The Dream Thief by Shana Abe (Drākon #2)

I loved this book as much as the first. I am bit sad because the reviews for the third book weren’t that great.

This book follows Zane whom we meet in the first book and the youngest child of Rue and Christoff. She is the only one of the children who can’t Turn and hasn’t shown any Gifts yet. She has always been a little different than the rest of the family and has heard the song of Draumr her whole life.

Zane is sent on a mission to find Draumr in Transylvania. I will admit that I have a weakness for anything taking place in Transylvania. Along the way he finds out that Amalia (the youngest child of Rue and Christoff) has also made the journey to find this stone. She convinces him to let her travel with him so she can help him find this diamond. The journey is perilous and wonderful. Amalia gains a lot of confidence and Zane gets a little humility. I LOVED the ending.

I did wish there was a bit of an epilogue or something to let us know how her family took the issue. The one thing I did find odd is that there appears to be journal entries of perhaps Amalie telling the story from her perspective for small bits or someone else telling their own opinions. I never understood those passages. Who is talking?  I will still read the next one in the series but with low expectations.  The next one is about Maricara who is 11 when we meet her in this book and the hero is Amalia's older brother, so what is the age difference there?  I thought it odd that they never discussed the age difference between Amalia and Zane so I probably won't know the age difference for the next book.

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe (Drākon)

4.5 Stars

This book not new and had been in my TBR pile for quite some time. Now I am wondering what took me so long because I pretty much loved every second of it. There is a lovely prologue. For me, prologue are hit or miss. Sometimes they are essential, sometimes they are just annoying. This one was essential and wonderfully done. It is the history of the drākon done in very brief but important passages.

Summary:

Clarissa Hawthorne was a half breed. Her father was human (or as they are called in this book, “other”) and her mother was drākon (dragon…obviously). Because of this half breed status she is not treated well by any except her mother who is sick. This is all we know of young Clarissa.

Christoff Langford is the alpha of the drākon and also a marquess in the ton. Word comes to the tribe that there is a thief in London who can walk through walls and disappear. They know instantly that this is one of the drākon who has managed to escape. Escape is forbidden and punishable by death. They take themselves off to London to catch this thief and instead find a surprise. No female has been able to make the turn from person to smoke to dragon in centuries, but it appears there is one living in London in secret. Christoff, naturally, decides he must have her. The rest of the story is about a diamond that must be recovered as it is the heart of the tribe, the female dragon that is more obstinate and elusive than the council predicted and catching the smoke thief.

After finishing this story, I immediately purchased the second book. I assure you its life in my TBR pile will be short lived. I didn’t find any of the characters to be annoying which is a big plus for this author. The next book appears to be about the next generation of drākon.

Favorite Quote:

“No, love. From now on, your home is with me.” –Christoff Langford