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REVIEW: The Assassin’s Dragon by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns

Fire and Valor: The Assassin’s Dragon – W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns
In Atheldinas, everyone’s secrets have been uncovered. Tristram is a half-dragon, Nicholas is a villain scheming to take the throne from his cousin Roland, and eternally sharp Bet is nothing less than a hero.
The cost has been high, and now Tristram is forced to amass the armies of Llangard to save his king from Jarl Vidar, the mysterious figure who’s hellbent on tearing Llangard in two. To get his king back and defeat the impending Tornish invasion, Tris will need the help of not only all his Llangardian allies, but the dragons of the Mawrcraig Mountains. If he cannot bring his two peoples together, no other stands a chance.
But one last secret remains hidden in the harsh north, and uncovering it might be the undoing of all that Tristram and his allies have fought to protect.
It’s unfair to compare every high fantasy to LOTR, just like it’s unfair to associate every magical academy plot to Harry Potter. However, I couldn’t help imagining the scenes from Return of the King when reading the war scenes of The Assassin’s Dragon.
The 3rd book of Fire and Valor pulled out all the stops in this series finale. Last we know, King Roland was captive of Jarl Vidar, and Bet and Tristram are setting out for a rescue mission.
Meanwhile, Princess Gillian is at the helm and trying her best to work with the dragons. Sidone and Rhiannon, with child mages-in-training in tow, arrive at Atheldinas to warn them of feral beasts about to attack the city.
The story continues to cycle through several POVs, and by this time, everything flowed seamlessly.
Bet Kyston – still shadowy and surly and working overtime to keep the Lord Regent, his beloved Tristram, safe from yet another assassination attempt. Bet’s relationship with King Roland is one of my favorite parts in the entire series. Since the 1st Book, The King’s Dragon, the half-elf has been kind to the neglected boy, and he fought to protect the young king to the very end.
Tristram Radcliffe – Tris is now more settled and more comfortable with his dragon self. Loving the dynamics between him and his newly discovered dragon brother and father. Like Bet, Tris was fond of Roland since the beginning, and they are the two people the young king fully trusts.
Sidone – the fierce protector and honorable knight, along with her lady dragon, Rhiannon, is helping the city prepare for war. If I knew how to draw, I’d make a fanart of her astride her dragon. Most anime/game female knights are horribly, impractically dressed, so I’m loving the image of Sir Sidone in full proper armor with her lovely copper hair in braids. So cool!
Rhiannon – She is back in fighting form! Also, standing side by side with her brother Maddox against Jarl Vidar’s army. Rhiannon plays city defender and mediator between the rather difficult Queen Halwen, her dragons, and Atheldinas.
Maddox – this dragon prince took me a while to warm up to, but Maddox eventually won me over after he got along with Tristram. His mom, Queen Halwen, was a tough nut to crack, but Maddox was stubborn enough to break through her walls and strong enough to lead the dragons to war. It’s time for a dragon king!
Princess Gillian – Girl gave me the high-level spells I’ve been dying to see! She not only saved the city, she saved the entire country! She could have been Queen of Llandgard. She’d rather be the Mother of Dragons.
Bowen – the grizzled warrior continues his life mission to protect the young and the weak. Bowen is the definition of competence and strength. He is a close confidant of the dragon Queen Dorteia, who saw the warrior could use some spark of joy in his life. She helped him finally come to terms with his feelings for the young dragon, Hafgan.
Hafgan – this twink has an old dragon wrapped around his little finger. Hafgan is protective of the dragon eggs they retrieved from the Jarl, having lost his entire clan previously. In Book 2, The Prince’s Dragon , he was forced to leave his brother, Dragon, behind. The much-awaited reunion between the two did not disappoint.
Rhys – dragon daddy is the first to admit he’s not a warrior, but the mage scholar still fought fiercely in the final battle. Took Rhys a couple of decades, but I’m glad he finally has his entire family together.
Roland – this king is only nine-years old but has seen things that would turn most adults’ stomach. Super amused with how this young boy could run circles around a centuries-old enemy. His POV, along with Dragon’s, is my favorite. I loved how it was written as a child’s perspective but with wisdom well beyond his age.
Dragon – Dragon’s POV is my most anticipated of all! The most cinnamon roll of cinnamon rolls, this poor child has been held captive for years and purposefully underfed to keep him under control. Roland befriended him while the king was also a prisoner of the Jarl. Their scenes were the most moving, especially that feather quill, that thing hurt my chest!
There were some parts, especially in the first chapters, where my attention waned. Past that hiccup, the story flowed smoothly and swiftly. It was also more action-packed. The multi-specie horde, with the feral dragon beasts, is why LOTR comes to mind.
The battle scenes were short and to the point. I loved that it spared me the tedious details, but they were almost too short for me to savor the badassery of the characters. The fight scenes were over before I knew it. Still, it was a spectacular finale.
The Assassin’s Dragon unites former enemies to fight against the real enemy of Llandgard. This heart-stopping conclusion to an epic series has the kind of thrilling scenes that would make every high fantasy geek swoon!
Here be dragons, knights, assassins, mages, royals, and one clever boy king holding the fate of Llandgard in their hands!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Freedom
Artist: Ado
Album: KyougenFire and Valor should be read in order.
There’s something sinister brewing in Atheldinas in The King’s Dragon.
Secrets are not so much as coming out, but more like, hurtled into the open in The Prince’s Dragon
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THE ASSASSIN’S DRAGON: Kindle | Audiobook
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BLOG TOUR: Tooth and Nail by Patricia Logan (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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RELEASE BLITZ: Tooth and Nail by Patricia Logan (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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SERIES REVIEW: Galactic Alliance Books 1&2 by K.C. Burn
Galactic Alliance by K.C. Burn is an oldie but goldie sci-fi romance series about intergalactic love affairs with far-reaching consequences. Published in 2011, three interconnected books can be read as standalone but better experienced by reading them in order.
It’s too bad that the series is short. The stories are pretty enjoyable. The way the world-building is conceived and with many intriguing side characters, the potential for more books are endless.
I’ll be reviewing the first two books.

Galactic Alliance: Spice n’ Solace – K.C. Burn
Every year, Jathan One-Moon faces increasing pressure that he marry and have children. What Jathan really wants is a male mate that can enjoy both playful sex and his more dominant nature. To tame his stress, Jathan orders a male escort from Spice ‘n’ Solace, the premier male brothel in the Galactic Alliance–and is thrilled to be sent a man whose air of innocence and obvious desire for Jathan arouse him like never before.
Jathan doesn’t know he has mistaken Kazha Deinos, the owner of Spice ‘n’ Solace, as his escort. Kaz doesn’t intend to pleasure Jathan personally, but his powerful masculinity is irresistible. Kaz has dreamed of a man who’d take charge and indulge his hidden cravings–a man just like Jathan.
With their explosive passion and unexpected tenderness, Jathan and Kaz soon want to stay together–if Jathan’s position and Kaz’s secrets don’t tear them apart…
Spice ‘n’ Solace opens the series in Elora Ki, a frontier planet hosting the most important event in the galaxy, the yearly negotiations between the Ankylos Empire and the Galactic Alliance. The Empire and the Alliance have previously been at war, and the most important human in all the galaxy, Jathan One-Moon, is tasked to negotiate on behalf of humans and prevent another war at all costs.
With the fate of humanity on his shoulders, Jathan’s only stress reliever is the submissive rent boys from the top brothel of the planet, Spice ‘n’ Solace. However, brothel owner Kazha Deinos encountered problems with supply and so went to Jathan’s headquarters to talk to him about it. Neither had met before, but the moment they did, BAM! Pants flew off!
This employs the mistaken identity trope to steamy results. But this is not just about dominance and popping butt cherries. It also deals with brothel business woes, homophobic friends, sneaky competitors, familial pressures to produce an heir and how Kaz’s presence in Jathan’s life is affecting the tense negotiations.
The plot is straightforward. The lust was so intense and insta it zinged. The romantic development was equally lightning-fast but executed satisfyingly. These are the best parts and offset the many things glossed over. The negotiations itself barely had page time, the ending was rushed, and how people can still be homophobic at a time where you can fuck all manner of alien lifeforms is beyond me.
Jathan’s a great character. Son of a famous war general, a man of his word and a considerate dom, he’s the perfect match for Kaz. But my favorite character in the entire series will always be Kaz! He appears down-trodden most of the time. The man is too hard on himself and doesn’t seem to recognize his value but he’s actually a very savvy businessman.
Kaz created a certain mystique about him whether he intended to or not. I liked how everyone knows his name but couldn’t put a face to it. The only people who do recognized him are the high-ranking members of society who patronized his business. So, of course, he knows all their dirty secrets. It’s like this guy is sitting on a goldmine of information. Imagine what he can do with all that power!
Sadly, this was not the focus here but I would loved to read a story about something like that. I did get a thrill when Kaz put a scheming politician in his place with his dirty secret when the man was pressuring Jathan. Overall, Spice ‘n’ Solace is engrossing, gritty, sizzling, and sometimes cute.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Solace
Artist: Feint & Laura Brehm
Album: Solace

Galactic Alliance: Alien n’ Outlaw – K.C. Burn
R’kos, son of the Ankylos Emperor, is expected to settle down. But he’s much more attracted to human males than to his own species. Eager to explore his forbidden longings, he steals a ship and heads to Elora Ki to see if he can find the right human guy.
Darien robs the corrupt to give to those in need, but now he needs a ride off Elora Ki, stat. Pursued by drug lords, he accepts help from the amorous stranger who calls himself Ricky. As they fly together along Darien’s route, their friendship quickly turns into passion.
But when Ricky is injured, Darien must contact the embassy to get his alien lover the medical care he needs. As Darien finds himself accused of kidnapping, and Ricky fears his family’s disappointment, can the two protect their growing relationship? Or are their differences just too great?
Alien ‘n’ Outlaw stars R’kos, one of the many princes of the Ankylos Empire. This year, it’s his turn to be the negotiator. He’s hanging at an Elora Ki bar incognito, looking for a human hookup, when he saw Darien. Liking how the man smelled, R’kos followed the man out to the back. It became apparent Darien was on the run, and R’kos decided then and there to help him.
R’kos’s species are a hive-minded people who mate in triads, usually a female and two males. They are lavender-skinned, some have horns, have keen sense of smell, but with light-sensitive eyes. As a prince, R’kos’s three parents already arranged who he will marry.
R’kos is different in that he prefers to be alone, and he’s attracted to males only, specifically human males. How would the Ankylos Empire react to such a union? Not to mention, another catastrophic war might erupt should the prince’s affair with a human go sour.
R’kos is more familiar with humans because of the negotiations. Darien was a complete fish out of water among R’kos’s people. I loved how these two are all about patience, trust and open communication. R’kos and Darien’s romance is gentle yet passionate. They navigate their similarities and differences and made it work.
The plot is a road trip across the galaxy, visiting cult-dominated planets, doing some Robin Hood side hustle, fighting off space pirates and meeting R’kos’s sprawling family. The most fun part is witnessing Darien’s culture shock at how spectacularly oblivious the Ankylos are to the concept of privacy. From throuples blithely having sex in corridors to open space unisex lavatories where your business is everyone’s business, Darien was gob smacked and just a liiiittle bit scared.
With a suspenseful space fight, much-appreciated cameos from Jathan and his crew, and a happy reunion, the ending was much better than the first book. While I didn’t enjoy the visit to the cult, the story as a whole was highly entertaining. Overall, Alien ‘n’ Outlaw is a thrilling space adventure, an eye-opening cultural experience, and an endearing alien romance.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Run With You
Artist: Middle Kids
Album: Today We’re The Greatest
If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Galactic Alliance. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.
GALACTIC ALLIANCE: Kindle | Audiobook
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Transform by Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Sealed With A Hiss by Eule Grey (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE: Recalling My Demon by Colette Davison (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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BLOG TOUR: The Orc and the Manny by Chloe Archer (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Ministry of Alien Relations by Rebecca Cohen (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Can’t Help Falling in Love with an Alien by Chloe Archer

Tentacular Tales: Can’t Help Falling in Love with an Alien – Chloe Archer
River
Working for the Alliance is a sci-fi nerd’s dream–aka mine–come true. I’ve even won the heart of my grumpy-sexy alien boyfriend. Nothing can bring me down, baby. I’m walking on freaking sunshine! Except now one of Kai’s douchey AF exes decides to turn up like a bad case of crabs. I don’t trust him one bit. But I’ve got even bigger problems to worry about. Like helping some awesome aliens in trouble, and maybe moving in with Kai, who’s totally going to propose any day now—right? Oh, and my shady relatives might be hiring an assassin to take me out. So, you know, a day in the life of River Sullivan. I’m sure everything’s going to be fine. Won’t it?
Kai
We’ve finally got a new lead on the drug dealer targeting extraterrestrials on Earth. But the more we unravel in this investigation, the less I like it. Outside of work though, things are going amazingly well with my adorable mate–dear galactic gods, how did that happen? But with an ex back in my life and wanting to be friends, and the threat of a potential assassin looming, things are getting a little complicated. I love River with both my hearts—and all five tentacles—but even I’m worried I might not be able to protect him from the dangers ahead. Also, I need to figure out how the heck I’m going to propose to him. River deserves something “epic,” and I don’t want to let him down. Am I going to be able to deliver?
Can’t Help Falling in Love with an Alien (Tentacular Tales #2) is a (116,000 words) M/M sci-fi rom com and the second book in the series. It should be read in chronological order. This installment features a pajama party date that will go down in infamy, inappropriate team t-shirts, a half-baked love poem, more Captain Starblade and Lord Vardox, drunken shenanigans courtesy of spaceship moonshine, unexpected mating instincts, plenty of new aliens with problems for River to solve, and tentacles galore. And possibly an epic proposal? This book has an HFN ending and no cheating. Never fear—there is a guaranteed HEA by the end of the series!
Can’t Help Falling in Love with an Alien, Book 2 of Tentacular Tales, continues the tentacular shenanigans of interspecies couple River Sullivan and Captain Kai Genaro. It picks up after the events of the second book, where the Alliance is working on the case of drugs being smuggled and illegally used on the resident aliens of Las Vegas. It also moves Kai and River’s relationship forward.
I’m on the fence with this second book. I understand why the author went with the direction the story went. It makes sense to follow River’s career in the Alliance, as well as clues to his alien heritage, not to mention the riveting, super epic love/hate affair between Captain Starblade and Lord Vardox. It takes a special kind of genius to make me more excited about a fictional couple written by a fictional character than the actual MCs of the story.
And I enjoyed watching River deploy his crazy ideas to help aliens integrate better in human society. The fact that he genuinely wants to help the displaced aliens, and his ideas are ingenious and effective are points in his favor.
But I also want the series to follow a different couple per installment. I am dying to read about the notorious playboy Mel winning over the demisexual Big Lebowsky, Uncle Benjie. And the petite but spicy twink, Evan, seducing the hulking blue virgin alien, Zion.
I am sad to say the book was too long with a saggy middle I struggled to go through. And because I am extra bitter about recent anxiety-inducing events in my work-life, I am not happy with how Kai is frequently put in embarrassing situations supposedly in the name of love. I sympathized with Kai at how even his mother relishes her son’s humiliations. All because he’s the introvert of the family, and introverts are always being forced out of their shells.
Kai is a grump but he’s a good guy. It was endearing how he wants to be a better person for River. Personally, I think it is River who should learn to reign it in sometimes. (Again, don’t mind me. I am just tired of loud people right now.)
Happily, the story picked up at the third arc. The Magic Mike climax really brought the energy up several notches. Those multi-colored aliens sure knew how to bring the house down! This is why I love River’s wacky ideas!
Can’t Help Falling in Love with an Alien is an entertaining sequel (especially when I am in a better frame of mind). I’m in it for Kai and the rest of the not-so-loud characters, humans and aliens alike. Most especially the hotter-than-blue-stars romance between Captain Starblade and Lord Vardox. It’s a book that needs to be written, and its going to be out of this world! So please, please, please write it, Chloe Archer!
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Alien Lover
Artist: Luscious Jackson
Album: Electric HoneyP.S.
Tentacular Tales must be read in order. Witness a relentless courtship, a sci-fi erotica gone viral, and an intergalactic Tom Jones in It’s Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien
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CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH AN ALIEN: Kindle | Audiobook
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