The Blood King is book two in the Inferno Rising series by Abigail Owen. In this installment, we see the second Phoenix sister, Skylar.

Skylar has been sneaking around the Blue King's mountain for some time watching the goings on. She has a great dislike of dragon kings, especially with her family background. Skylar is totally pissed about her sister Kasia mating a king. When she finally makes herself known, it is to surprise everyone and confront Kasia. Her disdain for Ladon, the Blue King shows while Kasia tries her best to calm the situation.

To increase the odds of defeating the red king Pytheios and keeping him from taking a Phoenix, it is decided that Skylar will attempt to mate Ladon. It is very dangerous because there is a possibility that if they are not meant to mate, Skylar's flames could kill Ladon. But it is a risk Ladon finds necessary to protect what he has and to build his plans for the red king.

I really enjoyed the characters. The sisters push the limits of their power and the chances of things going wrong is totally high. However, they must use those powers in combination with the kings to launch their attack on Pytheios. There are also political moves that need to made amongst the colors to bring all the dragons together. I was cheering everyone on when one of the kings finally takes his place.

The action and tension was great in The Blood King. The characters find themselves in multiple situations where they must depend on each other as their connections grow, including a pact with the protectors of their sister Angelika. Another one of the sisters is mentioned. There is a kind of foreshadowing on what her part is going to be in this war and I'm excited to see how it plays out. From what we are given, it would seem it is going to make a difficult story.

The love story between Skylar and Ladon was a lot of fun. Neither one of them was going to give in easily to the bond, so the conflicts between the two were often sarcastic and fun. Then when we had the soft, romantic times, it just made my heart ache for them. I love them as a couple. I also think Skylar is my favorite sister.

This series is really exciting and heart stopping at times. The Blood King definitely made a great installment and moved the overall plot along nicely. Infernal Rising great for dragon shifter lovers. I know I love a good dragon shifter!

Hot dragon shifters, action packed romance, super fun and feisty heroine? Need I say more? I really liked the idea of her being a phoenix as well. They aren't included in a lot of fantasy/paranormal reads.

Man oh man! I thought I loved book 1... but Ladon and Skyler just stole my favorite spot. Intense and stubborn as all get out. All the feels and then some. Seriously love this series!

Once again, I love Abigail Owen's steam and fated mates. There's just something about a dragon shifter... She is definitely a favorite author!

I just absolutely had so much fun and I was so sad to turn the last page. I can’t wait to read more wonderful stories from this author.

*4.5 Stars*
Wowza! Ladon and Skylar's story was action-packed! There were lots of dragon battles as well as battles of will and battles of the heart. These two were absolutely fated for each other but both were too stubborn to recognize the signs. Once they did, they were too stubborn to want to give in. LOL The banter between these two was fun and built the sexual tension. There was more to the story than the romance though. We got to know more about dragon culture and the ways in which phoenixes and dragons ruled together. And we got even more insight into Pytheios's sick determination to be the immortal ruler of all dragon clans.

I read books 2 and 3 out of order and I'm happy I read them back-to-back because while it didn't hurt to have read them this way, there were a few things in book 3 that made more sense after having finished book 2. Honestly, I think this one may be may favorite so far. But they each have their merit. I can't wait for book 4! I'm hoping it blows me away!

This one I did not like as much of the first one. I had a difficult time staying interested. The characters were good and the plot interesting, but I thought the action was a little slow. I did enjoy the interactions between the two main characters, but for some reason they didn't catch and keep my attention, like the two main characters in the first book. I can't put my finger on why they didn't keep me interested, but they didn't win me over. I do look forward to reading the next one because I still enjoyed the series so far; it does continue to have potential and I look forward to the next sister's story.

Skylar is out to save her sister from a dragon shifter, to do so she sneaks into the blood kings castle where she believes her sister is being held. What she finds is not what she expected. Can the fierce Blood King find and keep a Phoenix for his own?


I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

The Blood King by Abigail Owen was a fast paced paranormal romance book. It is the second in the series Inferno Rising, and while I had not read the first one that was not a problem as enough background was given in this one to make up for that. We meet Skylar when she sneaks into the Dragon’s lair to “rescue” her sister Kasia, who does not want to be rescued as she is mated to a dragon. Sky doesn’t know what to think of this and then here is Ladon, oh my! He is the high king and did I mention that Skylar and her sister are both phoenixes? And have powers to help save the people being abused by the wanna be king Pytheios? Well, they are, but if you want to find out how this all works out you will have to get this book to see what the outcome is. Looking forward to the 3rd installment (another phoenix!) to this excellent series.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book to give an honest opinion

The Blood King is the second book in Owen's Inferno Rising series. I did not read the first book and was a bit worried about missing out but Owen's did a great job of giving all the background needed to understand exactly what was going on. This is a pretty well written paranormal, shifter book with dragons and phoenixes, wolves and even gargoyles, what's not to like. This book is very fast paced and action packed. I will be going back and reading the first book while waiting for the third book.

🍷🍷🍷.5 #Review of The Blood King by Abigail Owen

Crystal's Thoughts:
"Kasia was the courageous one. Meira the brains. And Angelika the heart. But Skylar was the protector…With their mother gone, if she didn’t protect her sisters, who else would?"

Readers were first introduced to the four Amon sisters in The Rogue King where their mother used the last of her powers as a phoenix to send them to different locations across the world in order to protect them from the vicious high king of the dragons. The high king needs a phoenix by his side in order to secure his throne. Kasia found her love with the rogue dragon king, Brand, in that tale but in The Blood King, we're reintroduced to the fiery Skylar Amon and Ladon Ormarr - the tenacious king of the blue dragons. Sparks instantly fly between these two as their unyielding natures clash and attraction runs hot.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series. The world building is vivid, and Abigail Owen's writing flows effortlessly. And while I wasn't quite as captivated with this book as I was the first, I was still engaged in the story and it's outcome.

Skylar is the protector of her family and she takes that quite literally. The tale begins with Skylar attempting to rescue Kasia from the conniving dragons who have somehow seduced her into joining their fight and accepting one of their own as her mate. Unbeknownst to Skylar though, Kasia is in love with the dragon and not even her beloved sister can tear her from his side. As soon as Skylar confronts her sister, she comes face-to-face Ladon, the king of the blue dragons, and his bluster doesn't scare her one bit. I loved Skylar's take-no-shit attitude. She doesn't accept anything at face value and questions everything. Her stubbornness did become tedious at times, but there was no denying her courage and heart. Ladon is not only fighting for his kingdom but the future of all dragons, and he needs a phoenix by his side to do it. In the beginning, Ladon believes that any phoenix will be sufficient to achieve his goal. His people are more important than love. As soon as he meets Skylar though he knows, no one else but her will do. The banter between Skylar and Ladon was entertaining, and they kept each other on their toes. They both will do whatever it takes to protect those they love and that shined through the pages.

The Blood King contains a little bit of mystery, a lot of action, some drama between characters, and of course a fiery romance. While each book is focused on an individual sister, there is a continuing storyline that is best appreciated when reading the series in order. After this book there are still two sisters left to read about; one who resides with a group of wolf shifters and another living with gargoyles. Intrigued? I know that I am!


Live on 11.20.2020

I really liked this book and am finding that this author is quick becoming one of my favorites. Both Skylar and Ladon were in past books and Skylar’s character connects both dragon series that this author writes (or maybe I just didn’t realize they were connected until this book??). I really liked both Ladon and Skylar and everything they went through in this book. I can’t wait for the next book in this series! I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Blood King was such a fun book to dive into. Just like the previous one, I devoured this in one sitting. There's just something about the characters and Abigail's writing that makes me fall in love with everything so freaking quickly.

In it, you will meet Skylar and Ladon. These two had so much sexual tension that I was nearly drowning in it. Then there's the playful banter that I ate up in every single page and chapter. I honestly ended up liking these two pretty early on. I'll admit that Skylar was pretty much a bad ass in basically everything. So it was pretty easy to just love her through and through.

Now while I knew there was going to be some drama.. I just didn't think it was going to keep me on the edge of my seat. Hands down, I can't wait for the next book in this wonderful series! I need me some more dragon love ASAP!

I LOVED the first book in this series and have been patiently, very patiently waiting for this one. The wait was so worth it.
This book was just as fantastic as the first. Absolutely LOVED the main characters. Such fierce beings. Strong, determined dragon king and a feisty, take no crap phoenix shifter were incredible together. The chemistry was hot, the action was intense, great pace and you'll want more when it's done. I also loved the different POV's, including the villains.
I will now wait oh so patiently for the next book, speculating about what will happen and what else we will learn about those Amon sisters.

This book was a fun, easy read and I really enjoyed it. I felt like the beginning was a little rushed. I didn't have a lot of time to get used to the world and the magic system, but that may have been because this is the second in a series instead of the first. Still, it's not a very complex universe so it was fine. I had never read about phoenixes before and I found that part of the story quite interesting. I really liked Skylar as a main character. She was strong, determined and brave, and she remained true to herself even while navigating falling in love with Ladon. If you love the enemies to lovers trope I'm confident you'll like this book. The romance was a bit basic. It felt like they only had a few short moments together throughout the whole book. I would have liked to see more interaction between them.

Since reading the teaser at the end of Rogue King, I have been waiting impatiently for Ladon's story. Truly, I loved this couple! Instead of going with grumpy/sunshine or a similar variation, Owen gives us Ladon and Skylar. Gruff, reserved, with walls around their hearts for days, watching these two complex characters fall in love slowly was a true pleasure. The sexy scenes are definitely steamy but my favorite part was the sexual tension. In true enemy-to-lovers fashion, Skylar squashes down all that attraction but we all know that won't work for long. Ladon's effort to give Skylar room to be a badass and to communicate was incredibly sweet.

It took a bit to adjust to Skylar and most of that is some of the cringy, stereotypical hardass dialogue (like declaring "no shit" instead of something clever), but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed watching her character grow.

There is nothing slow about this series. The action is in your face and the romances are red hot with lots of growly men. It took some serious effort not to binge read this book and immediately start chanting for book three. Clearly, I'm seriously enjoying this series and can't wait to spend more time getting to know the last two phoenix sisters and their mates. Black Dragons here we come!

Side Note: I formally request at least a novella featuring Ladon's sister so I can enjoy more pining time before she takes life by the dragon horns.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed a review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
**Review live on blog 12 OCT

4.5 Stars!

This is the second book in the series and filled with just as much intrigue as book 1. We have seen King Ladon and Skylar in the previous book and little sneak peeks in the suthors other series. Ladon and Skylar are not terrible fond of each other to begin with but feel that underlying tug toward each other.

Lots of political action in this one. Some steamy moments once Sky and Ladon realize they may be more than enemies. Two more sisters to go. It looks like all are accounted for. Let's see which Dragon king gets the next match.

My only down fall and it really is my fault--a long time between books. I felt like I was playing catch up for a minute. I should have re-read. If you are new to the series, go ahead and grab both books right away. Enjoy!

Looking forward to more dragon shifters soon!

*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

Can you trust the enemy? Skylar knew that once their mother died that it was her job to look after her sisters but she wasn’t ready this. She needs to find her sisters but she can’t find them by herself so when she finds her sister Kasia she is horrified that she has made a dragon her mate. She knows that staying with the dragon king Ladon will only lead to danger & heartache. Can Ladon win her over & claim her as his mate. He knows that he will do anything for Skylar as she is his and he knows that he needs to keep his Phoenix safe as others will come for her. Will Skylar accept what fate has decided for her? Will they be able to find their other sisters before it is too late? Will they get vengeance on the dragon that killed their parents? A good read. I enjoyed it all. I was lucky enough to receive a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

*I received this book free from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.*

Skylar is one of the quadruplet phoenixes. She is the fighter amongst them, the protector, and she feels like she is letting her sisters down. Once she discovered her sister Kasia mated a Dragon King she knew in her gut that she had to have been forced and that she let her sister down by not protecting her from that fate. Truth was that Kasia was happy and chose her mate. After spending some time with her sister and the Dragons she realized that maybe her assumptions were wrong. And to save her sisters she'd mate with the dragon pursuing her, Ladon. She was after all drawn to him from the moment they met, so if they were meant for each other that was probably reason, but that didn't mean she had to like it or admit her true feelings of desire.

"Attracted didn't begin to cover it. She wanted him in a highly inappropriate, idiotic, delicious way."

Ladon wanted a phoenix by his side, he wouldn't deny that fact, but he would never force one. That's how Kasia ended up with his friend instead of him, but when he discovered she had a feisty sister that he couldn't take his eyes off of, he knew he'd found the one meant for him. All he had to do was convince her of that fact so she wouldn't burn him alive.

"Sexiest damn thing I've ever seen. You all commanding, and brilliant, and calling me your king."

It was amusing watching the interactions between Skylar and Ladon since they are both protective, overbearing, stubborn people who are obviously drawn together. Their chemistry is amusing at times. Their passion is undeniably hot. Watching the big bad Ladon get emotional when he has close calls of losing Skylar because of her willingness to make sure everyone is safe is heartwarming and it brings that sense of awwww to the story.

The Blood King is another fascinating book by Abigail Owen. She sure knows how to write her Dragon Shifters. Each has their own unique personality and you never know what the next book will bring, but it's guaranteed that you'll love it no matter what it is. At least I do. Nothing sexier than a hot Dragon King. Bring on the next book in the Inferno Rising series.

I'm excited because I have found a new author who does PNR really well. I love dragon shifter books and I felt like this was a fresh take on dragons.

The heroine was awesome! I love a female lead who can kick butt just as much as the male lead. There is one particular fight scene that I got suck a kick out of and thought her gift was used creatively.

The male lead character had a great mix of tough, possessiveness along with a softer side for the heroine. It's not a mix that is always easy to find. I enjoyed his character very much.

I haven't read the first book but I had no problems understanding what was going on. I will go back and read it since I ended up liking the heroine for that book as well. She got a lot of play time in this one.

The next book that was cued up at the end of this one has a softer heroine, so I will be interested to see where the author will take this after two books with strong heroines