It’s been a year since Tamsyn transformed. From royal whipping girl in the palace of Penterra to the bride of Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands. From the enemy in the Beast’s bed to the wife he sacrificed himself to save. From an ordinary girl...to a dragon. And not just any dragon—a powerful fire-breather...and the best hope to keep magic from flickering out forever.
With Fell gone, torn from her side in the dangerous swirling mists of the Crags, Tamsyn is heartbroken and alone among the dragon pride. An unwelcome outsider still learning to survive in this fiery skin of hers within a new cutthroat society, she trains in the arena until her muscles burn and her blood spills. Slowly, Tamsyn forges herself into a warrior in the shadow of Fell’s enigmatic brother, Vetr, whose silver eyes track her with distrust...and maybe something more.
But is Fell truly beyond her reach? Their bond pulls at her, as fiercely as the drive to protect both humans and dragonkind from the growing threat posed by Stig, once her closest friend, now a relentless enemy determined to hunt her down and destroy her—and with her, all things magic.
Magic stirs in the darkness, strengthening all who believe in it. But will it be enough to save Tamsyn, the pride, the kingdom...and a fiery love fated to endure for centuries, as deep as a scar in the bone?
PJ's Thoughts:
Tamsyn's journey continues in this second book of Sophie Jordan's A Fire in the Sky series. A Scar in the Bone picks up the story one year after the end of book one. I admit, it took me a bit to figure out what was going on in this book, why Fell, the lead male character from book one was missing, and what roles all the new supporting characters would play. Once I settled in, though, I was once again eagerly flipping pages to find out what would happen next.
This book takes Tamsyn in directions I was not expecting. The angst level is high, with unexpected twists and life-altering decisions looming about which I have opinions. Strong opinions. This is a dark fantasy romance and Jordan does not hold back. Tamsyn faces a lot of adversity that results in both physical and emotional trauma but also leads to growth in her character, again, both physically and emotionally. She needs that growth to survive the challenges and decisions she faces that will ultimately lead her to the necessary self-confidence and conviction within that will guide her to her happy ending. I was pulling so hard for that happy ending!
The world building within this book is well written with vividly depicted descriptions that had me believing dragon shifters are real (they are, right???) and action sequences that had me on the edge of my seat. My emotions took a hit not only from those physical challenges but from the personal interactions as well. Tamsyn is put to the test time and again and I was right there with her, urging her to make the right decisions for her happiness every step of the way. At least, the decisions I thought were right. As mentioned above, I had very strong opinions about which decisions were the right ones.
The end of the book offers a happy ending for Tamsyn and her chosen mate but there are storm clouds on the horizon for the world in which she lives and certain characters who have yet to play their final card. That makes me all the more eager for book three, set to be published summer 2026. Some characters from books one and two will be in that story but I'm told it features a new lead couple and can be read as a standalone. Not so for A Fire in the Sky and A Scar in the Bone. I strongly advise readers to read those two in order. Both books are currently available in print, ebook, audio, and through Kindle Unlimited.
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Have you read A Fire in the Sky, A Scar in the Bone, or any other of Sophie Jordan's books?
Do you enjoy "other" worlds in your reading?
What is it about those dragon shifters? Do they engage your interest as much as they do mine?
I attended a discussion and book signing with Sophie Jordan last night (and, yes, that is Sarah MacLean on my other side!) and came home with a signed hardcover copy of her newest release, A Scar in the Bone. It will be winging its way to one randomly chosen reader who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, October 17.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
I haven't read Sophie Jordan's novels but will now. I enjoy other worlds since they are unique and enjoyable. Shapeshifters interest me greatly. Such special and amazing creations.
ReplyDeleteI've only read Sophie Jordan's historical romances and loved them! This series is on my wish list. I do love books set in other worlds - especially since it is so easy to believe in all the Shifters in other worlds.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed A Fire in the Sky and looking forward to continue this series. I love reading "other" worlds and fantasy, the stories are never limited to our contemporary world.
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