I really liked the beginning of the book. Especially the parts with Gilene and Azarion, the main characters from Phoenix Unbound.

But the book's pacing was off. The middle dragged and the end was rushed. Also the romance and characters didn't have enough spark. ( )

I’m a huge fan of grace draven writing but I found this one to be a little slow. That being said it was still sweet and I read til the end. ( )

Halani is a free-trader, one of a band of tinkers who roam the Empire buying and selling. She's also a healer, and rescues Malachus, the warrior draga who is wounded by assailants. He needs his mother-bond to transform, but the evil Empress wants him.
This was a good story but pretty slow-moving. A lot of the plot is spent on the free-trader encampment just cooking, telling stories, and doing chores. The romance between Halani and Malachus is a slow-burn too which is fine.
I didn't read the first book in the series but I don't think it was necessary. I understood the world and characters pretty well without that background. I just wish more happened and the world was developed more. ( )

While I liked this book, I didn't love it as I had hoped that I would. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Phoenix Unbound, so I have been very eager to get my hands on this newest installment. I couldn't wait to dive back into this world and the dragons promised in the title only added to my excitement. My expectations were really high going into this book which might have ended up being an issue because I ended up being somewhat disappointed that those expectations were not met. Don't get me wrong - this is a good book but I just expected a little more.

This was a slower-moving story. The first book in the series felt pretty action-packed and I really expected that this book would be similar. I really felt like I spent most of this book just waiting for something to happen. Things did eventually get exciting but it was pretty late in the book before things picked up.

I thought that the characters in the story were very well done. I really enjoyed getting to know Halani, her mother, and Malachus. I thought that the chemistry between Halani and Malachus was well done and I was definitely cheering on their relationship. I found all of the information regarding the Draga to be quite interesting and I really felt like Malachus had been through a lot. I also found that the secrets surrounding Halani added a nice element to the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I feel like most readers will enjoy this one a bit more than I did. I did like the book but felt like it was rather slow for much of the story. I definitely plan to read more of Grace Draven's work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace via Net Galley. ( )

Dragon Unleashed balances a thrilling fantasy, quest tale with a low-burn, impossible romance which will delight fans of both genres. Malchus is desperate to find the mother-bond left by his draga mother, before his human form is consumed by the fires of inherited magic. Halani, secretly possessing Earth magic, is a healer in her uncle’s free trader caravan. Avarice drives her uncle to purchase a bone artifact radiating powerful magic. Meanwhile, the Krael Empress sends her Cat’s Paw to chase rumors of a draga in the realm. While McEwan reveals the strengths and vulnerabilities deep within Malchus and Halani, she also forges strong emotional connections with secondary characters who invoke delight, fear, and sympathy. McEwan’s vocal resonance and dexterity create engaging characters who drive the plot forward, while also melodically entwining the enriching world-building elements. Action and emotion equally captivate in McEwan’s narration, making a fine stand-alone from this second in the Fallen Empire series.

The improved review was published in Booklist August 2020 issue. ( )