Book one in this series, Phoenix Unbound hit my all-time favorites list when I read it a couple of years ago. It's one of those rare books that's in a league above all others, almost untouchable. I loved it that much. Now you understand what the follow up had to live up to. There was a considerable wait for Dragon Unleashed (not that I'm complaining), but as usual, Grace Draven has delivered the goods. Make no mistake, even though I didn't rate this a full five stars, this was another quality fantasy in the world of the Fallen Empire.

This is the story of Halani, a healer in the traveling free trader caravan from the previous book. Halani and her family took in Gilene and Azarion when they were on their journey. Gilene suspected that the healer who took care of her was hiding some sort of magic, and she was correct. As an earth witch, gifted with the ability to draw power from the earth, she would be hunted down and killed by Krael forces if it became common knowledge. Empress Dalvila is a blood-thirsty, immoral ruler who sees anyone with magical powers as a threat. Those who are born with abilities do not practice out in the open for fear of the consequences. Although the Empire's capitol was hit hard in the previous book, they are not defeated yet by any means. There may be some surprise over who the antagonist is in this second installment.

Malachus is a four hundred year old Draga, an ancient dragon who is trapped in human form until he reunites with his mother-bond. If he does not reunite with the bone that holds the power to release his caged form, he will eventually die. Malachus has lived a long and lonely life hunting down the artifact that was stolen from the Sovatin monks who raised him. He's grown world weary and jaded towards humans and their weakness of character. His respect for most people has dwindled to almost nothing, making him avoid interactions whenever possible. So it's a rare thing when he makes friends with the woman shown to him in his lightning vision. The woman who may hold the key to reuniting him with what he seeks most.

Although Malachus is embittered, and lost his family through a cruel betrayal, right from the start you can sense a gentleness in his soul. He shows it through his care and concern for his horse, and the compassionate way he interacts with Halani's mother who has the mental capacity of a child. He becomes her protector and friend, gaining his good opinion for her forthwrite, pure heart. With Halani, he is torn on how to feel about her and approaches her with caution. Whether it's through their shared earth magic, or something more, he's drawn to her immediately, and he's never felt that for a human before. After being gravely injured, he's forced to stay and recuperate with the caravan, giving him a chance to learn more about the healer who kindles a new and unfamiliar passion. She seems to have the same fascination in her eyes, but they both know that his destiny is on another path.

My one reasoning for detracting a little bit from my rating was because the first half was a little slow moving for my taste. The pace is quite different from the jam-packed action and excitement of book one. It was a slow and steady incline in the first half with the action finally settling in strong in the back end. You have a feeling of doom hanging over your head as you wait for Halani and Malachus to come face to face with those who are slyly setting a trap for them to walk into. It doesn't help that Halani doesn't come clean to Malachus about what her Uncle has done, even when she suspects that he is tied to it in some vital way. It allowed their enemies to get a strong plan in place, which wasn't without its frustrations.

The romance between Halani and Malachus was slow burning, but infused with such tenderness you could feel it with every longing glance and soft touch. They both knew they were together on borrowed time, so they cherished every moment like it was their last. They didn't want to part with any regrets of lost time or opportunity. When their love was tested, both were willing sacrifice everything without hesitation, even their lives.

Malachus is a fractured man with a foot in two different worlds who must choose which one holds his future. Is his home in the safe harbor that calls to him, or is his safe harbor in the arms of the woman he loves? This was a fantastic addition to the series that I highly recommend. If you haven't explored the dark and dangerous land of the Fallen Empire yet, you're truly missing out.

Dragon Unleashed is a wonderful followup to Phoenix Unbound. I absolutely love Grace Draven's style and how she crafts a story. Word of warning, this does start off slowly, if you find yourself feeling like it is dragging a bit early on just keep going, the action will pick up! It is a beautifully told, slow burn romance with an amazing setting. If you enjoyed Phoenix Unbound I don't think you can go wrong with Dragon Unleashed.

DRAGON UNLEASHED is the second book in the Fallen Empires series and continues with another fabulous book filled with magic, danger, and a slow burn romance all set in a fantasy world.

If you are looking for fantasy-romance Grace Draven is lady to go to, her words are magical, lush and i was here for everything.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was immediately sucked into the book. Although the pace is a tad slow, I love getting to know our characters. This is a slow burn romance y’all so if that’s your jam, I think you’ll enjoy this.

I did not read the first book in the series (yet!) and I could still understand the world building and characters so this is an easy jump on point.

I will say that if you’re looking for an epic fantasy with sword fights, villain development, and serious world building this might not be for you. The main focus is on the couple and the slow burn romance. I found the characters to be endearing and equally enjoyed our hero and heroine. I felt like both were strong and had a sense of self before coming into the romance.

Additionally, the community of free-traders (seemingly based on the Roma people) were interesting and loving and gave this fantasy a different feel. As mentioned above the book is not heavy on world building so the magical system is not fully fleshed out and since I started with the second book I think I may have missed out on some information about the evil Empire, but not enough to impinge on my reading experience.

I will definitely be interested in reading more by this author, who started as ab indie fantasy romance author. More specifically, I’m very interested in reading Phoenix Unbound, the first in the series as well as future books!

DRAGON UNLEASHED is the second book in the Fallen Empires series and continues with another fabulous book filled with magic, danger, and a slow-simmering romance all set in a unique fantasy world.

If you are looking for fantasy-romance, that special blend of authentic world-building touched by magic, one filled with a captivating romance to love, then you really must try Grace Draven.
Readers are taken back to the same fantasy world first discovered in Phoenix Unbound. A world shadowed by a tyrannical empire ruled by an evil villainess bent on revenge.

Lush writing paints a world of deadly bazaars, enchanted barrows, earth magic, and a shape-shifting dragon.
In this book, we are taken from the mountainous steppes of Phoenix Unbound into the valleys and merchant city’s of the empire. A world of forbidden magic, markets selling sorcery, and a villainess named the Spider who spins a dangerous web of deceit.

Here, Draven transports readers into the daily life of free traders who travel in meandering caravans selling their wares, but in this world, it is rumored to be inhabited by the near-extinct Draga whose blood and bone are coveted for their magical properties.

Dragon Unleashed builds a layered, slow-simmering romance of friendship to lovers that packs plenty of emotions.

A dragon shapeshifter and a healer with power over the earth, Malachus and Halani, both, must keep their abilities and heritage secret but when they meet by accident and a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead Draga, brings them together, they can’t deny their growing feelings despite the danger they present to each other.

Dragon Unleashed is filled with lush writing and an imaginative world setting perfect for building a fantasy romance between to characters that’ll be hard to soon forget.
Recommended highly to fantasy-romance readers and fans of Grace Draven books. I hope we have many more books in the Fallen Empire series to look forward to.

I've read Dragon Unleashed within a week of starting it, but had to re-arrange my thoughts for a few weeks before I was comfortable enough to share them with you.


Taken on its own, this book has a good, solid story, lovely, developed characters and a comfortingly familiar world-building. There is a melancholy and fatalism in Halani which I found deeply fascinating. Her people are travellers with a rich culture of storytelling, beautifully decorated wagons and lively music. Halani doesn't agree with everything in her world but accepts it as is. Her destiny is with the caravan, her mother and her uncle. She is a healer and a carer, so much so, that it's hard for the reader to see anything else in the beginning.


Malachus, on the other hand, is a creature of fire. There is suppressed rage and anger in him and resentment of people, who persecuted dragas for centuries. It's almost like an ancestral memory. He has this sense of urgency around him and massive determination. He is quiet and stays in the shadows, observing and cataloguing before striking.


And yet, they work really well as a couple. One grounds, the other ignites. What is said between them is compacted and precise, and what is unsaid speaks volumes. I love that about this couple. They were quiet but intense.


Saying all this, compared with Phoenix Unbound, Dragon Unleashed falls a little bit short. While the first book is an epic story of love and retribution, the second one is an interlude. It doesn't get a chance to spread its wings before it's finished. I liked it, but the ending left me unsatisfied. Still, recommended!

In a land where magic is forbidden, earth witch Halani knows she has to be careful with her secret. When her free trader uncle purchases an artifact that’s said to be a bone from a long extinct draga, Halani feels the magic within and knows it will bring them trouble. Malachus has been searching for that same item and needs it to be able to transform from a man into a draga before his magic kills him. Their fate’s are tied together, both holding secrets, yet developing a love that will transform them and help them conquer evil.

Dragon Unleashed is the second novel in the Fallen Empire series, but for those of you who haven’t read Phoenix Unbound, this one can be read as a stand alone. I haven’t read the first novel in the series and except for meeting those characters, they weren’t involved in the plot for Dragon Unleashed so I didn’t feel at all lost. The world, however, is the same where magic is forbidden and just as in Phoenix Unbound Halani wields a magic that could make her an outlaw. It’s through her magic that the conflict for the story arises. Knowing the relic is actually the real deal means that Halani lies to Malachus right from the start. The reader being in on that lie is waiting for the hero to find out, which adds tension to what might have been a rather dull story.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a story with a dragon and I enjoyed his point of view even more than I did Halani’s. Having lived for a long time, Malachus has seen the dark side of humanity, and is pretty cynical about Halani and her people when they first meet. I liked how his view gradually changed, making Halani’s secret lie even more important to this novel. How Malachus overcomes his disdain allows his character to grow which adds impetus to the final conflict in the story. It was really well done. Halani’s POV is more predictable and because of that I found her character a little dull. Malachus definitely did all of the hard lifting in this novel.

I couldn’t end this post without saying something about the cover for this book. It’s absolutely gorgeous and really gives you a feel for the genre, although I pictured Halani a little less beautiful and more round. The author’s descriptions made me envision Malachus as sharply handsome, and Halani as softly pretty. I don’t begrudge the author this beautiful cover though, it will definitely help sell books!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven is the second book in her Fallen Empire series. In Dragon Unleashed, the heroes of this story are different than the first book, though in the same world; though we did meet our heroine, Halani, in the first book. Halani is a healer, as well as having earth magic, which she needs to keep secret, as magic is forbidden. Halani lives in a trading camp, with her mother, uncle and others she has been with for many years.

Malachus, our hero, is a draga, desperate to find a mother bone that will allow him to shift to his dragon; if he cannot find the bone, he will die. Malachus has been hunting for this bone for a long time, and when he arrives by the trading camp, he senses the artifact is close. He has a vision of Halani and when he sees her by the caravan, he also meets her mother, befriending and charming both of them. But later that evening, he is attacked by those who have stolen the bone, and it is Halini who will come to his rescue and nurse him back to health.

Malachus stays in their camp while he recuperates, and in a short time, both Halini and Malachus feel a strong attraction to each other. They both try to just to be friends, as there is no future, since he will leave as soon as he is better. Malachus feelings continue to grow, but he discovers the group steals from graves to help make ends meet, and at first, he is very angry, knowing that Halani kept this secret. But before he could leave, word comes that Asil, Halani’s mother has been kidnapped, and together Malachus and Halani will head to Krael, where the evil Empress Dalvila resides. It is here that Malachus will come close to his mother bone; will he survive the evil Empress?

The first 1/3 or so of the book was a bit slow, but it picked up and the last 2/3 was a wild, action-packed, exciting adventure. Malachus was a great hero, not only strong, tough, but very tender with Halani, and made friends with the other men in the camp. I loved Halani, as she made a great heroine, being a healer, and her earth magic made her great. I really loved them both together. Will Malachus leave or find a way to stay with Halani?

I loved how when things were bleak, and the Empress was set on destroying both of them, Halani utilized her powers to try and save Malachus; she really was amazing. Malachus was also a great hero, as he suffered horrible cruelty as a captive of the Empire. Dragon Unleashed was an excellently written fantasy that had a bit of everything from wonderful heroes, romance, danger, cruelty, great characters and an exciting adventure all the way through; especially the last 1/3 of the book; not to mention the delightful end. If you enjoy fantasy, I suggest you start with Dragon Unleashed

Dragon Unleashed is a compelling novel that is sure to captivate those looking a sense of adventure, romance, and fantasy. This author has an amazing ability to weave together a story with enchanting characters, a unique plot, and exceptional world building. I found the descriptions in the book to be so remarkable that at times I felt as though I was in the novel.

Halani is a healer in possession of a forbidden magic that she keeps hidden. I loved her character for her kindhearted spirit and also for that streak of independence that frequently shines through. Malachus is a man or rather a draga who finds himself in the path of Halani and her free trader caravan as he searches for a priceless artifact that is essential to his well-being. He is a very likable hero full of compassion and a quiet, commanding presence. Halani and Malachus are like two tethered souls that make an intriguing, but rightfully perfect couple. Both of them are harboring secrets and what will happen when all is revealed? What will happen when the hunter becomes the hunted?

This is a slow burn romance, but I also felt that the story itself moved very slowly in the beginning. The last half of the book showed great story progression as well as further development of their relationship and more adventure scenes. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this entertaining read. I not only loved Halani and Malachus, but I also adored Halani’s mother (Asil). Her character touched my heart.

Dragon Unleashed is the 2nd book in the Fallen Empire series. It can be read as a standalone, but if you’ve read Phoenix Unbound, you’ll love the cameo appearances from Gilene and Azarion. If you are looking for an engaging romantic fantasy with an original plot or you have enjoyed any of this author’s other works, then you will want to check out this book.

I read an early, complimentary version of this book.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2020/06/05/dragon-unleashed-by-grace-draven/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I always wanted to read this author and I enjoyed <strong>Phoenix Unbound.</strong> While the <strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/225747-fallen-empire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Fallen Empire</em></a></strong> series may be labeled fantasy romance, its feel is much more regular fantasy.  It has the magic and creatures, swords and crossbows, cruel beatings and tortures, horses, the old kingdoms, and of course, the greedy rulers.

Of course, <strong>Dragon Unleashed</strong> has a romance.  It took me a moment to recognize the group who sheltered Gilene as she left from the seat of the Empire.  Our main female is Halani who is a healer and cared for Gilene.   Halani is kind, strong and caring.  As the story begins, Azarion comes for Gilene. She is sad to lose her friend, but knows her place is with Azarion.

Leaving their campsite to go to her own,  Halani comes across a wounded man.  She has her people take him back and she works to heal him. Malachus is not very trusting of humans but he is quickly enchanted with Halani, and her mother, Asil.  He begins teaching her to read which is something she has always wanted to learn. As he heals, their relationship develops. They both realize once he is healed, he will be back on his journey.

Both of these characters are honorable, but they have secrets and try to hide their magic from each other. Luckily, by the time things go badly wrong, they trust each other enough to work together.  I was terrified for all those in this community and Malachus. I was especially worried since Malachus had already been injured and now he would be fighting again.

Halani and Malachus end up in the worst position,  but while much of the story is harrowing, the ending is magnificent.  I do wonder what happens to Estred and what will happen next in this world. On the author's website, it says the Kraelian Empire ruled for centuries until three powerful women and the men who love them break it. So I think it means we get a trilogy at least.

WONDERFUL! A fantastic distraction from reality. Draven delivers an epic fantasy world with a bit of sexy in this 2nd installment. This book is every bit as good as the first, perhaps even better, Love, survival, vengeance, and determination and just some of the resounding themes. I hope that Draven continues this series for years to come.

The nitty-gritty: Another winner from Grace Draven, full of magic, romance, danger and yes, a dragon.

I really enjoyed this book, which is the second in Draven’s Fallen Empire series. The story follows a different set of characters from the first book, Phoenix Unbound, but several characters from that book cross over into Dragon Unleashed. I wouldn’t say it’s completely necessary to read Phoenix Unbound first, but I recommend it because I loved it as well.

The story takes place in a world ruled by a cruel empress named Dalvila, who we first met in Phoenix Unbound. Malachus is a draga, a man who is destined to change into his dragon form as an adult. However, the magical artifact that allows this to happen has been stolen, and Malachus has been frantically searching for it. The mother-bond, as it’s called, is a small bone from Malachus’ mother, imbued with powerful magic and extremely rare. His search brings him to a gathering of free traders in the Krael Empire, where he’s finally caught up with the thieves. But as he’s about to take back the mother-bond, Malachus is attacked and left for dead.

Halani is part of a caravan of free traders, citizens who refuse to live under the rules of the Guild. She and her family and friends have set up camp in the Goban marketplace, when Halani’s uncle asks her to examine an artifact that he plans to purchase. As soon as Halani sees the small bone-like object, she senses its strong magic and warns her uncle not to buy it. Later, she stumbles upon Malachus, who has been gravely injured, and decides to take him back to camp to help him recover. Fate has brought Malachus and Halani together, and as Malachus slowly heals, their mutual attraction grows.

But someone else is looking for the elusive mother-bond: the empress Dalvila, who plans to use it as a lure to capture the draga it belongs to. Malachus must find the mother-bond before she does and manage to stay out of her clutches. But when Halani and Asil get caught up in the empress’s schemes, Malachus knows he’ll do anything to save them.

I loved many of the characters, including Halani and Malachus, who both wield different types of magic. Halani is fiercely devoted to her mother Asil, who is mentally challenged and has the demeanor of a child, but is one of the sweetest and happiest characters I’ve run across in a long time. Not only did I love the relationship between Halani and Asil, but I loved the relationship between Malachus and Asil. Malachus proves to be a true sweetheart of a guy when he meets Asil and takes on the role of her champion, standing up for and protecting her. Malachus is an interesting character, because he literally has a dragon inside him, trying to get out. Occasionally his skin smokes and he loses his temper, but you kind of have to forgive him for that. Otherwise, yes, he’s fierce and strong and doesn’t hesitate to kill if necessary, but he’s also somewhat of a softie, especially when he’s waxing rhapsodic over Halani’s long, curly hair, lol.

I didn't really care for the story’s villain, the empress Dalvila, for some reason. She had more of an impact on me in the last book, maybe because she was new and exciting. Her role this time isn’t as big and I felt her chapters were a little on the jarring side. She pops up every now and then, and of course her starring role is during the finale, but she definitely isn’t the focus of the story. She has a cartoonish feel to her that didn’t mesh that well with the overall story vibe, for some reason. I actually preferred Halani’s uncle Hamod as a villain, a horrid man who uses Halani’s love for her mother to control her. I hated him, but he was a more believable character in my opinion.

And I have to mention the world-building, because it’s really good. Draven adds all sorts of little details to her story that don’t really affect the plot at all, but they definitely add to the overall ambiance. Magic is forbidden in the empire and is punishable by death, but of course there are all sorts of people using, buying and selling various magical artifacts illegally. In an illegal market called the Maesor, we meet a dubious shopkeeper who has a magic rug with the soul of a slave woven into the fibers, for example. Halani and the other free traders aren’t able to read, because they don’t need to, but they have a rich history of verbal storytelling, and stories and legends are woven into their everyday lives. One of my favorite parts of the story is when Malachus--who can write and speak six languages--starts teaching Halani how to read.

As far as negatives, the story slows down in the middle while Malachus is healing under Halani’s care and not much happens. Despite this, however, I did like the natural way their relationship develops during this time. This downtime gives the couple a chance to get to know one another and this, of course, leads to the beginnings of a sweet romance. This romance is also bittersweet, because both Halani and Malachus know their paths go in opposite directions, and at some point they will have to part ways.

But watch out, because the ending is epic! If you’ve been wondering up to this point, “what about the dragon?” then never fear, Draven pulls out all the stops and gives readers a thrilling conclusion that will satisfy just about everyone. I also loved the epilogue which ties up some loose ends and really put a smile on my face.

I’m not sure if there are more books planned in this series, but I fervently hope there are. I love the world Grace Draven has created and I just know she has more stories to tell.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

I had had a really good time with the first volume and I was curious to discover this second story.

If we don’t follow the same character as in the first volume, Gilene and her husband are also present for our greatest pleasure! But this time we follow the story of Halani and Malachus. An encounter that will change them both!

It was a real pleasure to be back in Grace Draven’s world and I had a great time with the story. I may not have been as hooked as I was on the first volume, but it was a nice surprise again. The adventure of our heroes is intriguing and they will have to face many problems!

Yes, a good second volume.

Shannon: Phoenix Unbound, the prequel to Dragon Unleashed was my first experience with Grace Draven’s writing, and I was beyond impressed by the novel. Book 2 is set in the same world, but has little noticeable carry-over from the first book. I think readers could easily start with Dragon Unleashed without feeling overly confused. What do you think?


Dabney: Completely agree. If you'd read Phoenix Unbound, you'd have a deeper understanding of some of the references but, as a story, Dragon Unleashed works just fine as a stand alone novel.


Shannon: And what an epic novel I found it to be! Draven's world building is completely immersive and her characters practically leapt off the page for me. There's so much depth in what she's created here, and in some ways, I feel like we've barely scratched the surface of this world and these people, and yet, at the same time, Helani and Malachus feel like old and familiar friends. It's an unusual dichotomy, but one I often look for when reading fantasy romance. What were your overall impressions of Dragon Unleashed?


Dabney: I thoroughly enjoyed reading it... but not quite as much as I did Phoenix Unbound. But given that I adored Phoenix Unbound, that's not much of a criticism.


This is a quieter story and the leads felt much much older and, in ways I really liked, wiser. Helani and Malachus are both deliberative about the choices they make and I enjoyed watching them slowly figure out a way towards not only their own HEA but building a better world for all. Helani's powers aren't superpower showy and I liked that. Both of them have almost a meditative quality to the way they interact with the world. Dragon Unleashed unfurls slowly but I very much enjoyed the journey.


Shannon: Those are great points. I suppose some readers might find the pacing a bit too slow for them, but I really enjoyed watching the story unfold in a way that didn't feel like too much action crammed into one book.


Shannon: Since you brought up Helani and her magical abilities, I'd like to touch on her character a bit more. She's kind and compassionate, but she's also strong and resourceful. At first, I worried she'd feel too good to be true, but the author made sure to give her some struggles that made her feel relatable. I loved her relationship with her mother as well as her willingness to openly care for those around her. What did you think of Helani as a person?


Dabney: She is very self-sacrificing BUT she is true to herself and, by the story's end I believed in her choices. I loved her relationship with her mother--it's interesting to have the parent/child roles so reversed. Dragon Unleashed, despite its title, is really Helani's story which is one of self-discovery and fulfillment. If you like novels where strong women figure out how to be their true selves and save the world, you'll love this effort by Draven.


Shannon: Absolutely! Helani's inner journey is the backbone of this tale.


Shannon: Moving on to Malachus now, dragons aren't always my favorite mythological creatures to read about, but I ended up enjoying getting to know Malachus and the way dragon mythology is handled in this world. He could be a little self-righteous at times, but I loved his ability to learn from his mistakes rather than simply stagnating. He had a kind spirit that really spoke to me in certain parts of the book. He won't be everyone's ideal hero, but I found him quite intriguing. What about you?


Dabney: And see I love dragons! I loved the dragon mythology and Malachus' history. His self-righteousness seemed so valid to me--he has no choice but to be single minded about his goals. It was lovely to see that for all his strength, pain, and focus on his outcomes, he isn't an annoying alpha. His embrace of Helani and his ability to support her was lovely.


Shannon: The one  facet of Malachus' story that didn't quite work for me had to do with the mother bond. It took me quite a while to really understand the connection between the actual bond and the artefact that housed it. For all Draven's attention to detail in other aspects of the novel, this particular part lacked clarity. Was there anything you found difficult to relate to or understand?
Dabney: I found the implementation of Helani's magic a bit hard to follow. I think both the mother bond magic and her earth magic are harder to comprehend how they actually work than I'd have liked. One thing I loved about Phoenix Unbound was how visceral the magic wielded by Gilene was. Here, the magic is harder to parse.


Shannon: As far as a final grade, I'd give this an A-. It was close to perfect, but a bit more description of the magic system would have been helpful. What is your final grade?


Dabney: This is closer to a B for me. I enjoyed it but would have liked a bit more depth and a tad more action.


Buy it at Amazon

Dragon Unleashed, by author Grace Draven, is the second installment in the authors Fallen Empire series. As this is the second installment in the Fallen Empire series, you would be best served if you have some semblance of knowledge as to the world that this story takes place in. I say that because the main characters from Phoenix Unbound (Gilene and Valden) show up in this story briefly. This story focuses on Halani, who is the free trader from Phoenix Unbound and Malachus, who we have not seen before. It is not a continuation of Gilene's story.

Let's begin with Malachus. Mal has spent hundreds of years tacking down thieves that looted his mother-bond (valuable piece of his mothers skeleton) from the monastery from which he was raised. Mal's has lived a long and lonely life hunting down the artifact that was stolen from the Sovatin monks who raised him. Mal's travels take him to the Krael Empire where he meets Halani. Mal is shown a vision of Halani and the stolen mother-bond which he has been tracking. Mal is magic disguised as a human. Mal must retrieve the mother-bond in order for him to take on his true form as a draga (dragon). When Mal meets up with Halani's caravan, he is attacked by thieves, and saved by Halani. Long story short, the two work out feelings but it takes up nearly the entire story before Mal allows Halani to see who he really is. Mal also finds himself being Asil's friend and protector which I have to say is adorable.

Halani has traveled with a trading caravan for most of her life along with her child minded mother Asil. She's a gifted healer with earth magic. Magic welding of any kind is outlawed in the Empire so Halani has hid the source of her potent healing powers for her entire life and is used to living with many secrets and lies. I dare say that Halani's mother is one of the bright spots of this story. Her past is incredibly painful, yet she never once shirked her responsibilities as a mother. Halani and Gilene became friends in the previous novel when Gilene was hiding out afraid of being captured along with Valden aka Azarion Ataman.

The other characters you should focus on are Gharek of Cabast aka cat's paws and Empress Dalvila who readers met in Phoenix Unbound. These two characters could be considered antagonist for our reluctant heroines as everything they do is in direct confrontation. The Empress lost her consort and an arm in the last battle she faced against Valden. She truly believes that if she drinks the blood of a draga she will be restored to her former glory. Gharek has been tasked to find the mother-bond rumored to be in her land and bring it to her in order to trap the dragon and take its life to fuel her own.

The basic reason for my rating are pretty simplistic. The first 3/4 of the book is a grind of slow action and tension as to what is going to happen next. Secrets between Mal and Hali could have been revealed sooner, but thankfully it didn't destroy their relationship. Halani warns her uncle against buying a strange yet enigmatic artifact could cause trouble for the caravan. But, her uncle is as hard headed and unmovable as they come which leads to even more trouble. The pacing was quite literally different from Phoenix Unbound. The action in Phoenix was way more intense and suspenseful.

DNF at 22%

I’m having a lot of trouble becoming invested in this book. It’s slow and I don’t care about the characters yet. Not for me, but I hope I’m an anomaly among Draven’s fans. I love fantasy, but I don’t want to read over half a book before I start caring about the romance.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Free trader merchant Halani guards a dangerous secret as magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire, at least for the common folk. Gifted with earth magic, Halani has several skills which serve her people well, but would mean a horrific death if they are found out. Halani’s Uncle, who leads their group, never passes up the opportunity to make a fast buck whether or not the item for sale is legal or even dangerous. When he buys an enigmatic draga artifact, Halani knows immediately that it will bring trouble, but greed and avarice define her uncle Hamod.

Dragas were thought to be extinct, only alive in myths and legend. Malachus is one such man as well as a dragon who is desperately searching for the very item Halani’s uncle purchased. Malachus needs that essential component to complete his transition before his time runs out and catastrophe happens. Drawn by the magic the object possesses and his deep need for it, Malachus finds himself thrown into Halani’s group after an encounter with the original sellers went wrong. Halani and her people make their living in several ways as free traders: mostly honest, but some of them scurrilous and shameful. Malachus has a hard reconciling the woman he is drawn to with some of her actions. Malachus keeps his identity as a draga a secret knowing once his true nature is revealed, he will likely be hunted and killed.

As Malachus and Halani’s bond grows, there are several forces which could keep them from being together. They have quite a wide gulf between them to cross and foes to fight, not all of whom are outside enemies. Each has secrets they are desperate to keep and neither trusts easily. Realizing Malachus is in serious peril, Halani would sacrifice much to save him as Malachus would do the same for her. The last known draga skeleton had been the prize of the decidedly evil empress whose treasure was destroyed and now she desires a new one. She is determined at all costs to find and drain a draga’s blood, dismembering the creature for her malevolent purposes. The empress’s abhorrent proclivities show her to be a villain most foul.

Malachus and Halani have a lot to fight for including her group with someone held especially dear, their relationship despite its major challenges, and those around them who have been subjugated by evil incarnate for too long. Ms. Draven’s gifted and compelling prose provides quite a riveting ride with this heroic and romantic fantasy. Second in the Fallen Empire series, readers will be taken on a journey of magic as well as mayhem with emotional highs and lows that deftly befit this epic tale.

Halani, a healer traveling with her uncle's free trader caravan, only has to worry about her magic being discovered until the day her uncle trades for a mysterious, magical relic. Almost immediately after, she meets a handsome stranger in the market. Could they be connected? Of course they're connected. The handsome stranger, Malachus, is on the hunt for some mercenaries and ... a mysterious magical relic. Turns out he's a draga, a shapeshifting dragon who has been in human form since childhood, and can't turn back into a dragon until he has his mother-bond. He runs into trouble at the fair, ends up wounded and in Halani's care, and as they travel with the caravan they keep secrets from each other and fall in love. Both Halani and Malachus are in danger from the evil Empress, though, and they're going to have to deal with her before they can live happily ever after.

I found this book a quick read that stands alone from the previous book in the series. I haven't read the first book, and while I think I know who the main characters were in that one, it didn't obstruct my reading of this one. The evil Empress is sadistic and very one-dimensional, but we don't see her that much anyway. Her cat's-paw, the other villain, is more complex. I finished the book with a slight feeling of lack, and I think it could easily have made an intriguing longer fantasy about political intrigue, the outlawing of magic, and the interactions between draga and humans. Overall, this is a fun fantasy with shapeshifting dragons and a sweet romance, so if that's your thing, you'll probably like this one.

4.5/5.0

An absolutely fabulous fantasy love story! Superbly written romance and deftly executed plot. It inhabits intrigue and adventure while diving deep into relationships and growth. NOT easily accomplished in any book but one beautifully done in this story.

My only complaint is that we desperately need at least a little time to enjoy the hard-earned happiness these characters have won. As it stands the very minute we can smile, the last page turns. Even a short epilogue would satisfy.

We need more draga in the world.  Dragon Unleashed has great characters and world building.  I am looking forward to more.

I decided I needed a quick re-read of Phoenix Unbound before starting Dragon Unleashed. I am glad that I did because I enjoyed it more with the second read. It also ended exactly were Book 2 begins in the market so the story felt more complete reading them back to back like that.

Dragon Unleashed features Halani, a healer with earth magic, who is a member of the free traders who unknowingly had helped Azarian and Gilene in their escape from the Empire and who had healed Gilene.

While at the market, Halani's uncle was offered an artifact that was definitely dangerous. Halani could feel the magic pulsing off of it. She warned her uncle not to purchase it since it would bring them nothing but danger or else why would two strangers try to pawn something to valuable off so cheap.   Of course, being a man in love with profit, he doesn't listen and purchasing it brings all kinds of danger down on their heads just like Halani predicted.

Halani almost trips over three bodies in the meadow, including the two men who sold the artifact, only to find the man with three large arrows in his body was still alive.   Halani recognized him as the man who was so kind to her mother earlier in the day.  Halani's mother had an accident as a child and now acts very childlike making their mother/daughter bond in reversed roles.   While Halani doesn't hold much hope of saving him, she can't reward this man's kindness by walking away and leaving him to die.  But this it the second time that Halani has brought an unknown stranger into their keep and her uncle threatens to throw her out if she doesn't get rid of the man who is definitely a danger to them.

Halani convinces her uncle to leave ahead of the rest of the caravan to go to the city and sell his artifact.  This gives Halani a little more time to heal Malachus and get him on his feet.

What Halani doesn't know is that she really has brought something dangerous into their caravans.  Malachus is a draga hunting for his mother-bond so he can finally change forms.  The mother-bond which Halani's uncle has just left with to sell in the underground magic market in the city.

Malachus has never known human kindness like he has been offered from Halani and her mother, Asil.   He has only known human greed, selfishness and hate.  Just the fact that she decided to heal him rather than rob him is something amazing to him, and the longer he is with Halani, the more he wishes he could stay just a little longer but the draga inside is desperate to come out and he is so close to finding the mother-bond.  He can feel it calling to him.  But when he finds out that Halani had what he was seeking and sold if off, will he ever be able to forgive her?

I enjoyed this story of Malachus and Halani and sweet Asil, because her mother is an important bond between them.  In fact, all of the free traders were very welcoming to Malachus, except the uncle, which Malachus finds surprising since he is decades older than he looks and has had decade upon decade of only seeing the worst in humans.   The fact that draga are longer lived than humans and we have a draga/human bond growing was never discussed but I guess is irrelevant for our HEA.

Halani the storyteller of the groups once again tells the tale of the Golden Maiden used to trap the evil and greedy dragon (whose skeleton hung in the bedroom of the Empress)  which you can imagine doesn't go over well with the draga who has his own understanding of what happened that day.

I did find the whole mother-bond being a bit convoluted a premise.  Draga stay hidden in a human form to keep them safe.  The mother dragon puts some magic in a piece of herself, in this case a piece of her claw, and when the child is old enough to protect themselves, they use the mother-bond to release their inner dragon.  Obviously Malachus's quest for the mother-bond is the basis of our story but it seemed a little too complicated to have mom keep yanking off pieces of herself, casting them with magic and having to remember where she keeps each one and look -- this one got stolen.  You would think dragon shifting would be like puberty.  You hit that specific age where you can protect yourself and boom -- draga hormones kick in and you get zits and tail.

This story also differs from Phoenix Unbound as there is a third POV for our story.  The Empress has heard that there is a draga searching for its mother-bond and wants a new draga skeleton for her summer palace.  She tasks Gharek to find the artifact and the draga.  I am not sure how we are supposed to feel about Gharek since he obviously has no problem hurting people to do the Empresses bidding but we find that he does these things to protect his young daughter who was born with a birth defect which would get her stoned by the masses if he wasn't there to protect her.  He even is willing to double cross the Empress if he can find the draga and get him to use draga magic to heal his kid.  We do have a character make a reappearance from the first book and although she wasn't given a name in the first story, but how many people can speak with the dead?  I am not sure if Gharek will make a reappearance in the third book  but I am not 100 percent able to hate him.

I am definitely enjoying Grace Draven's storytelling which is what lead me to pick up Radiance and Eidolon and I am going to check out more of her stories as soon as I can.