Did I read this in one sitting? I sure did! After we were left on a cliffhanger from the first book, i needed answers and A Scar in the Bone delivered. This was so steamy and satisfied my dragon shifter heart.

This was a decent follow up to A Fire in the Sky, but it very much felt like a filler book. Not a lot happened, and I don't think it was very memorable at all. I'll still be reading the next book in the series, as this book kept me mostly entertained, but I hope that more happens in that one!

2.5 ⭐ this book takes place a year after the events of 𝘈 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘬𝘺, and we are thrown directly into Tamsyn's attempts to find her place in the pride, especially without Fell. Yes, that is right, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 Fell... we do not learn immediately what happens to him, but we are told that his is dead, and died on the very FIRST night that the Pride discovered them. The first 80% of the book or so follows Tamsyn on her journey through grief and acceptance, and learning t0 (potentially) love again after a great loss. But, did I mention, that this is with Fell's brother?!?!

Overall, this book felt like it had no clear plot or direction for future installments, and I was a bit disappointed that our two MCs are kept apart for almost the entirety of the book. I was also immediately confused, because the book starts off with Fell being dead, like this was common knowledge. I kept thinking I was forgetting or missing something, so much so that I went back and re-read the last few chapters of 𝘈 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘬𝘺. The reason for Fell's death is not explained for quite a few chapters into 𝘈 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘦, which I think was a choice that left me dissatisfied. I truly wanted to love this book, I really did, but this one just wasn't for me.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I am so excited to have been able to read this as an ARC book, thank you Netgalley.
This book was a little harder to get into than the first book which gripped me from the very first chapter. I am not sure if it was because of the time jump or if it was because I was missing seeing the heart of the story (Tamsyn and Fell) together on the page. I did end up getting pulled into the story, I felt Tamsyn's despair and longing, her feelings of being out of place and not fitting in, and her hope that always managed to push her forward even in the darkest of times.

After finishing this book I realize that this storyline, while it wasn't my favorite at first, was important to advancing the overall story of this world in shaping the future relationship of Dragons and Humans. I do believe this is a book that cannot be missed in the series, especially with everything that happens.

I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here!

"I had never felt this kind of hunger or desperation for anything. For anyone. IT went beyond duty of affection or lust. It was something far deeper. Something that existed in the marrow of me. A scar in the bone. When I was gone from this earth, flesh no more, it would remain. Forever."

A Scar In The Bone – Review
The sequel to A Fire In The Sky picks up a year after the events of the first book. Fell is gone. Tamsyn is alone, trying to adjust to her new life among the dragon pride in the Crags. She trains relentlessly, doing her best to find her place in this unfamiliar world, while grieving a husband she only had for a fleeting moment.

Tamsyn is an outsider. The pride struggles to accept her, and she struggles to belong. Torn between her past and present, between loyalty to the humans who raised her and the dragons she’s now bound to, her identity feels fractured. And even as others accept Fell’s death, Tamsyn clings to the belief that he’s alive—feeling it deep within through their blooded bond.

This book isn’t as immediately magical or sweeping as the first, but what it offers instead is something deeper: an emotional dive into Tamsyn’s grief, resilience, and growth. One of the highlights of the story is getting to know Vetr, the pride's alpha and Fell’s twin brother. He’s strong and steady, but also layered and deeply compelling. The dynamic between him and Tamsyn is rich with tension and complexity.

Stig, the captain of Penterra’s guard, also makes a powerful impression with his transformation from a former love interest to something far more dangerous. Sophie Jordan's writing pulls you in, making you feel every betrayal, every hope, and every heartbeat of the characters.

A Scar In The Bone is a darker, more introspective installment. It demands emotional investment—but rewards it. I raced through the pages longing for the moment of reunion, and when it came, it was worth every second.

And that epilogue… wow, Ms. Jordan. Just, wow.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager, Sophie Jordan, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it’s definitely an easy and addictive read I found myself flying through large parts of it in just a few sittings. The dragon lore and the layered backstory were genuinely intriguing and kept me invested throughout the book.

That said, there were a few elements that didn’t quite work for me. One major drawback was the lack of Fell’s POV. Without spoiling anything, it felt like a missed opportunity that impacted my connection to the story. Vetr, Fell’s brother, left me confuse I still can’t tell if I like him or not, which may have been intentional, but left me feeling uncertain.

Several loose threads also stood out. What happened to Sylvi, the witch? Was she meant to play a bigger role? And what about Kerstin, did she return to the dragon pride? And the Tamsyn sisters? Especially Alise. I just felt like a lot was left hanging. I’m left wondering if these questions will ever be answered.

The ending felt rushed, and the sudden time jump in the epilogue only added to the confusion. I’m not sure if a sequel is planned, but the story left me wanting more clarity and closure.

Overall, while the book has its strong points especially in terms of pacing the lack of resolution and missed character perspectives held it back for me.

2.75 ⭐️ /5

📖 Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First, thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending over an ARC of this book.

After the cliffhanger from the first book, I was very eager for the second book to come out. When I saw this on NetGalley, I immediately placed a request and had my fingers crossed because I needed to know what happened. So grateful to be given an ARC and it did not disappoint in my opinion. So this actually takes place a year from the first book. Tamsyn has been with the dragon pride for a year and she has been separated from Fell because all that she knows is like Fell is dead. But also Tamsyn being herself she has this lingering feeling that Fell is not dead because of like the X mark and then they were bonded, she hasn’t let go of him. But then you have Vetr who is Fell’s brother, that you find out very early on in the book is the leader of the dragon pride. He low-key has a crush on Tamsyn, and he was the one that last one that saw Fell. He has been trying to integrate Tamsyn into this dragon pride, but Tamsyn grew up as a human and doesn’t really know their rules and all of that. Come to find out the dragon pride is really trying to keep female dragons because they want to grow their population. Tamsyn isn’t really down with that. So she sets out on a mission to find her man Fell obviously, and you know she has run in with witches and other dragons and Stig. I never trusted that little punk even in the first book!! He’s worse in this book. I will say there is a happy ending, but I’m not sure if it’s one of those like open endings or if we’re going to be getting a third book I wouldn’t be upset if we don’t, but also I wouldn’t be upset if we do!!

Sophie Jordan brings the dragons back a few months after A Fire in the Sky, in the second installment, Scar in the Bone where Tamsyn has finally learned a bit about being a dragon. Somewhat integrated in the dragon pride led by Fell’s brother, Tamsyn is by no means settled or content. One might think that having reached her “people,” her troubles would be over but in fact, Fell is dead.

That was sudden, wasn’t it? Fell’s death is taken so matter-of-factly in the beginning of Scar in the Bone, that readers might be a little confused trying to remember the ending of Fire in the Sky. In fact, the first book ended not with Fell’s death but with he and Tamsyn being greeted by his twin brother. However, the second installment continues a few months later with Fell dead and no immediate explanation as to how. It’s a bit jarring.

Another puzzling aspect was Vetr’s (Fell’s brother’s) motives. Vetr led Fell to his doom—why? Was he threatened by a dragon that shared the same power? Was it because he wanted Tamsyn for his own? And Vetr’s romantic interest in Tamsyn—the fact that he’s attracted to her is fine, but the events of the story lead readers to wonder if he actually likes her, if his interest in her might be a form of twin competition, or if he wants her mainly as a strong dragon to breed with. Because so much of this book was Tamsyn’s journey, others’ motives remain unclear. Hopefully they’ll be further explored in the next book, which is set up to go to some dark places…

The last mystifying aspect of this otherwise fantastic read is the exact history of the dragons’ decline. There are two (or more) prides of dragon shifters, but all the full dragons either died or are far deep in the Crags? Did no one stay with or take their children with them? It also seemed like the majority of dragons despised humans by the end and didn’t want shifter children—so why are there so many?

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, and I’m excited for the next in the series—I just have questions!

I was hesitant to like this book because I made the mistake of reading a few reviews before I got to it but I did really enjoy it. I can see how people might be frustrated with the missing MMC but if you read it for the development of the FMC, it's enjoyable. There is some big tension, too, with a certain brother. The reunion part seemed a little unbelievable - a little rushed. I mean, the man didn't ask a single question, tell a story, or anything before needing to ravish is true love. And the villain was a pretty easy kill - which was actually mildly refreshing. We don't need an entire war book to kill him. So yay. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC copy!

book two in a n epic fantasy series that takes place in a high stakes world

this was good, not great but definitely good. The pacing and plot kept me engaged enough to finish it but I wasn't necessarily excited about reading it.

I wanted more romance, which likely swayed my overall opinion...but it was good overall!

4 Stars!

I really enjoyed how easy this story was to read. I flew through it in two days. I hesitate to consider it a romantasy (for myself) because we spent the 80% of the book without the two love interests. We were just feeling the grief of losing a mate and then adventuring with our girl to find her mate.

I enjoyed the conflict between Tamsyn and Vetr. I had a feeling about him in the previous book and I was totally right. The author didn't take it too far, but she took it just far enough. I really liked that plot point.

I'm hopeful for more of Kerstin and Nayden. I wanted more of Kerstin in this book but I can't wait to see what sort of animosity gets cooked up in the next with Nayden.

I loved the Stig interactions. He was just perfectly evil. Though I do wish we'd been able to see what occured with the royal family post whipping scene. Oh to be a fly on that wall (or tent?).

I'm ready for the next book!

At times this felt like two different stories. The beginning is so vague- we’re just supposed to accept that Fell is dead and a year has passed with zero information??

Then a lot happens while at the same time nothing does.. Idk this one was very skimmable. And the ending was anticlimactic. We just agree to disagree and move on?

This book was lacking a little bit of something and I am not sure what it was. Obviously dragons were what kept me going but the storyline fell off a little and the time jump was very confusing to me. Wanted to love this

3.5! A Scar in the Bone picks up a year after the ending of A Fire in the Sky. Fell is gone and Tamsyn is an outsider living in the Crags amongst her new dragon pride. Every day she is reminded she doesn't belong and that her mate has been taken from her. Vetr, Fell's twin brother, makes matters worse for Tamsyn and continuously tells her Fell is dead and that she must adapt to life in the pride. Female dragons are needed to build back the dragon population and Tamsyn is encouraged to bond to a new dragon.

My heart hurt that Fell took such a back seat in this book! I loved Fell and Tamsyn's reunion, but I so enjoyed Fell's POV in book 1 and I wanted more from him! I was also confused at times if this is meant to be a trilogy (my understanding was that it's a duology?). There is certainly room to continue the story, and I would love to see Fell and Tamsyn rule The Borderlands in the next book. I also didn't LOVE the hint of romance with Vetr. I am a Fell-stan for life! Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion (GOODBYE STIG!!!).

Where to begin. I really wanted to love this because I really liked the first one and while I was reading it I was into it but I had a hard time finding the want to pick it back up. I love dragons and I loved the characters in book one, but the time jump and the predictability of the plot line made this lose some pints for me. Still worth a read, just not exactly what I wanted.

As with other reviews, I found myself torn between enjoying the reading experience of A Scar in the Bone and struggling to pick it back up once I put it down.

I love romantasy and stories about dragons, but this one fell a little flat in places, pacing being the main issue. That being said, there were some interesting points to the novel, and the concept itself is intriguing. I just had higher hopes, I guess.

I do wish to read more of Sophie Jordan’s work in the future. Maybe this one just wasn’t for me.

I enjoyed the book but it was very predictable.
I knew what to expect from the beginning... I was hoping for something different. I wanted chaos, but it was all very laid out.
It also because very boring to constantly be reminded of Tamsyn feeling like she didn't belong. She kept bring it up and I kept wanting to scream "WE KNOW!"
I will say I enjoyed the dragons being humans and learning more about their magic.
But again, it lacked depth and the characters were all predictable. And it needed more world building.

The storyline of A Scar in the Bone is genuinely compelling and an intriguing world filled with dragons, danger, and secrets. The concept itself is what initially pulled me in. it had all the ingredients of a fantasy hit. Unfortunately, while the idea is strong, the execution left more to be desired.

I’m still not entirely sure if it was the jarring one-year time gap between events or simply Sophie Jordan’s writing style that didn’t click with me, but something about the pacing and emotional depth just felt off. Characters didn’t grow in a way that stuck with me, and despite some solid plot points, the story never quite hit the highs I was hoping for.

That said, it’s definitely not a bad read. it’s entertaining enough and worth checking out, especially if you’re already a fan of Jordan’s work. But for me, it’s not something I’d go out of my way to recommend to friends. The book also leans on the tamer side when it comes to spice. I’d rate it around a 2. so if you’re looking for high heat, this one might fall short.

Still, if dragons are your thing and you enjoy Sophie Jordan’s writing, definitely give this series a try. you might find the magic I was missing.

Unfortunately this was a huge miss for me. I'm really sad about it because I enjoyed book 1 a lot (I think I rated it 4 stars) and thought I'd love this one just as much, if not more. Possible spoilers ahead, so please skip if you intend to read this. I don't understand the decision behind Fell not entering the story before 70% in. Not only that, but a huge chunk of what happens in the first half of the book just seemed like filler. Also, the fact that Fell's twin brother wanted Tamsyn to be a breeder, along with many other moments that involved him really turned me off from the story. I will give some credit to the author though because Stig is a great villain and there's also decent character development with Tamsyn as well. I just don't get the point of some things that happened, nor do I have any idea what will happen next? If there will be a 3rd book, I'm not sure that I'll read it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved getting to visit Penterra again, especially Tamsyn and Fell, characters that I fell in love with in the first book. I wanted to love this book like I did the first one, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t really get into the story, it didn’t pull me in like I was expecting. The storyline just wasn’t at the same amazing level as the first book. Not as much happened and because of that it felt like some of it was dragged out for too long.