Second in this Inferno Rising Series by Abigail Owen. Just could not connect with these characters of Blood King. I had read the first in this series and and liked it fine. Of course as always if it about dragons pick it up to read. "A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

The Blood King is the second book in the Inferno Rising series and we continue with Skylar and Ladon's story. I would definitely suggest you read this as a series as parts of this story pertain to book one. Also, you would miss out on Brand and Kasia's brilliant story if you didn't read book one!

Abigail Owen has managed to write a story that focuses on the main characters whilst also giving you updates on those you already know, plus giving new information on characters yet to share their story. This is, without any doubt, Skylar and Ladon's book and yet we're kept up to date with Kasia and move forward with Angelika and Meira - whose books I CANNOT WAIT FOR!!!

The settings and individual characters remain absolutely brilliant. I loved how this story wove together Sky and Ladon, highlighting how good they are for each other even though neither of them expected it. The story moves along at a fair pace and the overall story arc is just getting more interesting!

A fun, hot, and gripping book that I have no hesitation in recommending.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

I am so excited to see this series continue with the second Dragon King to get a phoenix mate! Abigail Owen creates such colorful stories full of enchanting history and strong, exciting characters. I am never disappointed, and this book threw me for a loop with how different and creative it was. With four phoenix sisters, each one so different from the other, I was bound to have one sister that was a bit more difficult to feel close to, but even so, by the end of the story I loved her as much as Kasia. Each book has brought more detail into the Dragon/Phoenix history for me to devour, and with each new piece of information, things come together even more to form a picture of what life was like for the girls' mother. I'm thinking perhaps a Prequel about their mother is in order, once they all have their happy endings.

Skylar Amon has always been the protector among her sisters, and when she learns that her sister, Kasia, was kidnapped and forced into mating with a Dragon King, she immediately sets out to rescue her. After all, such a fate is exactly what their mother was trying to prevent when she flung each sister to different corners of the earth to save them from the Rotting King of the Red Dragon Clan, Pytheios. However, upon arriving, she sees her sister in a seemingly happy relationship with her mate, and Skylar soon finds herself in the sights of Brand's fellow King, Ladon Omarr, the Blood King of the Blue Dragon Clan. Ladon is determined to wrest control from Pytheious, who is destroying dragons and laying siege to their world. Having a phoenix for a mate would give Ladon some leverage over Pytheios, and his initial reaction is to claim Skylar immediately. He soon realizes that it will be easier said than done, and when his hand is forced, he and Skylar must learn to survive as mates, or die trying.

I will admit, initially I was not so sure about this couple. They barely had any time to get to know each other before they had to do the deed to seal their mating. Unfortunately, sex so early on in the relationship seemed to define every subsequent scene they had for a good portion of the book, so we didn't get to see their emotions catch up for quite some time. Lust was prevalent but love? That took some time. So my connection with their romance didn't fully click in until later, when they began to realize that while their mating was one of convenience, it was slowly developing into of longing and trust. Skylar was headstrong, willing and able to fight her own battles, and thankfully Lor saw that in her and boosted her up rather than tearing her down. He was the perfect mate for her, and she was the same for him, as she recognized in him the strengths needed to be a leader.

Now for the excellent news - there is another book already slated to release in early 2021! I can't tell which sister yet. I really, really want Meira to get her, because we get an amazing teaser of her future mate at the end of the book. However, I'm excited either way. We also gained some insight into a new species - gargoyles. And there are not enough gargoyle romances, just saying....*wink, wink*.

The Inferno Rising series continues with The Blood King. Skylar and Ladon burn up the pages with their chemistry, no matter how hard they try to fight it. The future of the dragon clans hang in the balance. Having a little taste of what’s to come with the dragons and their phoenixes, I can’t wait to see what will happen with the 2 remaining phoenixes!
5 stars!!!

Blue dragon king Ladon Ormarr is the poster boy for being brutal in his determination to protect his people at all costs. His main goal is taking out the pretender to the throne; a High King responsible for a lot of death and destruction who brutally murdered Skylar Amon's family. Since she is his potential mate, he has more reasons for vengeance. As one of a previously unheard of four phoenix sisters who have been in hiding for centuries, Skylar just may be the key to winning against Ladon’s most hated adversary. Ladon has no time or inclination for love or matters of the heart; he just wants Skylar in order to triumph over his enemies.

Skylar is a tough cookie who has no intention of falling for this gruff and growly dragon king; however, her desire for vengeance and the need to protect her sisters tops all. One of them, Kasia, has already mated with another dragon king seeking to take back his throne; but, Skylar is none too happy with the prospect for herself. There is plenty of heat between Skylar and Ladon and not just because he breathes fire and she becomes flame itself. While there is an intense attraction, Skylar has no desire to be a queen or stay home and play the loyal wifey. She wants to be on the battlefield with her mate knocking heads together and slaying foes.

The story is the second in the Inferno Rising series featuring dragon kings and the phoenix sisters whose mating with said kings is the lethal game changer for the dragon clans at war with the odious and very evil High King. Skylar’s saucy and sarcastic personality paired with Ladon’s tough warrior demeanor makes for some fun times with these two very stubborn and determined people. As with the previous book, THE ROGUE KING, there is plenty of action, adventure, and romance to please fans of Ms. Owen’s stories.

This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The relationship between the main characters was an interesting one, as well as the family dynamics and other things going in in the storyline. The writing was really good, and it looks like there will be more to come within this world. Great story

This series is fantastic! I can't wait to see what happens to the other two sisters. The way that the story is written makes it easy to pick up where the last one left off.

I've been eagerly awaiting this book since the minute I finished The Rogue King! While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think Kasia stole the show in a lot of ways in the first book and Skylar was a bit more enigmatic and more standoffish in this one so it made it harder to connect. It also made the connection between Skylar and Landon a bit more fickle. The chemistry was there but there was less longing and more of them scrambling to push back apart from each other. It was kinda the opposite of what I felt in The Rogue King, I was more into Kasia and in The Blood King, I think Landon was the beacon. I think his role and his drive to protect and do right by his people was admirable and made him more accessible. Undoubtedly they make a good pair though. He clearly needed a strong match and Skylar was definitely that.

This sequel hit every other key perfectly for me. It enriched the already lavish world, the overall plot furthered, the dragon politics raged on, characters we've previously seen were expanded on, and we meet some new ones with sure to be interesting roles in the coming novels. I have to say I'm completely fascinated with Meira and what she has been up to. I'm hoping to see a bit more of the gargoyles she's been hanging around with in the next book! Also, very curious about the Black Clan dragons and how that'll all play out. Each addition to the series only makes me want more and more!

I was really intrigued by the story’s synopsis. I love dragons, strong main characters, and romance! While I liked this book, there were several things that I felt the author could’ve done better. My biggest problem with it was the over use of the term “my mate”. I also found many things confusing when it came to the mating of the Phoenix and the dragon—in one part it discussed that a Phoenix could be forced, and become mates to that dragon but then it said that if a Phoenix was forced then the dragon would die. Several things throughout the story were contradictory. Overall I did enjoy this book and will read another by the author.

Skylar Amon is just trying to keep her sister Kasia safe. Her plans, while they usually work, are reckless and this one has landed her in some hot water - almost the second Skylar reveals herself to "save" Kasia, Ladon Ormarr claims her. Skyler has no love for dragons after her mother was murdered by one, so she certainly does NOT want to be Ladon's mate. However, to kill the dragon that murdered her mother, Skylar is willing to compromise - what she doesn't tell Ladon is she plans on splitting the second everything is over.

There's good fantasy world building, interesting characters and plot, and a good amount of smut. I really liked how Skylar doesn't back down and isn't a damsel in distress - she can save her own ass. I hadn't read the first book in this series, but I understood pretty much everything that was happening. I will definitely go back and read the first book, and I'm looking forward to reading about the last two sisters.

*Honest review given for a free copy from Netgalley.*

★★★★☆

Blood King is the second book in the Inferno Rising series and my first introduction to Abigail Owen and her dragon/phoenix shifter world. The concept of dragons and phoenixes appealed to me, because I haven’t read too much about these types of shifters.

As seems to be the case with novels in this genre, the plot is straight forward with no real surprises. It was a fast read, but I found myself enjoying the story.

From chapter one I expected a simple haters-to-lovers trope with the introduction of the temperamental Skylar and Landon. From the first instance they meet, they are attracted to each other and immediately start fighting.

Skylar is tough, and feels obligated to protect her family. I’m not a fan of weak willed heroines in romances, and Skylar gave the impression of willpower. I liked her desire to protect her siblings. I thought that gave her character depth. Her character was one of the strongest in the story, and I enjoyed watching her move through the story.

Landon felt like a typical alpha romance lead. Unfortunately, that didn’t make him memorable. While he was stereotypical, he wasn’t the worse version of this I’ve seen. It got a bit annoying that Landon seems to move through the story with a constant erection. I started wondering if the other dragons noticed this, if any of them cared or if it was a normal dragon state to be in.

I enjoyed the prospect of watching Skylar and Landon overcome their differences and become mated. (I mean, going into a story like this it's obvious it's going to happen. The fun is how it’s going to happen.) I was a little disappointed that the journey to Skylar accepting Landon as her mate was forced by Pytheios’s planned attack to steal her. This development and early mating took some of the anticipation I had of seeing their relationship grow.

I did have trouble with the ages of the characters. Even though they were all supposed to be centuries old, none of them came across like that. It jarred me every time they mentioned that any character was that old. Most of the time, they spoke in clear modern speech, including curse words. Then Skylar would say something(like a reference to the Flintstones) and no one would get it.

I found myself finishing while away for the weekend, and wouldn’t mind going back to read the first book in this series. It was a light read, perfect for a quick read.

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This series just keeps getting better and better,yes I know it's only book 2 in this series! But I pretty much devoured this book in one sitting. One of my favorite aspects of the series is learning more about the sisters and I was elated that we got to see a bit more of them in this one. However, those are just little teasers of what's to come with their books and I'm going to be so impatient until I can get my hands on their books.

Not going to lie, I was a little nervous about Skylar because I was wondering how Ladon was going to win her over. But despite the crazy circumstances, it worked out perfectly for them. I know when it comes to shifters they can recognize their mates, but I liked that they still needed time for their relationship to grow. And Ladon was definitely giving her the time. Seriously loved these two together.

Abigail really gets down to detail in this world and I loved seeing some of her characters from her other books. And how they all fit together. This is definitely a book that you have to pay attention because you don't want to miss a thing. There a few new faces that I hope we get a book for or even a novella!

The Blood King is a stunning addition to this series, Abigail tackled everything so well and kept me hooked the whole time. With the way the book ended, I can't wait for Meira's book!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I love this series! The dragon shifters are finding their mates and trying so hard to overthrow the evil leaders. Maybe now that there are four phoenix women there might be a chance to actually defeat the High King.

It was great to watch Ladon move from treating the mating as a necessity and way to help his clan to realizing that it could be a true mating and a partnership with Skylar. She on the other hand, did not want to be used and had her doubts about Ladon's reasons for wanting her. Did he think mating her would ensure that he would be the next High King??

So much action, drama, and intrigue that it was hard to put the book down! And just when you think that the good guys have made a step in bringing down the High King, there is a setback.

The next book should be good as Skylar's sisters are revealed and one is offered to King Gorgon as a mate but it is his guard who knows that she is really his mate but then he is not a royal - not good for that couple! Can't wait for the next book!!

The continued world building is amazing throughout this book. I enjoyed it that much, i couldn't put it down. The character growth and book flow was spot on. Watching them change and flourish was an amazing thing to read.
Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Loved it, I couldn't put it down. Was a well written haters to lovers. This was better then the first book in the series, felt Landon and Skylar had better chemistry and were a better match. Can't wait for the next one. Highly recommend for anyone that likes dragon shifter books.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance read, I voluntarily read and reviewed all opinions are my own.

I'm excited because I have found a new author who does PNR really well. I love dragon shifter books and I felt like this was a fresh take on dragons.

The heroine was awesome! I love a female lead who can kick butt just as much as the male lead. There is one particular fight scene that I got suck a kick out of and thought her gift was used creatively.

The male lead character had a great mix of tough, possessiveness along with a softer side for the heroine. It's not a mix that is always easy to find. I enjoyed his character very much.

I haven't read the first book but I had no problems understanding what was going on. I will go back and read it since I ended up liking the heroine for that book as well. She got a lot of play time in this one.

The next book that was cued up at the end of this one has a softer heroine, so I will be interested to see where the author will take this after two books with strong heroines.

This book was pretty great. Better than the first in my opinion. I think it had everything to do with the main characters in this one.


Ladon Ormarr and Skylar Amon.

We met Ladon in the first book because he sent Brand out to get him the phoenix, Kasia, so that he could mate her and become high king. He needed to defeat Pytheios and she was what he needed. Though nothing went as planned for him. He then is thrown for another loop when Skylar shows up to rescue Kasia, showing herself as Phoenix number two.

Skylar is the take no prisoners sister. The one that will do anything to protect those she loves, even giving herself up if necessary. As soon as Ladon sees her, he calls dibs. Well he said “Because now you’re mine”. What he doesn’t know, and has to work around, is Skylar’s huge dislike, hatred if you will, of dragons. Especially dragon kings.

She agrees to mate Ladon to avoid being kidnapped and forced into mating Pytheios, or anyone else really. At first they are merely attracted to one another but of course that grows into much more. Ladon admits it to himself and knows that he will do anything to keep Skylar with him. He will not force her into a life she doesn’t want but he won’t let her go without trying his all.

The growth of the characters and their relationship was smooth and natural. They clicked well together even when they are both being a pain in the butt to one another. They still have battles ahead of them and they are ready for it. The two are mirror images of each other and that is everything they never realized they needed.

I love the continued world building and introduction of more characters and species. Especially showing more of the other 2 sisters. I honestly can’t wait to get to see more of Meira! But what I really want to see is how this war is going to play out and how they are going to get there!

On to the next!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Anther hit for a very talented author. Can't wait to read more of her books. I highly recommend this author to everyone.

A good addition to this good series. It's engrossing and entertaining, the world building and the character development are excellent, the plot kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved the very strong main characters. It has dragon shifters, phoenixes, dynamite dialogue, romance and sexual tension. I need no more to be fully immersed in the story.
An enjoyable read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.