Dragon who walk around as human? Brilliant it was an instant hit for me. I could not put the book down, such a fun and unique idea for fantasy I enjoyed the story progression and character arch.

The Elder Wyrm is not only quite old and strong, but to find out your her blood and your body is going to be taken over by the Elder is another world kind of crazy.

But that's not all even the craziest twist we'll come to find. As the group plans their next move, Ember and Riley get summoned to a remote destination where they will meet the true Elder Wyrm. It was shocking for them all but it also gave them their next move. With this new information they may be able to gain in numbers.

Everyone must team up again for this next mission. To free all the females finally. This is not an easy mission and once you get to this part, its truly sad to read what is done to them. But the revenge these ladies have in them is just brilliant.

Now that is out of the way, it's time for the next and final mission. This battle is the biggest one yet. But in the end they are all finally free. There is no more Elder Wyrm and they are free to do as they want. But now everyone seems to have new roles. Ember takes her place as the head of Talon, but she calls for peace and everyone works together to make it happen. No more war, no more dragon hunting. Everything is finally as it should be.

Loved this conclusion to the series. There were some sad scenes and saying goodbye to characters you love is always hard but this one leaves you feeling like something new and wonderful is beginning. Favorite scene was the big battle scene with the elder dragon. So vivid

Julie is a staple in the YA fantasy world so I couldn’t pass up the chance to catch up with this series. Maybe it was not good timing for me? Either way this one didn’t feel as solid as the others. Fans will love revisiting the world, though!

Oh gosh, where do I start? I always have so much trouble reviewing Julie’s books because I have to reign in my gushing enough to say more than just “I loved it!” XD

But…I loved it!! There hasn’t been a Julie book that I’ve ever read that I didn’t adore to pieces. I love this series and while I’m sad to let it go, Inferno wrapped it up nicely!

“It’s either fight or conform to Talon. Even if we run, the organization will just hunt us down. We have to fight.”

Julie has a knack for writing awesome characters. I was surprised by how attached I got to the side characters! [spoilers removed]

It’s so hard to talk about much else without giving anything away! [spoilers removed]

I don’t have much else to say – like I said, can’t make a whole review out of “I loved it!” baha – other than if you haven’t read this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! If dragons aren’t your thing (which if not I’m silently judging you), there’s also the Blood of Eden trilogy (vampires, but like – well written, scary vampires lol), Shadow of the Fox (kitsune and Japanese culture), and the Iron Fey (faeries)!

Review originally posted at Novel Heartbeat!

Unfortunately, I wasn't aware this was number 4 in the series, so I haven't been able to read it as yet. I love the premise, though, so am very much looking forward to picking it up when I can. Hopefully soon

Book Review- Inferno by Julie Kagawa

The war continues between the Rogues and Talon. Talon has pretty much decimated the Order of St. George. The rogues and St. George are both limping after Talon gained the upper hand. So, my favorite characters have to figure out what to do next. The morale is low, and the author does a great job expressing their fears and frustrations.
Ember has to suggest teaming up with the Order. Her character would be the only one to make it work. She is truly awesome. The author gives the two groups two different times to work together to gain what they need and further trust each other a little more. The author gives a look at those who are willing to change their views and those who are not. The rogues have a monumental task in trusting the Order soldiers to do what they need them to do. So, Ember, Garrett and Riley have to keep their cool around the soldiers. I’m impressed they were able to do it. I would have punched a couple of them in the face.
The storyline held constant test for the three main characters. They had to outwit Talon and look for help where little was given. You had no idea how anything was going to go. Nothing was going as planned and they had to scramble to complete their missions.
The final confrontation against Talon was not going to be easy, in fact, impossible to make it through intact. That part of the storyline was a nail biter. There are shocking twists that the author introduces at the last half of the book. I didn’t expect parts of the action or people that they encounter. It was a wild ride. I loved the whole series and this last book doesn’t disappoint the dedicated fan. It was a fabulous edge of you seat read. I give it a 5 out of 5.

What a great conclusion to the Talon saga!

Fast paced and action packed, I absolutely loved it.

Even though I wasn't surprised by anything in this book, I'm just trash for this series and if you love a good story about dragons, pick this up!

This is the book I've been waiting for this whole series! This was a solid well rounded, good book! I finally feel like there was significant growth, good choices, and great plot in this book. Inferno is definitely the best book out of this series!

I really loved the growth with Ember. She finally takes the damn blinders off. She steps up big time in this book. She's helping lead the resistance and work at relations with St. George. She's also the one encouraging everyone to work together and fight for their futures and to take down Talon for the greater good. I was so proud of Ember's growth. She becomes such a strong leader in this book and I'm proud! I also really liked that things aren't tense anymore with her and Garrett and Riley. Since they settled the whole thing with who Ember chooses, they are able to focus on the upcoming battles and not with petty fights with each other over who gets her. I've come to accept Ember choosing Garrett. He's a good guy and he proved himself in this book as well fighting hard to get St. George to work with the rogues and work toward change. So I approve finally. He's showed he can very much be her equal in this book and I'm really glad for that.

I also was pretty happy with Riley in this book. Despite not liking the fact all the rogues he's saved will have to fight and potentially die, he accepts Ember's push to fight Talon head-on instead or hiding and letting Talon go through with their plans. I definitely saw growth in Riley with the war going on. I'm also happy that he at least has also found someone that is his equal as well, though you wouldn't have thought it possible a few books ago. He's finally discovering that dragons can have feelings as well after believing it wasn't possible for so long.

This is gonna be short on Dante. I still don't like him. Nothing can make me change my mind after the things he did. But I am glad he finally saw some of the truth behind what the Elder Wyrm and Talon were planning. Freaking took him long enough. I have respect for the fact he at least chose Ember over the organization when he found out the plans and sacrificed himself to save her after all he did. I might not like him, but at least he did something right in the end.

I thought it was quite entertaining how hard Talon was trying to fight acting like they were still going to win. The rogues and St. George at this point were just making hit after hit against Talon and they refused to acknowledge they were losing this war. And the Elder Wyrm fighting until her last breath trying to keep her plans for humanity from dying. She had some nerve to ask Ember "what she had done?" Seriously, trying to force humanity into being Talon slaves pretty much just because some humans had stood up against dragons in the past. Punish every one for what a few did? Serious issues here.

I also loved how much action we got in this book! We see our new allies stealing a gun from the US Army, breaking into Talon's breeder facility, taking on Talon as a whole at the facility holding the cloned dragons. So much action and plot building for the ending. It was so great compared to the other books!

I really enjoyed the ending. Seeing Ember take over Talon so that way the dragons would still have somewhere to go and an organization to help them, but not one solely going to use them and force them into things. Seeing Garrett take over St. George in the US cuz he was one of like 11 left and they felt it best to put him in charge to lead the change. Seeing Riley step up and going to open another branch of Talon to help those that want to leave the organization get settled and survive on the outside. Even seeing the Eastern dragons willing to have contact with Talon now that Ember is in charge and working toward change. It was a great ending. And while not surprising to me, but finding out Garrett's life span has most likely been extended because of the dragon blood transfusion a few books back. It was definitely a good ending for Ember after all she goes through in this series.

The series has changed so much since the first book, Ember has gone through 5 books of craziness, and though Inferno ties up the loose ends fairly well, there are still a lot of things about the world I'd have liked to see, and less suicide mission/giant monster battles.

If you preferred the later books in the series, you won't be disappointed by the finale.

In this final book of the Talon series, Kagawa pits her heroes Garret, Ember and Riley along with the ragtag survivors of the Order of St. George, against the powerful Talon dragons. Not to be forgotten is Wes, the human tech genius who is always at Riley’s side, helping the dynamic trio fight the impossible fight. Wes is a breath of fresh air. His dialog sparkles, adding wit and humor to any situation.

Kagawa’s characters are strong and well-defined. There’s so much to love about the human super-soldier Garret and his strength balanced by his tenderness. He’s always there for Ember and their chemistry sizzles whenever they are together. Riley is no slouch himself. He could easily be the heartthrob, but Ember has only one person she can’t live without. Riley may have been dropped as a romantic partner but he’s strong enough in his purpose to not let his disappointment crush him.

The battles against the dragons of Talon and their monstrous creations are intense. The odds seem insurmountable, yet the heroes repeatedly demonstrate their bravery, their dogged determination and their dedication to what’s right. The St. George soldiers who were once their avowed enemy, have a hard time getting past their prejudice and animosity. They add a dose of antagonism and tension. Then there’s Dante, Ember’s twin, who is heading Talon’s efforts to destroy the opposition and rule the world. The organization’s goal is to make all humans subservient to Talon and to crush Riley and his allies.

On the negative side, there was a great deal made of a trek to the Amazon to meet with a mysterious power. It was anticlimactic and unnecessary. Also, a character, Mist, had much to offer but was underutilized. Finally, the ending was too tidy. It seems like Kagawa was trying too hard to tie up the series.

One battle reminded me of the Lord of the Rings confrontation where Gandalf charges in to try to save the day. For those who like massive battles, outrageous odds, fabulous characters and constant action, this book will satisfy. It’s a great, though imperfect ending to a riveting series.

I have loved this series from the beginning. I think it would make an awesome set of movies, if done correctly. It is a great series to listen to as well! Out of all of the books, this one is my least favorite. Don't get me wrong, I still liked it, but I just wanted a few things to be different. So, I guess it's my problem not the author's. As a conclusion to a series, it is very satisfying and most readers will be very happy with it. This fall, I will be so excited to finally talk about this book series and know that the kids can read each book back-to-back.

The covers for every book in this series are stunning. It is actually the inspiration I will use for my book cover…when I write it. Inferno shows the burnt and cracked ground. Each cover is simple and beautiful. There are no characters depicted, leaving that to the imagination of the reader with the details they are given about each character.

I cannot express how much I loved this novel, or this entire saga really. If you have read the other books, you know just how much has transpired. This novel picks up right where the fourth left off. The characters we all know and love grow more dear to my heart. As with the other books, this one is filled with action. The group continues to fight for a better world, one where Talon and St. George are not at odds, putting all humanity at risk. Many lives are lost, some I was not prepared for. But, where there is loss, there is also new growth. New relationships form and begin to blossom.

“Dragons do not forget, St. George,” he rumbled. “Nor do we forgive. I do not see how you thought to come into the lair of a great Wyrm and leave alive.”

Julie Kagawa once again outdoes herself. I am honestly at a loss for words. The characters, as you all know if you have read the others, are so well developed. Fast paced and action packed, this story takes readers on another dangerous journey. It is sad that this series has come to an end, but wow what an adventure it has been. Inferno is an emotional and climatic conclusion to this tantalizing dragon shifter series.

I really would love to tell you more, but I am speechless…I am staring at my computer not knowing what to say other than “Go read this book.” I am not going to say anything more because I avoid spoilers in my reviews. Just for fun, I am going to add some of my favorite quotes.

“All it takes is a single loud voice to start a riot, and this place feels like a tinderbox right now. Once spark, and everything will go up in flames.”

“I am in love with a dragon. I’m as far removed from normal as anything can get.”

“Remember, though. You do not struggle alone.”

“I swear you disappear just so you can come back at the most dramatic moments, don’t you?”

“How quickly you humans seem to break your sacred oaths when you are in danger of extinction.”

That was an amazing final battle! This book is adventure after adventure from the beginning to the end.Quick paced book. I love this series and characters so much. The characters are just so addictive in this series.

I was not impressed with this book compared to the others. The series really started strong, and I was such a fan of it, as I am with all of Julia Kagawa’s other novels. But this book lost it for me. It was the big battle that the four other books of the series has led up to, but it fell short for me. ¾ of the book was planning, and/or small attacks/fights. The ending was of course the ending of the Elder Wyrm, but it was just too much for me. The characters were built in the other books to be enjoyable but I just didn’t feel it this time. The romances through the series didn’t end how I hoped. Overall, this book just fell short for me.

I have been in love with books by Julie Kagawa since The Iron Fey Series. You can tell she becomes a better writer as she goes, because this was amazing.

While I have really enjoyed reading this series the final installment was somewhat of a let down to me. If you enjoy lots of action and are anticipating the conclusion of the conflict between Talon and The Order of St George this is the book for you. If you were looking for more about the story of Ember and Garrett there's not much in this final installment.

I loved reading this book! After the ending of Legion, I just needed to know what would happen next! And yeah, it's the last book in the series, which is a bit sad, but it was a heck of a send off! I loved reading it, and it was a heck of an book!

After the devastation of the previous book, where basically all of the Order of St. George is wiped out, all I wanted to know was what would happen next. And we didn't have to wait long for a plan or for action! Bah, so great!

So much happened in this book, from meeting another really old dragon, to the offense against the compound holding captive breeding females, to dealing with tensions between dragons and St. George personnel, that was just fantastic to read, good pacing and changes between action scenes, info scenes and emotional ones! So great!

Loved that ending! It was fierce, and it hurt, there were incredible losses. Dante was one that really hit you in the feels, because he knew the truth and how it all played out...yeah, emotional! And then that Ember would be in charge of Talon now, well, it does serve a purpose, it just had bad leadership!

This book was really fantastic and such a great read, and I'm so glad that I read it!

Inferno by Julie Kagawa is the final book in the Talon series and it does not disappoint! Cobalt and his hatchlings are all together and safe for the moment but an anonymous tip lets Ember and Cobalt know that Talon has more plans at world domination in the works. This leads them to have to make allies with their dreaded nemesis St. George. Their uneasy alliance has everyone on edge and only through their cooperation in this battle can either group hope to survive.
This book was fast paced and well thought out. I enjoyed seeing the two groups work together with the aid of other outside parties. The book did not leave any loose ends and concluded quiet well. An excellent ending to an excellent series. Definitely worth reading.

Inferno marks the culmination of the series. The rogue dragon faction as well as the remnants of the Order of St. George must ban together in one last push to but an end to the Talon and the Elder Wyrm's plans to declare war on humans and even their own kind.

This was a fitting end to the series, perhaps not my favorite series of Kagawa's. The action sequences were well written if a at sometimes predictable. I did like the romantic delopment for Riley(Cobalt) and there a few unforeseen twists in the narrative but I won't give any spoilers.

Overall, a great read for fans of Kagawa, the series or who enjoy urban fantasy books and/or dragons.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars