Rating: 4⭐️
Bring the Heat is the finale of the series, bringing most but not all of the major plot lines to a conclusion.
And the issue is that there’s far too much drama and too many elements to pull off for one book for that to feel completely satisfying.
I absolutely love books 7 and 8, which featured the sisters of the Riders of the Steppe, Elina Shestakova and Kachka Shestakova. Each have their own unique story and voice that still resonates with me. I mean I woke up at night giggling madly thinking about them. Still do.
Then comes this book which tries to capture the relationship development between Aiden and Brannie but that’s overshadowed by a multitude of plots that Aiken is trying to create and then resolve by the end.
Think of a juggler with a number of different balls in the air, each vying for the attention of the audience. Each is important for the act’s success but you can’t concentrate on each individual piece too long because the next is taking its place.
That’s what happens here.
The reader can’t concentrate or connect with any scene or character because just as we get started, Aiken switches to another location, characters and drama. Something totally different is going on, removed from what we were just reading about.
The final battles to win against the Eyeless God and his priests has started. But this book is all over the place. An enormous cast of characters, on all sides and we get their POV’s, so multiple perspectives.
Changes in realms, locations, new kingdoms.
Keita the Viper is off on a covert rescue/assassination mission with Brannie and Aiden and a few of the Mi-runach who are sort of goofy, Queen Annwyl is missing ( huge section here in a new different location), then we’re back with scary Dagmar and her weird family, then the Abomination trio making plans for battle with the Dragon Queen, then Katcha and her crew. And the one-eyed King Gaius, and more. So many more.
I will admit to flipping through a couple of pages because I couldn’t figure out who some of these people were.
The final battle was predictable enough but still satisfying. And there was, as I said, still lots of loose ends about the children, that should the author ever want to revisit this universe she could easily pick up their stories.
My favorite books might just be those about the Riders of the Steppe. A fierce matriarchal sisterhood. Maybe that’s a series we should have. Amazing characters and stories.
And for now, it’s at an end. What a wild fabulous ride!
Highly recommended the series which should be read in the order it is written.
Dragon Kin – 9 books complete series :
Dragon Actually #1
About A Dragon #2
What a Dragon Should Know #3
Last Dragon Standing #4
The Dragon Who Loved Me #5
How to Drive a Dragon Crazy #6
Light My Fire #7
Feel The Burn #8
Bring The Heat #9
Buy link
Bring the Heat (Dragon Kin Book 9)
Blurb
HE SAYS . . .
I, Aidan the Divine, am, well divine. My name was given to me by the Dragon Queen herself! I’m a delight! Cheerful. Charming. And a mighty warrior who is extremely handsome with a very large and well-hidden hoard of gold. I am also royal born, despite the fact that most in my family are horrendous beings that don’t deserve to live. And yet, Branwen the Awful—a low-born, no less—either tells me to shut up or, worse, ignores me completely.
SHE SAYS . . .
I’ll admit, I ignore Aidan the Divine because it annoys him. A lot. But, we have so much to do right now, I can’t worry about why he keeps looking at me like he’s thinking about kissing me. We have our nations to save and no time for such bloody foolishness . . . no matter how good Aidan looks or how long his spiked tail is. Because before this war destroys everything we love, we’ll have to face our enemies together. But if we make it out alive, who knows what the future will hold . . .
Zebra Books
Publication date
August 29, 2017
Language
English
Print length
414 pages
Book 9 of 9
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 