A review by deirdrerosemorgan
The Flames of Albiyon by Jean Menzies

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Starting off while I would personally categorize this book as an adult fantasy, the writing is incredibly accessible so I think there is a wide range of who people who will enjoy this book. It does have some bit of spice.

Adairia is the main character and her world is turned upside down when one day a dragon egg decides to make her it's companion. She is thrust into a world where she is given a create to not only take care of but to connect with for the rest of her life. And because of this event happening she gets to meet more people inside of the world she exists in that she never would have met unless the dragon had chosen her.

First off, the dragons talk!!! They talk!!!! I love the way Jean wove together dragon lore and romance and friendships into an exciting fantasy book. Where the drawbacks happened for me was in the world building and narration. Knowing that this book is the first in a series I wish the world building had been paused at a certain point to give room for the plot and character development to really take hold and give more exploration of the world in later books. It also felt at times that while the writing was accessible, I sometimes couldn't tell who the audience was meant to be.
Ultimately I fell in love with the characters and Jean's way of storytelling and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Content Warnings:
Fire
Poisoning
Animal harm (is resolved)