Dragon Unleashed | Book Review
Dragon Unleashed – The Fallen Empire #2 by Grace Draven
Ace Trade Paperback – June 9, 2020
*An advanced reader ebook copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
It’s been a week. Friends, I hope you’re taking care of yourselves amidst everything right now. And I hope we’re all working toward being anti-racist moving forward. I plan on posting about books I’m reading – both fiction and nonfiction – that will inform my thinking going forward.
On a different note, I wanted to share a new fantasy romance! This is a new sub-genre for me and combines by love of romance and fantasy. I’m thrilled to share Grace Draven’s new book, Dragon Unleashed.
About the Book
Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it’s far more than what it seems.
Dragas haven’t been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They’re wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him–unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.
Unbeknownst to both, the Empire’s twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire’s machinations and his own lethal birthright.
My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was immediately sucked into the book. Although the pace is a tad slow, I love getting to know our characters. This is a slow burn romance y’all so if that’s your jam, I think you’ll enjoy this.
I did not read the first book in the series (yet!) and I could still understand the world building and characters so this is an easy jump on point.
I will say that if you’re looking for an epic fantasy with sword fights, villain development, and serious world building this might not be for you. The main focus is on the couple and the slow burn romance. I found the characters to be endearing and equally enjoyed our hero and heroine. I felt like both were strong and had a sense of self before coming into the romance.
Additionally, the community of free-traders (seemingly based on the Roma people) were interesting and loving and gave this fantasy a different feel. As mentioned above the book is not heavy on world building so the magical system is not fully fleshed out and since I started with the second book I think I may have missed out on some information about the evil Empire, but not enough to impinge on my reading experience.
I will definitely be interested in reading more by this author, who started as ab indie fantasy romance author. More specifically, I’m very interested in reading Phoenix Unbound, the first in the series as well as future books!
About the Author
Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids, and a big doofus dog. She is the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Fantasy Romance of 2016 and a USA Today bestselling author.
