Dragon's Kiss (Blood and Flame Saga #1) by E. A. Winters

Read in February 2025

Summary:

In this gripping fantasy, seventeen-year-old Semra hails from the village of Kalma, where each month a great black dragon abducts a child. Having been one of those taken, Semra discovers that the dragonlord in the mountain trains these children as assassins for his own nefarious purposes. Upon realizing that they are not combating evil but perpetuating it, Semra risks everything to expose the dragonlord's true intentions. As a lone assassin against the king's security forces and her former comrades, she must uncover the truth and protect the royal family before the dragonlord plunges the kingdom into war.

World-Building:

There is quite a bit of world-building here, which I found well done and fascinating. Lots of interesting and cool ideas. I loved the fact that the dragon lord resided within a mountain and that's where the assassins are trained. It's different and intriguing.

Themes/Tropes:

• Dragons
• Fight for Freedom
• Clean Romantasy
• Slow-Burn Romance
• The Evil One
• High Stakes
• Best of the Best

Entertainment Value:

The plot and characters were well done and full of depth and intrigue. I loved the fact that the protagonist, Semra, realizes she's fighting on the wrong side. The pace was even, and I had a hard time putting the book down.

I didn't enjoy the implied love triangle — Zephan, Semra, and Siler. That's just me; I've never liked love triangles. Another thing, there was a lot of telling rather than showing. I don't mind that sometimes and especially in action scenes, but there is a lot of "Semra felt" or "Semra was confused."

Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Cover Art:

I really like the cover art for the book. It's not often you see white covers for Fantasy books.

Would I read this book again?

Yes, and I intend to continue this series.

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