Rogue, by Julie Kagawa

Format: e-ARC, 460 pages

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (Australia)

Published: May 1, 2015

ISBN: 9781743690888

Genre: YA paranormal

Back cover blurb:

“There are a dozen St. George soldiers hiding in that maze,” my trainer said. “All hunting you. All looking to kill you. Welcone to Phase Two of your training, hatchling.”

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can’t forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he’d signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order’s headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember’s own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

My review: The blue cover was the first giveaway that this would be more about Cobalt/Riley, and in this book we find out a lot more about his past and his role in Talon 12 years earlier, as well as his position as the current rogue leader. As Ember also discovers, Cobalt is far from the carefree slacker she assumed him to be when they first met, and even though I’m still fiercely Team Garret, I grew to like Cobalt much more. 

This book is far more action-packed throughout than the first book, and the romance element is moved to the back-burner. That’s not to say there aren’t some swoony moments, but everyone is in peril too much for those moments to be prolonged. I admit I was a bit saddened by that – I loved the UST of the first book and missed it here.

Kagawa has written some epic twists, and the ending just broke my heart. I have hope for the next book – it’s called Soldier so must be about Garret and the Order – but according to Goodreads I have to wait until 2017 for it! Nooo! #TeamGarret  

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

My rating: 4/5

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Talon, by Julie Kagawa

Format: audiobook, 12 hours and 32 minutes, narrated by Caitlin Davies, MacLeod Andrews and Chris Patton

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Published: October 28, 2014

ISBN: 9781483024776

Genre: YA paranormal

Back cover blurb: Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they’re positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon’s newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember’s bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

My review: I may have been one of the few people who didn’t much like Kagawa’s Iron Fey, mainly because I’m not a big fan of fairies, but dragons are another matter entirely. I really liked this, even though there was the usual YA love triangle and Ember seems more human than dragon most of the time. I’m definitely Team Garret and cannot wait until the next book is released next week.

My rating: 4/5

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