Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for a honest review. I ATE this up, read this in less then 24 hours sooo good! It’s giving fourth wing, acotar, deal with the elf king all tied into one.
Arwen is a normal girl living in a normal down of watered down dragon folk. Until the dragon king comes to her town looking for a suitable wife. Then Arwen finds out some secrets her mother kept from her about who she really is.

woah!! this book. very interesting and fun to read!! i loved it! would totally recommend it (believe me it is so good)

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given.

"The Last Dragon King” presents an intriguing premise where the Dragon King's search for a wife sets the stage for a tale filled with anticipation. The concept of women being chosen based on their magical potential adds a layer of suspense and excitement. The narrative initially captures the reader's interest, evoking vibes reminiscent of 'The Selection,' making it a quick and engaging read. However, the novel encounters a downturn around 20% in, as the promising start loses momentum.

While the book has its strengths, such as the interesting premise, it falls short in character development. The lack of connection between the main characters and the absence of sufficient lore/background leave the reader yearning for more depth. The overemphasis on "purity culture" and the immature characterization of the female main character, coupled with an excess of "I'm not like the other girls" vibes, detract from the overall enjoyment. The pace of the story accelerates too swiftly, leaving little room for the reader to fully invest in the characters and their relationships. Despite its potential, "The Last Dragon King" struggles to maintain its early allure, leaving readers wanting more substance in both character dynamics and world-building.

Rounding up from 2.5 stars.

I wanted to read this book so much cause it was my first ARC and I have such a high anticipation… but I couldn’t continue reading it… When the book doesn’t involve you, you begin to find fault with everything. And I did find fault, the more I read the more things were getting stranger and weirder for me.
Unfortunately this book is not for me, and I just dnf it(((

The book was very engaging and had me emotionally involved a few times to the point of tearing up. I loved the character building of the side characters and definitely need book 2.
I will say that, there were unanswered questions and there could have been more development regarding the certain topics such as certain dragon clans. The push and pull between both the MC’s were a bit messy and I felt our heroine forgave too easily and rushed past how she felt. Some of the ending felt a bit rushed but I’m hoping in the next books, all questions will be answered and fill in the rushed parts

Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book with my honest opinion.

I wanted to love this book. I can say that I only just 'liked' it, and there were a lot of elements that I did not enjoy by a great margin. This book is part of a series, but I do not believe I will be continuing on. The main characters were not my cup of tea. I myself fancy a protective relationship from both partners and I could NOT get on board with the other partners. The one 'spicy' scene was actually pretty realistic if you ask me, but what I am looking for in a book is something to daydream about. Something to knock me off my feet. Well, you get my drift.

Overall, the plot was good and I was able to finish quickly. There was a lot of suspense and it was pretty thrilling. The twist was interesting but again, not my cup of tea. I'd say if you are looking for a fast paced fantasy read with an interesting premise, pick this one up and form your own opinion - you may end up really loving it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks bloom books for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this story as the concept sounded amazing and right up my street. Unfortunately I was massively disappointed. The writing style was not great and was very reminiscent of the stories I have read on wattpad. The plot seemed to be a bit all over the place and everything seemed to centre around how the FMC wasn't like other girls. This trope has been done to death and is utterly tedious now.

In addition to this, the romance was pretty abysmal. I struggle to connect with a romance story where the two people who are supposed to be so in love they are just perfectly fine with mistresses and letting each other run off to have sex with others. The only sex scene in the entire book was short, focused entirely around a purity culture and the FMC didn't even orgasm. For this reason amongst others I couldn't remotely connect with the MMC.

Unfortunately this was a no go for me and I struggled to not DNF

⚠️ Disclaimer
Thank you to Bloom Books publishers, Leia Stone, & NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

▪️ Speedy synopsis:
When the last Dragon King’s soldiers round-up all the eligible women with magic across the country, Arwen finds herself an unwilling participant in a large dating competition.

🔺 What I liked:
The general premise of the plot was interesting. I liked the secret the FMC learns about herself.

The pace was quick and it pulled me in. It was a speedy and easy read.

There was a bit of tension and suspense in the first half of the book.

Despite being part of a series it can be read as a standalone as the story arc feels quite complete.

🔻 What I didn’t like as much:
The ending felt very rushed. I disliked the time hop.

The FMC was a typical “I’m not like those other girls” characters that disliked wearing dresses and eating salad. It’s over-done and it’s 2023; let’s not belittle other women?

I tried but I couldn’t bring myself to like the MMC. He was so dismissive and rude. Additionally, I could tell he really wasn’t much of a giver in the bedroom because the spicy scene was brief and underwhelming. Not my type of book BF or real BF 😂

The romance in general wasn’t my favourite. Besides the kiss in the beginning I didn’t feel any chemistry or tension between the FMC & MMC.

Not much world building.

Predictable.

📚 Summary:
An ok, quick, and light read. No emotional investment required. Unfortunately not an aspirational romance, but some parts held my interest.

this book can be described as The Selection with some dragon-shifting and magical wombs sprinkled into it.
the writing is alright for the most part, except for a couple of over-exaggerated scenes and reactions from the characters. while the story is not the most original and many of the plot points are predictable, I kinda liked the main character, Arwen - she had a couple of witty/funny moments that I really enjoyed. of course, it needed to be abundantly clear at every step of the way that she is not like other girls and can’t stand to wear a dress or put on make-up.
in terms of the romance, I can’t say that I felt any sort of spark between Arwen and King Drae - I was also put off by his strong desire to find a wife not because he wanted a partner but because he was looking for a powerful magical womb 🙄.
I think I liked the beginning of the story (when Arwen was still in her home village) more than rest of the events that take place in the capital.
I appreciated the fact that the book is fast-paced and the plot is easy to follow, which made for a really quick read, BUT I could not move past <spoiler>Drae’s suggestion that he marry Arwen but sleep with other women until he gets an heir - it was such an awful thing to say, and Arwen was like “Yeah, okay”. literally, wtf 🤡. it was giving The Handmaid’s Tale</spoiler>

No. Just no. This YA fantasy left me pacing angrily in my room and venting to my friends. Here's why:

-Characters: In the beginning, the characters seemed lovable, but as the story continued, the protagonist acted more and more like a pick-me. "I don't like dresses, I'm so unique, I should marry the king because I'm so different"

-Weird references to wombs every few pages: I have no idea what was up with this, but literally every 3 pages the word "womb" came up. Don't ask why.

-Wrong Ideologies: I'm not going to spoil, but roughly 20% of the book was spent on a plot twist that was added near the end. Due to the twist, the characters came to an "agreement" that was just so messed up.

-Random curveballs: There were a bunch of new information that was just so convenient, added in with no foreshadowing whatsoever.

No hate to the author! This book just didn't hit the mark for me, but there are lots of readers who loved it, too. Keep in mind, this book is part of a series, and I received an ARC from Netgalley. I rated this three stars.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Post Date: December 4, 2023
Blog url: http://www.pagesofperfiction.com/
Review link: http://www.pagesofperfiction.com/2023/12/bite-sized-reviews-feat-ya-fantasy-2024.html

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for a review, although these are all my own thoughts and opinions and was not swayed by receiving a copy.
I thought this book was enjoyable! The love story was definitely rocky and I never knew what would happen next, kept me on my toes! The ending left more to be desired for sure in regards to the love story. I would have love to not skip 9 months in time and it would have been very enjoyable to read all about their thoughts/emotions during the pregnancy and everything. I was never bored, that’s for sure! Loved the twist with the powers, although I do wish we could have seen more of the training aspect as well, that was skipped over too. All in all, a great book! Can’t wait to read book number 2!

Leia Stone is a new author to me. the description of this book, below, drew me in. Magic, dragons, strong female that provides for her family. A Dragon King that is in search of a wife that has strong enough to carry his heir (there is an underlying reason- it's actually a good one). Arwen has lived her whole life in a poor town, she hunts to provide for her family. She has no desire to leave her family especially to be used for her womb. Good thing she has no magic in her, she is human through and through.
When the Dragon King's convoy comes into her town Arwen's mother tells her to run. She doesn't understand why until her mom reveals a secret that changes her whole life. The magic sniffers tell her that she must go to the capital city where the castle is where everyone's magic level will be tested to determine who will be the King's new wife.
Meanwhile, there is a threat at the border of the kingdom that threatens their way of life.
WHEW.
A lot is going on in this book. It's only 288 pages, it's a one-sitting book that has so much potential. I hope that the author will take her time to develop the characters and storyline deeply. I felt like this was very surface-level. It was rushed. The love was rushed. The training to fight in battle was rushed. It would be more believable if time was taken to develop these storylines. There were some potholes in the story. Sometimes the language didn't match the proposed period. Who says "dude" right?
Despite these issues, I still enjoyed the book. I just wanted more depth. I can't wait to read the remaining books. I hope that they will be different but the story and the characters are worth the investment to read the next one. Author don't fail me now.

Description
USA Today bestselling author Leia Stone weaves a captivating tale of undeniable love and heartbreaking battles in this start to the Kings of Avalier series, an epic fantasy romance perfect for fans of Fourth Wing.

Eighteen-year-old Arwen Novakson has magic, but just barely. So, when the Dragon King announces his search for a wife, Arwen knows she won't be in the running, as the king needs someone who has enough dragon magic to produce a strong heir. But, much to her shock, when the magic sniffers visit her small village, they command her to present herself at the king's castle as a possible wife.

This should be a dream-come-true opportunity for Arwen, but before going, she learns a terrifying secret about the strength of her magic, and if the king ever discovered the truth, he would have every reason to kill Arwen himself. Protecting herself becomes more and more challenging as her magic and her feelings for the king grow. Especially as she must watch him court other women.

Arwen can't help but fall for the charming, empathetic Dragon King, but she knows being together would put everyone in danger—herself, the king, anyone with dragon magic. With a magical war brewing, Arwen must decide how much she is willing to risk and how much she is willing to sacrifice for love.

Perfect for readers who love:

Romantic fantasy books for teens
Unputdownable & bingeworthy novels
Marriage of convenience
Dragons and shifters
Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas, and Rebecca Yarros
Available Editions
EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781464218842


.


I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Not my Cup of Tea!

“The Last Dragon King” is the first book in the Kings of Avalier series by Leia Stone and takes us on the journey of Arwen and the Dragon King.

When there are dragon stories in Romatasy, I'm always happy to be there! But “The Last Dragon Kingdom” was unfortunately a total failure for me.

The story started strong and I liked the protagonist Arwen. She is a good hunter and not only feeds her mother and sister, but also helps the villagers. But as the story progressed, I thought I had landed in a parallel universe. There was just way too much story squeezed into this Book, so everything became hectic and kept losing sense. I thought I was reading a comedy here.

The protagonist Arwen constantly changed her behavior and it was always 360 degree turns and certainly no longer comprehensible. And also very unbelievable. The relationship between Arwen and the Dragon King was also of a strange nature. After two days it was great love and then all the plot holes came again. I found the feelings portrayed so exaggeratedly that I didn't even take them seriously.

I find the concept of the story interesting, but unfortunately I didn't like the execution at all.
Unfortunately, “The Last Dragon King” only gets 1 out of 5 stars from me.

Many thanks to Blooms Book and NetGalley for the review copy.

Having delved into this fantasy read, the tale revolves around the Dragon King's quest for a magical consort, stirring up excitement in a village. The arrival of the royal guard to gather women, Arwen included, brings forth a narrative brimming with suspense and romance. Despite her reservations, the magical sniffers insist Arwen participate in the selection. Her journey to Jade City takes a perilous turn when a shocking revelation from her mother adds an unexpected layer to the story. The story is commended for its gripping plot and the resilient character of Arwen, who bravely strives to break free from her predetermined destiny. Nevertheless, I perceived some inconsistencies in the plot, wavering character dynamics, and a lack of anticipated intensity. Despite these, I eagerly anticipated the next installment in this series.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Bloom Books and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. It had great world building, a very interesting storyline and unique pieces. But the writing needs some work. It jumped all over the place, seemed half medieval then used “dude” in one spot. Arwen is also all over the place, Drae doesn’t act like an adult let alone a king. Weird purity culture and minor slut shaming.

I loved the book at the start, it was really strong, I loved how strong willed Arwen was and stubborn but I feel like the Arwen we got at the start of the book wasn't the Arwen we got at the end.

I found it unrealistic that a girl who has never fought in an army, never had any proper training and didn't know she had magic, was able to learn everything she needed to know in three weeks. If it was a couple of months I think I would have believed it more.

I'm not overly bothered about the relationship itself, but that wedding night was a let down. I feel like the only reason Arwen thought it was a magical experience is because she'd never had sex before. Obviously it must have improved, but still.

Overall the book isn't bad, it just didn't leave a lasting impression on me.

I would literally read anything Leia Stone writes and love it. She's amazing, and the last dragon king is no exception. Thank you so much for the ARC and letting me go on the ride!

Definition of underwhelming.
I love fantasy, I love dragons but this reminded me of what I used to read when I was 13 on Wattpad. It felt like too much happened in only one not-that-long book, it felt rushed and kind of all over the place at times.
And once again I’m left perplexed at how the not-like-other-girls discourse is STILL going in 2023, like please, I thought it’d be done by now.
It rubbed me the wrong way how the FMC could accept the MMC having mistresses but it was a relief for him when the FMC said she couldn’t possibly have someone on the side too, like… the double standards of it all. And the purity culture too, omg.
I didn’t buy the love story at all, where did it even come from? Also, the characters were ALL FLAT, I couldn’t care less for them or what was going on.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dragon King Drae Valdren is seeking a Queen. More importantly, a Queen with some form of powers - enough to hold a child to term, so his kingdom may have an heir. Arwen is a huntress, supporting her family with her kills and she is living a secret life. Only that life is so secret, even she doesn't know. During a magic test, she is selected with other women to head to King Valdren's palace to be paraded, wooed and ultimately selected to be a future Queen.

While this book featured quite the 'instalove' story, I still enjoyed it very much. It felt much shorter than it's 350 pages. To me it felt like a man mourning the loss of his wife and children and not being allowed to heal, who then stumbles across the women of his dreams in a life changing moment. Arwen was fierce and strong, but also could be quite immature at times - but who wouldn't be for a women of only 18 years. Drae, at 21, has some growing to do as well, but I'm looking forward to seeing over the next books the development of all the characters involved as well as the new ones being introduced.

The Last Dragon King is for you if you love a good old "Save the kingdom marriage contest", a he falls first gently simmering romance and mysterious found powers. It is definitely more on the YA Romantasy side of the coin, but still enjoyable for older fantasy seekers as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Bloom Book & Leia Stone for an advanced copy. The entire Kings of Avalier series is available now.

**READER NOTE** - I do implore; there is off page mention quite often of infant death and children born sleeping and maternal death after traumatic birth. This one is most likely not for you if you have sensitivities with those topics.

I thought this book sounded good, unfortunately it was just... not for me.

There will be spoilers so be warned.

It was off to bad a start with the cougarin of all my pet hates in fantasy books, the biggest is when the creatures are just existing animals with a changed letter or on this case adding 'in' onto the end, then we had cougarin, elkin, ratins, rabbitins, and even goatins and I think I nearly put the book down and left it for good.

The pacing was all wrong. Like a LOT happens in this book, there's the competition, there's battles, an engagement, murders, huge revelations, a random 3 week jump at one point, then there's a 9 month jump because Arwen obviously falls pregnant the moment they're married and it was just all wrong.

The purity trope is gross. The dialogue was too modern for its setting and repetitive (Hades was used as an exclamation/swear word 45 times)

I gave it 2 stars instead of one because it did hold my attention enough to read in a day but it was definitely a hate read.

I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.