Monday Book Review by the Book Dragon: Romance & dragons!

The Book Dragon recommends Shari L. Tapscott's Eldentimber Series and has given Book 1, Pippa of Lauramore 5 claws!

My 5 star review of Pippa of Lauramore: "Romance! Chivalry! Dragons! Fairies! This story is so full of delightful surprises, from laugh-out-loud moments to gasp-inducing danger to heartbreaking encounters, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I love the spunky main character, the unorthodox Princess Pippa, and I felt so sorry for her not being able to choose who to marry. The tournament to determine which of the many competing princes and lords would win that honor was so well done, I can't wait to read it again. This definitely goes on my favorite books of all time list."

My 5 star review of Grace of Vernow (a short prequel to Pippa): "This is a wonderful novelette about a lovely young scholar named Grace. Her situation tugged at my heartstrings, and I read this in one sitting to find out what happened to her. This story makes me want to read the rest of the Eldentimber tales. Recommended for fans of love and chivalry!"

My 5 star review of Anwen of Primewood: "After reading Pippa's and Grace's story, I was anxious to read Anwen's too. At first I was a little nervous, because it took a while to love Anwen's character, since she started out doing something really FOOLISH. But as the rest of the story unfolds, you see her remorse and her single-minded determination to make things right, and I was rooting for her and crying for her every step of the way. There were frightening scenes and other scenes that made me smile, and I especially loved getting to see some of the wonderful characters from book one again--it felt like a family reunion! I love this fantasy world and the loveable characters Ms. Tapscott has brought to life. Can't wait for the next book!"

My 5 star review of Seirsha of Errinton: "Wow, this was one intense story! From what I learned about Errinton from previous books in this marvelous series, I was not surprised. What did surprise me was how attached I became to Seirsha. She and her friends endured many perilous situations, and not all of them came out unscathed. I loved that Pippa and Archer from Book 1 are present through much of this book. And the ending--wow! What an emotional roller coaster! If you like medieval fantasy with dragons, romance and lots of intrigue and danger, you will love this book." (Note: this one is darker than the others)

Audette and Rosie are in my TBR stack. I'm just sorry it appears there will be no more Eldentimber stories after those, so I will savor them. And, of course, all it takes to revisit this intriguing world is to re-read the stories!

Monday Review by the Book Dragon: Gripping Urban Fantasy!

The Book Dragon highly recommends these grreat books by Annie Douglass Lima, even though there are no dragons! He gives both The Collar & the Cavvarach AND The Gladiator & the Guard 5 claws.

My 5 star review of The Collar & the Cavvarach: "I was excited to receive an advance review copy of Ms. Lima's The Collar and the Cavvarach, and once I began reading I couldn't put it down. The main character, fourteen-year-old Bensin, is a strong and sympathetic character. He's a slave in a modern empire with undertones of Ancient Rome. The collar on the stunning cover is like the one he has to wear. Benson's five-year-old sister does not yet have a collar, though she is also a slave, and his one goal is to free her. He goes to extraordinary measures to try to make that happen, even putting his own life at risk, because he knows the abuse his pretty sister can expect as a slave. The author does a great job of writing about the brutality of this culture without being graphic, so the stakes are extremely high, making the reader more and MORE anxious. This is a MUST read for anyone who likes YA urban fantasy. The way the cavvarach (the hooked sword on the cover) is used in this story, both literally and figuratively, is unforgettable. The other characters, both good guys and bad guys, are three-dimensional and add much to this powerful story of honor and determination against all odds." 

My 5 star review of The Gladiator & the Guard: "I loved Ms. Lima's first book, The Collar and the Cavvarach, and looked forward to reading this one. I was not disappointed! The stakes are even higher, the emotions run the gamut, the nail-biting scenes made my heart beat faster, and I became even more invested in WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! If you like adventure stories with well-drawn characters and many layers of deeper insights into the human experience, you must read this book"

Now I am anxiously waiting for the next book. These characters are real and compelling!

Monday Review by the Book Dragon: A Jane Austen Fan Fic Fantasy!

The Book Dragon recommends this fabulous book by Laura Hile, and even though there are no dragons in it, he gives it 5 claws!

Here's my 5 star review: "The cover alone made me want to read this book, but the idea of Darcy and Collins switching bodies was so intriguing, I devoured this book. It's so well-written and SO much fun to read this deliciously twisty plot. Hile has stayed true to Ms. Austen's P&P characters but managed to make some of them larger-than-life! I plan to read this one again and recommend it to anyone who loves Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, or well-researched historical fantasy!"

After reading Darcy by Any Other Name, I immediately watched A&E's Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth (for the nth time).

Get your Kindle or paperback copy at Amazon or the paperback at Barnes and Noble!