Title: Stealing the Dragon (The Dragon’s Hoard #3)
Author: Mell Eight
Cover Artist: London Burden
Publisher: Less than Three Press
Buy Links: Amazon Buy LinkLink; Publisher Link
Genre: fantasy, adventure
Length: Novella
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
A Guest Review by Larissa
Review Summary: this sweet, light, fun fantasy story with a sweet baby dragon and a tough witch will get your awwww factor up real fast
Blurb
Stealing from a dragon’s hoard is never a bright idea, but stealing from a baby dragon’s hoard can lead to tears, sniffles, and smoke in the middle of a busy marketplace.
Jerney, a witch who does work for a well-known thieves’ guild, knows exactly who’s to blame for the brazen theft. With no other choice in the matter, he quickly becomes entangled in trying to help the baby dragon. What he doesn’t expect is that his own heart might get stolen in the process.
Review
Oh my. This is one sweet (and I do mean sweet. Sweet as in sweet as Turkish Delight) story. Shortly into the story I had a dopey smile on my face and going “awwww” very often. It’s like watching kittens do adorable things. If this was just for me, I would have given it five stars, because it made me laugh, had a not so common plot and funny characters. But alas, when reviewing you have to take some other factors into account. So here goes. Hang on tight and get your teddy bears people!
Stealing the Dragon is the third book in the Dragon’s Hoard series. I admit, I haven’t yet read the other stories in the series, but I will soon. This is the story of Jerney, a witch who didn’t always have an easy life but didn’t let his troubles get him down. To a larger extent it’s also the story of Tori, a 17-year old baby dragon. Almost an adult in human years, but still very much a baby in dragon years. I’ll warn you now, this is not a romance. There is a hint of romance for later on when Tori is all grown up. For now this story is more about friendship.
Jerney ran away with his younger brother and baby sister when it became clear his father was going to sell him and his sibling as bedwarmers. His growing talents as a witch landed him a place in the Thief’s Guild, aiding in their nefarious dealings with potions and spells. All grown up, he’s able to breakaway and begin his own shop with his nearly blind younger brother and his 15-year old sister who is all trouble and an adept thief.
She is the one stupid and bold enough to steal from a baby dragon: Tori. Who, because he’s unique, lives at the castle until he learns to shift into his dragon form. She dares to steal his hatching gem which leaves devastated Tori all asniffle in the market place.
This is where the story really begins and Jerney won’t stand for his sister’s thieving ways, especially not from a dragon. By returning the gem, he is soon added to Tori’s hoard.
The story doesn’t have an elaborate plot, but is full of adventurous and sweet plot angles along with a dash of drama. It can easily be read as a YA story or even New Adult, even though there are no explicit scenes.
While I certainly enjoyed the story, it doesn’t really have a beginning or ending. Yes, the beginning of the story gives a good impression of Jerney’s background, but there is no real ending. It’s read more like a scene in the lives of Jerney and Tori. Almost like a prequel for more to come in another story (something which I hope).
The biggest trouble I had was a scene later on in the story featuring a Barbarian that seemed a little off. Jerney is a powerful witch, with a group of soldiers as back-up, yet the Barbarian easily gets the upper hand. No matter than Jerney is a powerful witch in his own right.
The writing is nicely done. Note quite professional, but befitting the story. It seems to me that this author has a lot of potential.
As already stated, I really love this story. Jerney and certainly Tori are loveable characters and Tori is adorable. He’s going to be wicked when he grows up. I certainly liked how dragons were portrayed as otherworldly creatures with a love for gems. It fits.
If you are looking for a fun, sweet, light story, than Stealing the Dragon is definitely for you.
Larissa
This sounds fantastic. I’m definitely putting Stealing the Dragon on my TBR. Do I ever need something like this!!!! Thank you for this review. 😀
Hey Wave! Thanks 😀 It’s a fun read, I really enjoyed it and Tori is so sweet. I hope there will be more!
“The writing is nicely done. Note quite professional, but befitting the story.” If I was the author and would have to read this in a review – no matter how kind the rest of the review was – I would be enraged. Who are you that you think you are entitled to decide if a published author is “professional” or not. I always had respect for this review site but calling an author and their writing unprofessional is an insult to the author, their fans, and the readers of reviewsbyjessewave.
Good morning Anja and thank you for stopping by and commenting. Your opinion is valid, as is that of the reviewer, who, in the end, is one voice among many. I’m sorry you feel that Larissa is insulting to this author (and the others you mention), but our reviewers — myself included — calling attention to the technical writing skills if we feel that is an issue is not uncommon, so perhaps you have not seen other reviews where this is a criticism. And it goes the other way as well; if the writing is amazing, we include that as something that struck us.
Our reviewers are avid readers — for our site, for other review sites at times, sometimes for their jobs in RL, and for themselves — and are generally well-read and knowledgeable in diverse genres over a long time, so if one of the team feels that the writing wasn’t up to professional levels in their opinion, then it acceptable for Wave and me to have them include that as long as it is respectfully said, which I feel it is here. The writing is part of the book as a whole and is open to criticism and praise along with plot and character development, pacing, believability, etc.
Lastly, our reviews are for readers, not for authors. There is debate over whether authors should read reviews at all, and while they are certainly welcome here, authors are not our main or target audience for reviews. The goal is to give readers the best view another reader has of a book — good and not-so-hot.
Again, thanks for commenting.
Hi Anja. Thanks for stating your opinion. I’m sorry you do do not like the statement. Maybe I did not explain it quite satisfactory, but it is as Lynn says I was calling attention to the technical writing. But I firmly believe this author has a lot of potential and as I also stated I really liked this book, but it is something I wanted to point out if there are readers buying this book based on my review. It was not meant as a dig to anyone.
The writing is nicely done. Not quite professional, but befitting the story.
I appreciate you including this detail, Larissa. As Aunt Lynn said, we reviewers read everything across all categories, and we have a finetuned sense of the borderline between writing that is polished and strongly plotted (and sometimes overrefined and bland) enough to fit the professional standards of mainstream, traditional publishing and writing that is not quite to that level (but is sometimes more vivid). I’ll read both types of writing because both have their strengths, but I’d still like to know such a detail.
I know reviews are for the readers and not the authors. Even so, if I were the author, I’d be initially shocked and a little depressed to read that sentence about my writing being not quite professional, but then I’d take it for the valuable feedback that it is.
if I were the author, I’d be initially shocked and a little depressed to read that sentence about my writing being not quite professional, but then I’d take it for the valuable feedback that it is.
🙂 Yup. That’s me. Direct as a bullet sometimes. I really should have rephrased that sentence to be less harsh, but I didn’t think it was that shocking when I wrote it. It was not meant as hurtful, just as a statement.
Sometimes stories just work no matter the style of writing. 🙂
Thanks Val!
Now, see, I have to go buy the book to find out if my opinion and Larissa’s overlap on the writing style.
LOL don’t get it just for that. It’s a lovely book to read 🙂
I have read the first 2 books in this series and I totally agree with Larissa – this author’s writing just needs a bit of polish to match the charming characters, intriguing world building and originality. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, the second a bit less but I am looking forward to reading this one.
Thanks Celeste! It’s good to know I’m not the only one 🙂 Have fun reading this one!
Sold Larissa, needs me some sweet baby dragons 🙂
Go get them! You’ll love Tori!
LOL Larissa, I’m smiling just reading your review, you did a great job. It got me all intrigued, so I’m getting this one for sure, and I will recommend it to my sister too.
I think the plot is not only sweet, but brilliant.
Thanks.
Hi Naaju, thanks for your lovely comment! I hope you love it as much as I did. You’ll love Tori for sure. You just want to pick him up and cuddle! 🙂
Tory was *adorable*. Thank you Larissa,I went and bought first two books too and already read the first one – it was lovely, but Tory is still the cutest 🙂
Weeeeee! You liked it :bananadancer:
Tori is the most adorable dragon ever!
“Tori backed away, frowning thoughtfully. “That wasn’t right,” Tori grumbled. “You’re supposed to open your mouth,” he added with accusing look at Jerney. “Let’s try again”.
Too cute for words, thank you again. And I see I managed to misspell his name too. Bad Sirius, no more pretties for me lol.
Hahaha yes, that scene was brilliant! Just like Tori waltzing into the prison and the guards having no idea what to do with him!
LOL No worries, I wrote the entire review before I figured out I misspelled his name *hands pretty*
I’m reading it! It’s pretty good, and I agree with both of your opinion. So cute! I’m getting Nyle and Leon’s book next. Speaking of next, I’m a little disappointed to learn that book #4 in the series isn’t about Jerney and Tori.
Anyway, I like the originality of the world building, simple but effective. And of course, Tori. I have a thing for bad boys, but this character’s naivete is so charming that I couldn’t resist.
Thanks for the recommendation.