the next book in the series? Probably. But I'm not sure how far into the series I'll go if all of the books are similar to this one.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts off with our heroine, Aoife, recalling an event that landed her in a mental hospital for two years. On her first night home, Aoife comes across a demon dog that has lost it's memory and a dragon shifter searching for a magic ring to end a curse that was put on the dragons. Of course things get a little complicated when Kostya realizes that Aoife has had the ring all along.
From their very first meeting, Aoife and Kostya had me cracking up. Aoife is quirky and a little dense, maybe? And Kostya is the typical brooding hero that you hate to love but ends up growing on you. He doesn't have a great grasp on modern day speech and when you put his words with his slavic accent things ended up sounding funnier in my head than they were probably meant to but that's what made it so enjoyable.
And then you have Jim, the demon dog. Jim really made this book for me. I mean, the things that would come out of that dogs mouth! Not to mention when Aoife turns him into a human... Seriously, this book needs to be read for that scene alone.
There was a pretty big twist towards the end that I did not see coming and I wanted to throat punch Aoife's sister, but other than that there wasn't really a whole lot going on. I mean, you have the red dragons that are after Kostya and Aoife, then of course there are a few other baddies along the way, but none of it took away from the humor which is what stood out for me.
We're left with a bit of a cliffhanger with one of the baddies, which I'm guessing will carry on to the next book in the series, but we do get a HEA for Aoife and Kostya which was a long time coming, in my opinion. Will I read the next book in the series? Probably. But I'm not sure how far into the series I'll go if all of the books are similar to this one.
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2015
All Things Urban Fantasy
One of the aspects I enjoyed about DRAGON FALL was the world building. I love seeing different takes on dragon lore and this one was especially unique.The story follows Aoife as she begins to discover this strange new world filled with dragons except of course she discovers it at a time when there is the greatest conflict and danger for the dragons. The plot is fun and there are a ton of quirky characters and silly moments most of which include Jim, the demon dog. Jim is crazy and so much fun, also Jim is a perfect name for a demonic entity. Like many other Katie MacAlister books there is so much tongue in cheek humor and rapid dialogue in DRAGON FALL.
Aoife was an interesting main character and while she wasn't physically tough she had spirit and was insanely adaptable to the whole concept of dragons existing. One issue I had with her was her odd exclamations such as "Holy cheese whiz!". I found it confusing and weird the first time and every other time she uttered something like that. I wasn't a huge fan of Kostya. He seemed too grumpy and came off as a bit too alpha for my liking. I kind of wanted to shoo away the dark cloud that seemed to follow over his head at times. The romance between Aoife and Kostya is quick and very fun to see evolve.
DRAGON FALL is ridiculous, witty, and satirical. If you like your romance with a heaping dose of silly and irreverence then I'd highly suggest this book and other Katie MacAlister stories as they run along a similar vein.
One of the aspects I enjoyed about DRAGON FALL was the world building. I love seeing different takes on dragon lore and this one was especially unique.The story follows Aoife as she begins to discover this strange new world filled with dragons except of course she discovers it at a time when there is the greatest conflict and danger for the dragons. The plot is fun and there are a ton of quirky characters and silly moments most of which include Jim, the demon dog. Jim is crazy and so much fun, also Jim is a perfect name for a demonic entity. Like many other Katie MacAlister books there is so much tongue in cheek humor and rapid dialogue in DRAGON FALL.
Aoife was an interesting main character and while she wasn't physically tough she had spirit and was insanely adaptable to the whole concept of dragons existing. One issue I had with her was her odd exclamations such as "Holy cheese whiz!". I found it confusing and weird the first time and every other time she uttered something like that. I wasn't a huge fan of Kostya. He seemed too grumpy and came off as a bit too alpha for my liking. I kind of wanted to shoo away the dark cloud that seemed to follow over his head at times. The romance between Aoife and Kostya is quick and very fun to see evolve.
DRAGON FALL is ridiculous, witty, and satirical. If you like your romance with a heaping dose of silly and irreverence then I'd highly suggest this book and other Katie MacAlister stories as they run along a similar vein.
July 28, 2015
2.5 stars
I’m not sure what happened here. It’s been a while since I read the other books in the series, but I do remember what happened and I know liked the stories a lot. Still I feel like there is a gap between the Light Dragons and the Black Dragons. You definitely need to read the other books first, otherwise you’ll be even more lost.
Dragon Fall is not what I’m used to by Katie MacAlister. Like I said, I really thought the other books in this series were great. Here there is still that humor, and witty dialogue, but when it comes to the plot and general descriptions it felt lacking to me. It just jumps from one thing to another, and half the time it’s not fully clear to me as to what is going on.
Which might work well with the confusion Aoife feels, being thrust into this world, though it mostly left me feeling lost. Even the interactions between Aoife and Kostya were kind of superficial. If they’re not yelling at each other, they’re either thinking about doing the nasty or actually doing it. Their “conversations” were so frustrating. It was mostly them asking questions, and answering them by asking more questions. It quickly jumps from I don’t know what to with you, to I love you and that didn’t feel convincing.
The premise of a really good story was there, I just don’t know what went haywire with the execution. I’m used to so much better by Katie MacAlister, and with Dragon Fall I feel like half of the story is missing.
*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I’m not sure what happened here. It’s been a while since I read the other books in the series, but I do remember what happened and I know liked the stories a lot. Still I feel like there is a gap between the Light Dragons and the Black Dragons. You definitely need to read the other books first, otherwise you’ll be even more lost.
Dragon Fall is not what I’m used to by Katie MacAlister. Like I said, I really thought the other books in this series were great. Here there is still that humor, and witty dialogue, but when it comes to the plot and general descriptions it felt lacking to me. It just jumps from one thing to another, and half the time it’s not fully clear to me as to what is going on.
Which might work well with the confusion Aoife feels, being thrust into this world, though it mostly left me feeling lost. Even the interactions between Aoife and Kostya were kind of superficial. If they’re not yelling at each other, they’re either thinking about doing the nasty or actually doing it. Their “conversations” were so frustrating. It was mostly them asking questions, and answering them by asking more questions. It quickly jumps from I don’t know what to with you, to I love you and that didn’t feel convincing.
The premise of a really good story was there, I just don’t know what went haywire with the execution. I’m used to so much better by Katie MacAlister, and with Dragon Fall I feel like half of the story is missing.
*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
March 1, 2017
Here’s the thing. The heroine, Aoife, ends up institutionalized for two years because she has a hallucination. Technically, she did not hallucinate anything, she saw some magic dragon shit and called the cops. But she is hospitalized by her siblings for two years and even undergoes electroconvulsive therapy.
Two years. For ONE hallucination. Out of a lifetime of mental/emotional/physical stability. So, the first problem– this ridiculous premise, right?
MacAlister’s tone is meant to be humorous and light. There is a lot of silliness in the book. A talking demon dog. A heroine who refuses to curse. A man/dragon with a big chip on his shoulder.
And then, the heroine, upon meeting the hero, Kostya, finally learns the truth. She’s not crazy! Dragons exist and do magic shit and she was hospitalized and given electroconvulsive therapy and all that shit… For what? What’s the meaning?
She says to herself–
Yes, that is right.
She suffered so she can love him better.
Her pain is given meaning only as it allows her to heal him.
Yes! I read more than half of this book only to discover MAN PAIN. A man has hurt feelings! Therefore the heroine exists! To soothe the butthurt!
ARGH.
Two years. For ONE hallucination. Out of a lifetime of mental/emotional/physical stability. So, the first problem– this ridiculous premise, right?
MacAlister’s tone is meant to be humorous and light. There is a lot of silliness in the book. A talking demon dog. A heroine who refuses to curse. A man/dragon with a big chip on his shoulder.
And then, the heroine, upon meeting the hero, Kostya, finally learns the truth. She’s not crazy! Dragons exist and do magic shit and she was hospitalized and given electroconvulsive therapy and all that shit… For what? What’s the meaning?
She says to herself–
I accepted that I was put on the earth to be paired up with Kostya and that I had suffered through two years of hell so I could help him overcome the pain he had lived through. (Loc 1637)
Yes, that is right.
She suffered so she can love him better.
Her pain is given meaning only as it allows her to heal him.
Yes! I read more than half of this book only to discover MAN PAIN. A man has hurt feelings! Therefore the heroine exists! To soothe the butthurt!
ARGH.
Read
July 6, 2015I and MacAlister have a love/hate relationship. Some of her books I love love love. Some I hate hate hate. This one just wan't in the cards for me. I felt as though I was dropped into the middle of an on going arc but had no backstory to rely on. The heroine was so irritating I just couldn't overlook it in favor of what looked to be an interesting story. Some humor and engaging dialogue but it was overplayed: a constant barrage of one liners that never stopped. Juvenile made up curse words and the heroine's annoying habit of constant questions, crazy actions, and internal monologue just chipped away at me till I was ready to say no more, please.
July 22, 2015
It's disappointing to have to stop at only 20%, but the heroine is extremely childish and the hero is just so bland and mediocre. I feel like the book is going no where and there isn't any world building for me to try and ignore the MC's for the sake of the story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher for review purposes. As always all opinions are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review.
March 12, 2016
Once again I am enjoying the antics of those crazy dragons. Black ones this time. And Jim is back. Yay! I love Jim. He just cracks me up always talking about food and his noogies. Too damn funny. I loved Kostya and Aoife together and really liked seeing Aisling and Drake again. Looking forward to Dragon Storm.
August 22, 2017
Naja was soll ich sagen? Es war extrem anstrengend dieses Buch zu lesen. Manchmal bin ich der Meinung ich sollte ich mal wieder probieren ein Buch auf Deutsch zu lesen. Genau dies habe ich getan und ich habe es bereut. Es hat zwei Tage gedauert es zur Hälfte gelesen.
Bei Übersetzungen von Englisch zu Deutsch geht immer sehr viel verloren also meine Meinung nach und hier war es auch der Fall. Es lag mit Sicherheit auch daran das es eine Erstausgabe war und vielleicht nicht die richtige Übersetzerin gefunden wurden ist.
Ich hatte mich sehr auf Kostya und seine Geschichte gefreut. Allerdings verstehe ich gar nicht das er die ganze Zeit gesagt hat sie wäre es nicht und irgendwann mal nervte es einfach. Vielleicht mage ich den Humor einfach nicht mehr.
Mein Fazit? Ich werde die anderen zwei Bücher die ich verkauft habe mit dem hier wieder verkaufen.
Bei Übersetzungen von Englisch zu Deutsch geht immer sehr viel verloren also meine Meinung nach und hier war es auch der Fall. Es lag mit Sicherheit auch daran das es eine Erstausgabe war und vielleicht nicht die richtige Übersetzerin gefunden wurden ist.
Ich hatte mich sehr auf Kostya und seine Geschichte gefreut. Allerdings verstehe ich gar nicht das er die ganze Zeit gesagt hat sie wäre es nicht und irgendwann mal nervte es einfach. Vielleicht mage ich den Humor einfach nicht mehr.
Mein Fazit? Ich werde die anderen zwei Bücher die ich verkauft habe mit dem hier wieder verkaufen.
September 18, 2015
Aoife is thrown into a Swedish insane asylum after claiming to witness a man's murder, and the murderer disappearing in a puff of smoke. Two years later, things are back to normal. Until she meets a talking dog and a dragon in one night.
I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway, and I was really keen to get started. It has dragons and demons, a little bit of romance and a funny bit with a dog.
I like Fantasy (obviously). I especially like the ones that don't take themselves too seriously, and know how to add humour into the mix.
My own sense of humour is very dry and annoys the buggery out of people.
So something must be very wrong when the humour in a book annoys me.
At first, it made me smirk when Aoife and talking-demon-dog Jim were seeing who could out-sarcasm and out-humourify the other. But talk about repetition! That was it, that's all we got. Sure, Jim had a couple of actual funny bits later on (and he's the character that gets the 2 stars), but I felt like I wanted to tone it all down.
And it wasn't just that. It seemed to be a running theme in this book that the characters could only have one personality trait and that trait HAD TO BE DEAFENING.
Bloody hell, I don't know whether the author was trying too hard to make it obvious; or she had run out of nuances, as I believe this is a spin-off to another series.
But Aoife was kinda dumb and obsessed with narrating everything. ALL THE TIME.
Kostya was furious and quick to judge. ALL THE TIME.
Jim was obsessed with noogies and food. ALL THE TIME.
The plot started off on a bad note for me.
Seriously, this very average, mortal, could-be-Sue-from-down-the-road girl is on a FIRST DATE with a guy she bumped into at a Gothfaire in Sweden. They are surrounding by stalls of people offering fortune tellings and the like, but she doesn't believe in all that, and is only there to stave off the boredom. Because living in Sweden is a very boring thing (but she doesn't do anything like, you know, move).
Then the guy, Terrin, that she has known for an hour or so, tells her all about the dragons that are walking around in human form. That all the dragons would go crazy if they knew what he had - a magic ring. Which he proceeds to give to Aoife.
That is not first date talk. Why the hell is he disclosing this to a mortal? And why the hell isn't she freaking out and trying to get rid of this weirdo?
But you know what, I thought I would just suspend my disbelief and go with it. Because surely it would get explained later on; surely Terrin would come back and there would be a reason he gave Aoife the ring.
Nope.
He gets temporarily killed, then is seen walking around the faire a few hours later. THEN HE IS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD AGAIN.
And worse than that, nobody seems the slightest bit concerned with how or why Aoife got the ring. Sure, the ring has a consciousness of its own, and it chose Aoife. But the others show no interest - what if it was someone tied to the bad guy? What if it was a trap of some kind? Nope, let's just make out instead.
There was a moment in the second half of the book where I almost gave up. They make a big deal about the curse, that means that Kostya cannot understand any written or verbal conversation with his brother, and is unable to see him without being overtaken by a fierce rage. This is countered by Aoife and Aisling (Kostya's sister-in-law) acting the go-between.
I thought this was brilliant, a really nice touch.
But then it had to be ruined by the rules suddenly being flipped. With no explanation, suddenly Aoife can't talk to Aisling any more, and has to converse through a third party. WHAT???
Anyway, moving along to one of the final scenes. I guess it was supposed to be the climax. Instead of actually doing anything to get rid of the Big Bad - Prince Asmodeus, they go trespass in a club.
*Sigh* I'll not be continuing with this series.
I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway, and I was really keen to get started. It has dragons and demons, a little bit of romance and a funny bit with a dog.
I like Fantasy (obviously). I especially like the ones that don't take themselves too seriously, and know how to add humour into the mix.
My own sense of humour is very dry and annoys the buggery out of people.
So something must be very wrong when the humour in a book annoys me.
At first, it made me smirk when Aoife and talking-demon-dog Jim were seeing who could out-sarcasm and out-humourify the other. But talk about repetition! That was it, that's all we got. Sure, Jim had a couple of actual funny bits later on (and he's the character that gets the 2 stars), but I felt like I wanted to tone it all down.
And it wasn't just that. It seemed to be a running theme in this book that the characters could only have one personality trait and that trait HAD TO BE DEAFENING.
Bloody hell, I don't know whether the author was trying too hard to make it obvious; or she had run out of nuances, as I believe this is a spin-off to another series.
But Aoife was kinda dumb and obsessed with narrating everything. ALL THE TIME.
Kostya was furious and quick to judge. ALL THE TIME.
Jim was obsessed with noogies and food. ALL THE TIME.
The plot started off on a bad note for me.
Seriously, this very average, mortal, could-be-Sue-from-down-the-road girl is on a FIRST DATE with a guy she bumped into at a Gothfaire in Sweden. They are surrounding by stalls of people offering fortune tellings and the like, but she doesn't believe in all that, and is only there to stave off the boredom. Because living in Sweden is a very boring thing (but she doesn't do anything like, you know, move).
Then the guy, Terrin, that she has known for an hour or so, tells her all about the dragons that are walking around in human form. That all the dragons would go crazy if they knew what he had - a magic ring. Which he proceeds to give to Aoife.
That is not first date talk. Why the hell is he disclosing this to a mortal? And why the hell isn't she freaking out and trying to get rid of this weirdo?
But you know what, I thought I would just suspend my disbelief and go with it. Because surely it would get explained later on; surely Terrin would come back and there would be a reason he gave Aoife the ring.
Nope.
He gets temporarily killed, then is seen walking around the faire a few hours later. THEN HE IS NEVER SEEN OR HEARD AGAIN.
And worse than that, nobody seems the slightest bit concerned with how or why Aoife got the ring. Sure, the ring has a consciousness of its own, and it chose Aoife. But the others show no interest - what if it was someone tied to the bad guy? What if it was a trap of some kind? Nope, let's just make out instead.
There was a moment in the second half of the book where I almost gave up. They make a big deal about the curse, that means that Kostya cannot understand any written or verbal conversation with his brother, and is unable to see him without being overtaken by a fierce rage. This is countered by Aoife and Aisling (Kostya's sister-in-law) acting the go-between.
I thought this was brilliant, a really nice touch.
But then it had to be ruined by the rules suddenly being flipped. With no explanation, suddenly Aoife can't talk to Aisling any more, and has to converse through a third party. WHAT???
Anyway, moving along to one of the final scenes. I guess it was supposed to be the climax. Instead of actually doing anything to get rid of the Big Bad - Prince Asmodeus, they go trespass in a club.
*Sigh* I'll not be continuing with this series.
July 18, 2015
Found a new "must read" author “You want to believe that there's one relationship in life that's beyond betrayal. A relationship that's beyond that kind of hurt. And there isn't.” - Caleb Carr
It was just supposed to be a bit of fun. Living in northern Sweden doesn’t exactly offer a plethora of entertainment options, so the idea of the GothFaire coming to town is exciting. And yes, exciting it was – especially when the guy Aoife meets at the faire starts talking about some funky things – like dragons and demons and all sorts of other weirdness. And then, even weirder things started to happen . . . and suddenly, Aoife finds herself locked up in “The Arvidsjaur Center for the Bewildered: Translation, the looney bin. Locked up by the sister she believed loved her, “for her own good”, Aoife spent two years suffering through what amounted to torture – including electroshock therapy. Now out of the nuthatch, Aoife is back in her home on the northern Swedish coast, isolated and alone, learning to live without the constant noise of seventy other inmates.
The thing is, Dr. Kara Barlind has decided that, in order for Aoife to gain total closure, she should visit the Gothfaire again. Oy. But, determined to be strong and in charge of her life, she visits the GothFaire again. Nothing there – but returning home? Well, let’s just say things get really exciting – and really, really bizarre. Like, “out of this world, OMG what I saw was real” sort of bizarre. Oh no, oh no, this can not be happening bizarre. Action, suspense, adventure, and a terrible betrayal keep Aoife and her new friends on the razor’s edge – and someone is liable to get cut.
Let’s face it. When I was offered this book for review, I expected something, well, less. A romantic urban fantasy with maybe a couple of twists. Instead, I got much, much more. Aoife is an unusual character. She has been through Abaddon (well, Hell, but Abaddon is the real name, so there ya go) over the last couple of years. Greatly loved by her Irish mother and Senegalese father, she has lost her parents to a Senegalese terrorist, her sister to the cruelty of locking her up, and her brother is far away and out of touch after her being locked up. And now, her life blows up one again. Demons and dragons and things that go bump in the night are all around, and Aoife appears to be their target.
There is a huge amount of fun in this story, which I completely enjoyed. Aoife has a sharp sense of humour, deep compassion, and equally deep strength. And a number of unusual made-up swear words that caused snorts and giggles. She is a bit obsessive, which got a little old a little quickly, but other than that, the book was a surprisingly strong new entry into Urban Fantasy – one that guarantees that I will be checking out other books by Katie MacAlister.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own. If you like Urban Fantasy, dragons, and an interesting story, you should try this out.
If you like my reviews, I would really appreciate it if you would click “This review was helpful” on Amazon! Getting my reviews moved up helps the authors I review receive more attention. Thanks!
This title will be released on July 28, 2015.
It was just supposed to be a bit of fun. Living in northern Sweden doesn’t exactly offer a plethora of entertainment options, so the idea of the GothFaire coming to town is exciting. And yes, exciting it was – especially when the guy Aoife meets at the faire starts talking about some funky things – like dragons and demons and all sorts of other weirdness. And then, even weirder things started to happen . . . and suddenly, Aoife finds herself locked up in “The Arvidsjaur Center for the Bewildered: Translation, the looney bin. Locked up by the sister she believed loved her, “for her own good”, Aoife spent two years suffering through what amounted to torture – including electroshock therapy. Now out of the nuthatch, Aoife is back in her home on the northern Swedish coast, isolated and alone, learning to live without the constant noise of seventy other inmates.
The thing is, Dr. Kara Barlind has decided that, in order for Aoife to gain total closure, she should visit the Gothfaire again. Oy. But, determined to be strong and in charge of her life, she visits the GothFaire again. Nothing there – but returning home? Well, let’s just say things get really exciting – and really, really bizarre. Like, “out of this world, OMG what I saw was real” sort of bizarre. Oh no, oh no, this can not be happening bizarre. Action, suspense, adventure, and a terrible betrayal keep Aoife and her new friends on the razor’s edge – and someone is liable to get cut.
Let’s face it. When I was offered this book for review, I expected something, well, less. A romantic urban fantasy with maybe a couple of twists. Instead, I got much, much more. Aoife is an unusual character. She has been through Abaddon (well, Hell, but Abaddon is the real name, so there ya go) over the last couple of years. Greatly loved by her Irish mother and Senegalese father, she has lost her parents to a Senegalese terrorist, her sister to the cruelty of locking her up, and her brother is far away and out of touch after her being locked up. And now, her life blows up one again. Demons and dragons and things that go bump in the night are all around, and Aoife appears to be their target.
There is a huge amount of fun in this story, which I completely enjoyed. Aoife has a sharp sense of humour, deep compassion, and equally deep strength. And a number of unusual made-up swear words that caused snorts and giggles. She is a bit obsessive, which got a little old a little quickly, but other than that, the book was a surprisingly strong new entry into Urban Fantasy – one that guarantees that I will be checking out other books by Katie MacAlister.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own. If you like Urban Fantasy, dragons, and an interesting story, you should try this out.
If you like my reviews, I would really appreciate it if you would click “This review was helpful” on Amazon! Getting my reviews moved up helps the authors I review receive more attention. Thanks!
This title will be released on July 28, 2015.
August 10, 2015
Review 10.8.2015: I lowered my rating after reconsideration. 2 Stars + 1.
This book was a total random find at my local bookstore. The cover was so intriguing that I had to take into my hands and check it out further. After a quick research, it showed that it was part of a spin-off series and since it was free for me anyways (I have a paperback pass where I get every 8. book for free...) I simply took it home with me.
I wasn't sure what to expect because I hadn't read any book by the author yet nor hadn't I ever heard something about her. Before I was starting the book I reassured myself if I needed to read all the other books that belong to the Dragon Sept Series (1. Aisling Grey: Guardian (Green Dragons), 2. Silver Dragons, 3. Light Dragons, 4. Black Dragons,) or if I can read it nonetheless. If was said that it would be good to read the first series, Aisling Grey: Guardian (Green Dragons), but it would also be possible to read it anyway. So in I went.
I found the books very interesting, entertaining and also very funny at the beginning. Aoife as a main character was...okay but to me nothing special. She was nice and all, but also super annoying. She really was a special case and her exclamations all the time, funny at the beginning, got really annoying after a while...
To quote a few:
I could go on with these but if I would, I'd still sit here tomorrow night.
I really had my issues with Kostya and couldn't really warm up to him until the very end. At least he was described to be very hot, somehow the character wasn't and he was way too grumpy for my liking. The characters were okay too although we didn't really get to know much about them since it mainly was Aoife, Katsuya and Jim. Oh, I love Jim! He's the crazy demon dog who can talk. He was hilarious and I really like him.
I also expected more sexy times and romance but I have been pretty disappointed by that. I didn't feel any sparks and surely no fire between them...
I gave it a good & solid 3 stars first but after reconsideration I lowered my rating to 2 STARS. This one additional star is because I sometimes felt a little lost and questioning because I didn't read the other books. You surely can read this series without having read any of the other books before but I guess it would maybe have been more enjoyable if I have had the background information on certain things although I'm not sure if it would have offset the average writing...
This book was a total random find at my local bookstore. The cover was so intriguing that I had to take into my hands and check it out further. After a quick research, it showed that it was part of a spin-off series and since it was free for me anyways (I have a paperback pass where I get every 8. book for free...) I simply took it home with me.
I wasn't sure what to expect because I hadn't read any book by the author yet nor hadn't I ever heard something about her. Before I was starting the book I reassured myself if I needed to read all the other books that belong to the Dragon Sept Series (1. Aisling Grey: Guardian (Green Dragons), 2. Silver Dragons, 3. Light Dragons, 4. Black Dragons,) or if I can read it nonetheless. If was said that it would be good to read the first series, Aisling Grey: Guardian (Green Dragons), but it would also be possible to read it anyway. So in I went.
I found the books very interesting, entertaining and also very funny at the beginning. Aoife as a main character was...okay but to me nothing special. She was nice and all, but also super annoying. She really was a special case and her exclamations all the time, funny at the beginning, got really annoying after a while...
To quote a few:
"Sweet Sardine Sandwiches!"
"Holy garbanzo beans!"
"Sweet scuppering salamanders!"
"Holy cheese on whiz"
I could go on with these but if I would, I'd still sit here tomorrow night.
I really had my issues with Kostya and couldn't really warm up to him until the very end. At least he was described to be very hot, somehow the character wasn't and he was way too grumpy for my liking. The characters were okay too although we didn't really get to know much about them since it mainly was Aoife, Katsuya and Jim. Oh, I love Jim! He's the crazy demon dog who can talk. He was hilarious and I really like him.
I also expected more sexy times and romance but I have been pretty disappointed by that. I didn't feel any sparks and surely no fire between them...
I gave it a good & solid 3 stars first but after reconsideration I lowered my rating to 2 STARS. This one additional star is because I sometimes felt a little lost and questioning because I didn't read the other books. You surely can read this series without having read any of the other books before but I guess it would maybe have been more enjoyable if I have had the background information on certain things although I'm not sure if it would have offset the average writing...
November 25, 2015
I seriously love Katie MacAlister's dragons, and I encourage you to listen to these as audiobooks if you can. The narrator, Tavia Gilbert, does an excellent job. I also encourage you to read the Dragon Septs world in this order, as the various dragon series build on one another.
Dragon Fall is the first in the Black Dragons series, featuring Drake's brother, Kostya. It's been a while since I read the earlier Dragon Sept books, so it took me a little bit to remember that Kostya was kept imprisoned for seven years and was rescued in one of the earlier books. He has suffered torture and betrayal, and has vowed never to have another mate. I cannot stress how in love with Kostya I am. He is a perfect dragon - arrogant, protective and scorching hot. He takes everything quite literally, which leads to some hilarious one-liners, particularly in the great accent Tavia does him.
Aoife is fresh out of the looney bin, having been committed by her sister after Aoife claimed to see supernatural happenings at a local goth fair. On her first day out, Aoife wears a magic ring, runs over a demon, and pulls an unconscious dragon from the ocean. Faced with stubborn and delectable Kostya, Aoife realizes she is not crazy after all. I admired Aoife's jumping all in to the relationship with Kostya and help him heal from his past betrayal. Like some of the other heroines in the series, Aoife's personality had a bit of that slapstick comedy quality. She was always running forward into situations without thinking or trying to fix things and making them worse. Normally I find this funny and I did for the most part of this book... but I hit a PMS streak before I finished the book and she started to get on my nerves a bit.
Other than that, the story was great. The dragons are out to break the curse set upon them by Asomdeus. The ending was a bit abrupt, but that is because the main plot conflict continues over the story arc for the series. I am stoked to be reading about these dragons again, it seems like it was ages ago that I read about the green, blue and silver septs.
4 stars / 3 flames.
Dragon Fall is the first in the Black Dragons series, featuring Drake's brother, Kostya. It's been a while since I read the earlier Dragon Sept books, so it took me a little bit to remember that Kostya was kept imprisoned for seven years and was rescued in one of the earlier books. He has suffered torture and betrayal, and has vowed never to have another mate. I cannot stress how in love with Kostya I am. He is a perfect dragon - arrogant, protective and scorching hot. He takes everything quite literally, which leads to some hilarious one-liners, particularly in the great accent Tavia does him.
Aoife is fresh out of the looney bin, having been committed by her sister after Aoife claimed to see supernatural happenings at a local goth fair. On her first day out, Aoife wears a magic ring, runs over a demon, and pulls an unconscious dragon from the ocean. Faced with stubborn and delectable Kostya, Aoife realizes she is not crazy after all. I admired Aoife's jumping all in to the relationship with Kostya and help him heal from his past betrayal. Like some of the other heroines in the series, Aoife's personality had a bit of that slapstick comedy quality. She was always running forward into situations without thinking or trying to fix things and making them worse. Normally I find this funny and I did for the most part of this book... but I hit a PMS streak before I finished the book and she started to get on my nerves a bit.
Other than that, the story was great. The dragons are out to break the curse set upon them by Asomdeus. The ending was a bit abrupt, but that is because the main plot conflict continues over the story arc for the series. I am stoked to be reading about these dragons again, it seems like it was ages ago that I read about the green, blue and silver septs.
4 stars / 3 flames.
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