This fantasy read involves a royal wife competition, dragon shifters and an evil queen. I enjoyed the meeting of the two main characters and the learning of the dragon shifters and other magic. I would have like to see a bit more world building and details in the story because at times it felt that things were happening a bit fast to follow easy. Also, be sure to check trigger warnings in this one as there is a couple more possibly sensitive topics for some people.

So I finished this in a day and I had to take a moment to put my thoughts together.

I think the plot line was a great concept but I felt like it needed to be a bit longer for the development. I just couldn't find a defining moment when the characters love clicked. Arwen just always felt like the last choice and strung around.

I did enjoy how much the dragon king was willing to go to drastic lengths for his people. How he'd put his feelings aside for them. Also, Arwen with her strong will and skills was great. I'm always a fan of a FMC who doesn't need a man.

I'm excited to read the rest of the books because I did like the concept of this book and have high hopes for the others.

The Last Dragon King is the first in Leia Stone's Kings of Avalier series. The book follows Arwen a hunter who is selected by the king's guard as a potential wife for King Drae. The Kings late wife died in childbirth, and he needs a bride who will be able to carry the next dragon heir. Now at the palace Arwen gets to know the King whilst keeping the secret about who she is and what that means for her and the Kingdom.
It's an enjoyable fantasy romance read with some world building but definitely has some room to grow. 2.5 stars
For fans of Keira Cass's the selection series and Raven Kennedy.

I was very excited to have gotten this ARC based off the fact that I was still riding the Iron Flame high, and wanted to get into a dragon fantasy.
I was a *little* disappointed though, I felt like this could have been so much more if there were more editing. One of the things that had really gotten me out of the story was the switch of lingo between modern-day phrases and more historical. In the same chapter, the writer says. " It wasn't good enough to have any cool fire powers, but he was able to lift large rocks", and "Her fingers gnarled from the winter bone disease". I just felt that the switch between the two had confused me on what time period or different world this was suppose to be.
I also felt like how it was set up could have been much more intricate with the world building. I felt like we were kind of thrust into like getting to know her world, and then immediately the "problem" happens without much background. (Which is very wattpad- just the king taking higher magic folks to bear him a child.) And when the background is given- it's kind of info dumped. For instance, I would have liked to see some previous issues the MC had with this "big dark secret" that her mother has been hiding from her, like maybe she finds a box of old things that her mother left her including some questionable books or something in another language which she has to decipher. But instead she kind of just nervously tells her and then sends her on her way. Also,,,,,, the fact that the dragon king was in the kissing booth was giving wattpad as well. (Naturally, there is a long-standing tradition in the town that makes the eligible individuals stand in a tent where they are blind folded and you walk towards the opposite side, and whoever you kiss you are rumored to marry... ofc the king is there and he kisses her and then dips so that no one knows that it's him)
As far as the writing style goes, It's almost like the writing was rushed, but also didn't really give any substantial information until it was going to help the mc in some way. Like in the scenes with the mmc and fmc, they wanted to give tension but didn't have the time to build the tension. There was a lot of things I felt could have been shown and not told with this as well.
But, overall, I thought that the premise was really good and I felt like the main character was a great addition. I will say, the fact that the fmc does not immediately gush over the MMC was nice. She was the typical like I don't want to be here- so I'll make it everyone else's problem including the King's. Which I felt like the scenes where she was lashing out on him was a little out of pocket considering he was being so nice and like tried to get to know the fmc.
This book is a great start to the world, and they probably have enough to keep it going with another couple books. I don't think I'll continue the series, but it was a very quick and easy read so if you're looking for some like Zodiac Academy vibes but with just dragons, I would highly suggest.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!!

It took me a while because i coulnt connect. The world building was simple and easy to follow along but I didn't like the characters that much, but the story line was kinda interesting.

The Last Dragon King by Leia Stone is a popular new adult fantasy romance. It is the first book in a series and is now being traditionally published! It follows Arwen, a 17-going on 18-year-old from the Cinder village which is fairly poor. She is responsible for keeping her mother and younger sister fed since her father passed a few years prior. She lives a pretty simple life. News comes that the Dragon King is looking for a strong wife that can bear him children successfully after his first wife tried and failed four times, eventually dying herself.
It turns out Arwen has secret power where after she’s sniffed (yes sniffed) to see her strength she is taken back to the Jade City as a prospective wife.
This was very fast paced with significant time jumps between chapters. I found that you couldn’t connect with the plot as it was all moving constantly.
Arwen was also a frustrating character. She has the typical ‘I’m not like other girls I’m different’ because she wore trousers not dresses and enjoyed eating food. These were the only things explained time and time again. The King, or Drae, had the stereotypical brooding, suffering king that fell for the unique girl who could actually kill him.
One second they were marrying and he’d have a kid with one of the other prospective wives, the next the pair didn’t care that their baby could have significant deformities due to their magic merging. One breath then and she was pregnant but not early on, rather giving birth all of a sudden.
Nothing much happened in all honesty. This evil queen wasn’t explained that much and we all just had to accept that she was the villain without knowing much. This book was written in a way where all the stereotypical and common tropes was included.
Thank you for the eARC. I hope other readers found this book enjoyable.

An amazing start to a new favourite fantasy series...

I love this book. It gripped me from the beginning, i finished it in just a few hours. The characters were fantastic, I love Arwen. She is a strong female character, who hunts for her family. The Dragon King needs an heir, searching for woman's who can bare his child. Arwen tries to escape but she's caught and from there starts the unrevealing of secrets and burning romance between them. I can't wait for the next book. This was a great start to a new series.

4 stars

This book was above and beyond amazing! I do wish that there had been more to the story after the end but overall it was an enjoyable read with plenty of angst and fantasy to keep me going.

Absolutely recommend!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & publisher for the eARC! I was thoroughly entertained!

So, I'll preface this review with the fact that I had just finished reading "Iron Flame" (if you know, you know) and I was still in the mood for a story with a dragon in it. Dragon being in the title and this being a romantasy, I WAS IN!!! This novel starts out with a desperate Arwen, her villages only female hunter, returning from a hunt where she has scored some BIG game. Her family is poor and they come from the farthest village in the kingdom. Arwen's village is so far removed from events that happen closer to Jade City, where the king lives and where the magic of the dragon (for those who are blessed) that when the King's guards arrive the very same day the village has no clue that the King has sent out a decree that he is looking for a wife strong enough to bear him a magical child. In the fashion of Cinderella, he is asking for all the eligible females with a certain amount of power in their blood to come to his castle and be tested. The one who wins also gets to be his Queen.
For reasons unknown to Arwen her mother says she can't be tested and finally after giving her the devastating reason why, Arwen tries to escape the village under the guise of going out on another hunt. Of course she's caught and is thus tested. No spoilers here, she's on her way to the castle for testing.
If I'm being honest, when I read the part about a competition to become the queen, I almost put the book down. I am just tired of the competition troupe. my annoyance was unnecessary, this is NOT that kind of competition and that part of the story is minimal.
After events unfold, there is a very happy ending and borderline cliffhanger for the King of Dragons. Although, this is a standalone story in a series of books in this world.
Do I recommend it? Yes!
Will I keep reading? Yes...after I get through this gigantic stack of books I am back logged on. ;-)

NO REGRETS!!!!
4 out of 5 stars

The Last Dragon King is the first book in Leia Stone's new Kings of Avalier YA fantasy series. And while it does leave off on a hook to Stone's next book, it is perfectly sufficient as a standalone. As for whether it's a solid read — that all comes down to what you're looking for.

Our heroine is Arwen, a human with (as far as she knows) the scantest of dragon magic lineage in her blood. She lives her life as a hunter in a small town, long ignored by the kingdom's Dragon King. But now the King is looking for a new wife: one with enough inherent magic to give birth to an heir without dying. Despite her desire to find a boy to call her own, Arwen is not especially interested in becoming queen, and initially believes she's not even in the running. But she soon discovers that her lineage is not at all what she thought. Not only is she a top-tier candidate, but the magic lying dormant inside her could potentially be catastrophic. Now if only she hadn't gone and fallen in love with her royal suitor.

While The Last Dragon King has interesting characters and a unique fantasy setting with potential for interesting expansion, much of its drama rests on the characters' sheer inability to communicate. Also, while it's refreshing to see a female protagonist who doesn't have to choose between married life and military badassery, it's a little disconcerting how quickly any other interesting female character falls under one blade or another along her road to achieving that.

While the story itself has interesting threads and the prose is solid, The Last Dragon King is a very by-the-numbers YA fantasy. The promise of an overarching story of kings of many types and the upstart heroines who love them, combined with an interesting setting, is enough to make this an interesting casual read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Oh my goodness! Did I read this book in one sitting? YES! I am so ready for the next one.

This book was wonderful. I absolutely loved the storyline it was very unique. I did feel like some of the parts were rushed but I didn’t feel like it took away from the story at all.

Arwen is from the Cinder Village and is taking care of her mother and sister since her father died. But now the king from Jade City needs a new bride and heir and she finds out she has enough magic to possibly be the next queen.

4/5 stars would highly recommend!

The Last Dragon King sets up a new fantasy world with dragons, fae, and young girls with attitudes as big as their powers.

It took me a bit to figure out whether I really liked this book or not. I loved Drae. You could feel his pain after losing so many children and his wife. He wanted to be a good leader and treated Arwen with respect and understanding.

Arwen was a fun character to follow. She wanted to live a simple life in a simple village and was thrust into a possible position of power.

My issue with the book was two-fold: 1) the way Arwen spoke. The book has a very medieval feel, but she spoke like a modern woman and even said "dude." 2) there were several indications that cheating would be involved in order to save the territory. It didn't happen, but I almost stopped reading because of it.

I waffled between giving this book 3.5 and 4 stats, and eventually settled on 4 because I couldn't put the book down once I started it even with the issues. I'll be checking out book two to see how the author has furthered the story!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bloom Books, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a pleasant surprise of a book. The FMC is a top fave for me. I love when they know their worth and strength and don’t shy away from it, and that’s exactly how this one is. It’s was eventful with a fantastic amount of banter and buildup. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

4 ⭐️
.5 🔥
YA Fantasy Romance
Dragon Shifters
War/Battle
Lost/Forgotten Queen
Magic
Bride/Mother for the Next Heir
Fading Magic
Kingdom in Trouble
Great on Audio! 🎧
⚠️ This story does contain dark subject matter. Please check content warnings. ⚠️
This was a solid YA fantasy romance. I enjoyed the characters and story line. The MMC made some questionable decisions due to his title and responsibilities, that I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get over, but it all worked out in the end. I really liked the FMC, she was strong and provided for her family, then had to make some hard decisions about love and duty. I liked that the FMC was the true heroine in this story! I’m looking forward to the other stories and kingdoms in this series!

Thank you Leia Stone, Sourcebooks Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC! These were all my own words and opinions.

The Last Dragon King was a good story…at first. I really like the premise of the story, magic and dragons are a favorite of mine, but I had a hard time connecting with this book, which really bummed me out. Since this is the first in a series, I think I’d like to read it again when the second book is out to see if it picks up a little more. It felt like a lot of world building and I was hoping for a little something more, I guess.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘
𝗟𝗲𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲
YA Fantasy
288 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

Arwen is thrown into a wild ride when she finds out she has magical abilities and is in the running to marry the King.
He needs an heir and must find a woman with enough magic to withstand a pregnancy carrying a magical baby.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

I was enthralled with this story from the first word to the last and had an overwhelming feeling of sadness when it was over. 😜Thank goodness there are more books in this series.

Arwen is a badass eighteen-year-old woman who speaks her mind, hunts to feed her family, and stands up for herself. She also deals with the angst of young love. The King is strong, kind, and handsome but fiercely protects his people, doing what is necessary.

There are dragons, magic, and a bit of romance as this story leads us from a young hunter living with limited means to living in the castle as the King tangles with picking the right woman out of a hundred prospects.

I zipped through this book because I absolutely loved it. 😍 The story flowed smoothly, and I became attached to the characters right away.
Although I am 52, I read lots of YA books, especially fantasy. I am thrilled that I’ve found a new series to look forward to.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

💻Check out my website for easy access to book reviews by genre or author. Latishaslowkeylife.com

Overall the book was very fast paced and a good quick read. The characters weren’t my personal favorites, but the story line was interesting. The world building was simple and easy to follow along!

CAWPILE score 7.86/4 stars

I really enjoyed this book and almost read it in one setting (but I had stuff to do so I had to stop), however I think it could have been better.

I have mixed feeling about the main characters, mostly because we don't really get to know them more. The FMC is described a lot (and I mean a bit too much) as different than other girls, but she gets attached and befriends other females really easy, so I think she's a girls girl too, but it feels like she's a pick me sometimes. I liked the fact that she accepted to follow the norms in social circumstances, but was more like herself when she could, but I also feel like saying that this was different than what other girls would do was overdone.And about the MMC we know almost nothing, there were some hints (like why he isn't visiting poor cities, but also he did not change the traditions, so he was also part of the problem) but we know almost nothing. Actually, we don't get to know much about the characters or the world itself, so a bit more world building would have been nice.
I was disappointed that the shifters and the dragons are actually the same, and we only get two. I was hoping that the dragonfolk would be more interesting, but they felt like simple humans.
And lastly, the whole idea has that he must get a heir, so a pregnancy was to be expected, and I know that some people really really don't like the trope, but I was the whole point of the book and we got to skip from the decision to try and have a baby to the labor.

All in all, as I said, I really enjoyed the book and I think it's great, especially after book hangovers. It was easy to read and immersive for me and it has a lot of potential, so I'll give the other books a chance as well. Another bonus point goes for the TW list. I've seen more and more books with it and I hope soon it will be a normal part of all books.

If you're looking for a book to overcome that Fourth Wing hangover while we all wait for book 3...you HAVE to pick up Leia Stone's The Last Dragon King. It's the perfect romantasy with epic worldbuilding, I immediately rooted for our FMC, Arwen. She's strong, independent, and has so much personality. This felt easy, breezy, and fun, and I loved the chemistry between her and Drae. And I mean, it has dragons. What more can a girl want?

My only critique is that at times Arwen's dialogue felt a little too modern. I get what the author was going for (and I also had a similar issue with Fourth Wing), but there were some times I really stumbled reading it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, SourceBooks, and Leia Stone for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Did I totally forget to download this before it got archived, rush out to grab the published version, and immediately give it a prized spot on my shelf? Oh, totally. Even though this is a standalone, I can't wait to see where Leia Stone takes this world next.

This book drew me in quickly and had me hooked! I enjoyed the setting and chemistry of our two main characters, Arwen and Drae. This book is quick, trope-y (in a good way!), and a fun read.