Reverie Reviews

review #41.S3: Dragon Kissed

Dragon Kissed

Author: winteringpages-
Reviewer: CoffeeAndSilverInk

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SYNOPSIS

A maiden is expected to marry into nobility to uphold the family name's honour. However, come the night of her wedding, the mysterious dragon shifter she encountered in the forest has other ideas, starting by invading her carriage.

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As a woman, Olivia Willows is expected to cast aside her pursuit of independency to fulfill her duties; as an acquiescent housewife in a patriarchal society. All for the sake of one's honour not even her own.

Though the veil isn't as pellucid as it appears when Olivia meets a male in the nearby forest. A silent creature neither man nor dragon, he's shrouded behind the very riddles leaving fiery sparks on her skin.

And when an instinct stirs awake, a prophecy written long ago revives a centuries-old war, ensuing an ominous threat after them. On the run, the bond with the dragon shifter soon reaches dangerous new heights, and Olivia finds herself tangled amidst a dark web of lies leading to the truth of her heritage.

However, to end a timeless war, she must fulfill the expectations that destiny has dropped on her. Can Olivia do it, knowing it'll cost her everything? Or will she run to escape it? After all, she's only human.

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Title and Cover:

The title works perfectly. It's catchy and explains what the story is about fairly well. Although, it came to mind later that the word "kissed" is sometimes used as a metaphor. "Destined to the dragon" is definitely a title I would skip, but "Dragon Kissed" is much better.

The cover is simply amazing. Title and author are well displayed, the colour is bold, making it impossible to go unnoticed, and it matches the colour of Rykal's eyes and scales.

Blurb:

The opening sentence is great. It summarised the story pretty well and it striked me as funny in a sense.

Throughout the rest of the blurb, we are given an insight on Olivia's life, her ambitions and what she is expected to do.Then, we're told the main conflict and what changes in her life. Finally, the ending appeals to the reader to open the story. These are the steps to make a successful blurb. I am left with no suggestions to make it better, as it is perfect to me.

Plot/Flow:

The opening chapter was amazing. It takes us through the character's emotions, and it makes us wonder about what is to come. Being written in 1800s English is also a detail I liked a lot about it.

In Rykal's chapter, though full of action and a great way to start the book, I was a bit confused in a sense. He says he shields her from carnage, meaning there is some kind of war or battle going on. I did not realise that at first because the story follows the dragon in his quest for the maiden and describes nothing more. I'd like to know if there was a battle beforehand. And was the battle already going on or started due to his arrival? She had the dress thorn so I assume prior to his arrival.

A bit forward into the chapter, the main conflict of Rykal (at that point) is shown to us, and his desperation is obvious. The whole chapter does well in telling us more about Rykal, the (hot) drama queen who tore his shirt to pieces (you can't tell me doing that ain't drama queen behaviour), as well as his issues and goals.