3.5 on StoryGraph

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year but I’m feeling let down by this book. I adored the first book, and was so excited to see what happens now that Tamsyn and Fell know more about themselves.

However, I felt like this book was just half a book. There’s a lot of lead up and new character interactions that fell a bit short for me. The last third of the book was great and intense but because of how long the lead up took I felt like there needed to be more time spent on what happens next. There’s an intriguing new character who was under utilized and a number of family bonds that were unresolved. It really felt like this book needed to tie some of these things up but they were left open ended.

Like the first one, I did fly through this book so it’s still really readable but I’m still surprised that’s all.

There’s some great moments and growth from Tamsyn in this book for sure but the story was lacking for me. Still worth checking out to see how the story ends. (…is it done though? I couldn’t tell!?)

Um this was fine. Not a whole lot happens in this book to be honest and Sophie Jordan’s writing style isn’t my fave.

I liked it? I think?

I won’t say much cause I’m not trying to spoil things but there’s a new dude here that I’m not a big fan of and an old friend is back and terrible as ever.

Also, I’m gonna be reaaaal picky about grieving things because I’m IRL grief mode rn and it’s terrible, and Tamsyn being all like “Oh it’s been a year since Fell died and I didn’t even get to grieve him at all because I’ve just been soooooo busy” is reaaaal annoying to me. But also I don’t want a lot of grieving on page. So maybe this isn’t even worth noting because Angela cannot be pleased in any way in this particular instance 🤣 Maybe just say that like you couldn’t get out of bed for two months, okay? That would be fine by me.

Also , where is this book going? What are we doing here? Who is the bad guy? What is the purpose? I’m losing it in all this dragon stuff. Is there gonna be a third? Is the king bad? Is it just Stig that’s bad? Are we human or are we dragon? Is there a hope for world peace??? I was just a smidge lost in this.

Also Tamsyn is repulsed by the idea of mating some good looking dude and being a mom in dragon caves and girl, that sounds awesome and very much like my life but obvs minus dragons and let me tell you, it’s flipping awesome. SAHM > Girl Boss IMO, don’t knock it till you try it, Tamsyn. Especially cause you get the crap kicked out of you A LOT. So maybe don’t just IMMEDIATELY be like “Ewwww that sounds awful,” you can also be like “Wow motherhood would be so great but obvs I have to save the world first.”

Make Motherhood Acceptable Again.

ALRIGHT enough of this terrible review where no one has any clear understanding of the book based on these pointless rambles.

Thank you for the ARC!

I liked A Fire in the Sky, but I did feel it was racing through the story and skipping over scenes, leaving an incomplete feeling. I was hoping for more showing and in-depth relationship building in this sequel, but that's difficult with the characters separated. They were barley together in the first book, anyway, so I'm questioning some character motivations and it's not completely working for me (so far). I feel an emotional disconnect, so I'm going to put this on hold for now and possibly return later!

If you're looking for a quick, binge-worthy romantasy featuring dragons that's not intimidating in size or world-building, this is for you!

This is the sequel to A Fire in the Sky. I devoured the first book! This sequel was a bit too slow for my taste but I powered through. With that being said, the emotional trauma this book puts you through is crazy. Overall once said and done, it was a good book in my opinion but I didn't love it as much as the first.



Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC

Pub Date Oct 14 2025

Feeling very lucky to have received an early copy of this highly anticipated second novel in this series. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I remember the first book being one of my favorite fantasy romance rates of 2024.

This book didn’t really go where I thought it would and the ending left me even more confused. As many of you know, I don’t do well with ambiguity in my reading.

Where is the series gonna go next? Will subsequent books not focus on our current main characters? Please don’t let there be a love triangle (that was my least favorite allusion in this book).

I don’t even know what to say about this book. I clearly enjoyed it as I finished it in a day and I couldn’t really put it down, but I felt like the reunion between the two main characters was prolonged and the rest of the overarching plot didn’t really move forward and I’m scared this book is gonna get stretched into like an eight book series when it really doesn’t need to.

EDIT: I just went back and read my review for the first book in the series (I love my past self). I think this is something that Sophie Jordan as an author struggles with: pacing. She’s really good at the buildup, but she allows it to go on for too long and it leaves the last third or the last quarter of a book feeling extremely rushed and a lot of things condensed into a very short amount of space

A solid follow up to the first. This book was really fun. I enjoyed the cast of characters being expanded upon. I enjoyed getting to see more of Tamsyn this time, as Fell was absent for majority of the story. I liked that she was able to strengthen herself and stand on her own. A present theme in this story was her getting to choose her own path.

I feel like I need to read the original series so I can have more context for this world. I keep forgetting that this fantasy world is similar to olden times where women were basically just viewed as breeding stock. That was a slight shock when we got into the politics and structure of the pride and what the female dragons were expected to do.

This book has more action and plot points than the original in my opinion, which was something I was hoping for in a follow up. I’m pleased by that, but I do think this could have benefit from more pages and more time to truly hit the story beats. There was just enough for me to be immersed, but I never really got to truly sink into the world and the story as it passed by pretty quickly.

Stig was deplorable, no shock there. It’s hard to shake a lifetime of indoctrination, and knowing what I know of fantasy and its tropes, I saw his heel turn coming since the first book. Vetr was an interesting character, there was always something a little off about him to me, and I felt vindicated when all the revelations were happening. I wish there was a little more oomph to the story, but overall this was a good sequel and a fun addition to the series. Can’t wait for the next one!

This was a solid 4 star read for me, thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc!

Genre: Fantasy Romance
POV: dual, 1st person
Series: Book 2
Relationship: M/F
Cliffhanger: Kinda…maybe?
TW/CW: Yes
ARC Platform: NetGalley
Format: e-ARC

Darkness Rating: 2.5/5 🖤
Torture. Bloody. War. Check warnings.

Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️
A hand full of open-door explicit scenes

Overall Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Rounded to 4 ⭐️

This book was a lot to take in. So much happened yet nothing happened at all?

First and foremost, I was not a fan of the brother or the eluded love triangle. My most hated trope. I actually wouldn’t even call it a love triangle per se but it’s not really cheating either….either way, I didn’t like it.

Also, I didn’t enjoy all the telling and zero showing of the grief stage for Tamsyn. It made it difficult for me to truly believe she missed or cared for Fell. It actually made me angry for Fell 😭

Lastly. The ending confused me….There was an epilogue but I don’t know if the story actually ended?. When you read it, you’ll know what I mean.

However, overall, I enjoyed the book. I love a good revenge story. I love a good FMC ARC story. My girl was meek in book one and came out fighting and standing up for herself in this book. I loved this for her.
I loved her made a true friend 💕 I would LOVE to read about her some more (sorry-no spoilers here).
& I’m dying to know what happens to a hooded character!!

*disclaimer: my darkness and spice rating might not be the same for you. Please do your own research before reading*

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was so much fun, it was emotional and traumatic in all the right ways. I love some dragons in my fantasy books and this did not disappoint!

First off, HOW DARE YOU! Definitely had to take a break after the first couple chapters, however, the book was so good I still finished this book in a couple of hours. The amount of emotional trauma and anxiety that I received from the first 3/4 of this book is enough to keep a therapist busy for years (kidding..kinda). Stig sounds and acts like an entitled frat boy/a guy who feels he has to tell people he's a "nice guy". I am finally glad we can see his true colors and Tamsyn can stop gaslighting everyone when they warn her about him. Normally a character being childishly stubborn would annoy me but in this book it really worked out for Tamsyn and the end goal *cough cough cough*. We also get to see Tamsyn really come into her own and discover all her awesomeness as a dragon. The blood color and changing was a nice touch!

Next, I wasn't big on the adventure of Tamsyn and her friend and then how Tamsyn just LEFT her. That could have been chopped and edited a bit. Sophie wrote "they walked for weeks" and then goes on for CHAPTERS about what was happening but it was repetitive and slow.

The way the author wrote the epilogue doesn't state if the series is done or if the next book is going to be 28734387 POVs and/or a Game of thrones rewrite (please don't). If there is a next book I hope it's still the same style.

There is a bit more of romance in this book, but it still doesn't beat their first time together.

Overall I LOVED this book, not as much as the first, but this was still pretty good. Looking forward to whatever else the author will be writing.

✨ARC Review✨

✅Dragons and witches
✅ Mates and bonds
✅ Betrayal
✅ Love triangle
✅ Magic
✅ Plot twists

A Scar in the Bone is an amazing sequel to A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan. It had the right blend of heartache, romance, adventure, and suspense - I could not put the book down! I finished this book in two days.

Tamsyn evolved in this book. She knows what she wants and is willing to do what is right for those around her. My heart hurt for her when she was looking for Fell. Their bond is too deep, that I really hoped for the best for them.

Vetr and Fell’s dynamic as brothers were not really explored in the book. I hope the author does that in the sequel. I want to know what propelled Vetr to do what he did, and what will he do with Fell back.

The reunion of Tamsyn and Fell was 🌶️ Who can blame them?

Cons:
- I wish there was a better glimpse of the world. More world building even though it is a sequel.
- I wish there was a POV from Vetr!

I really enjoyed this book. I am looking forward to the next one!

good second book in the series. loved seeing them both and dealing with human and dragon issues. I wasn't a fan of his brother. loved that she made some friends and saved fell.

I devoured this book in 2 days!
I will 100% be buying physical copies for our customers when it is released and waiting patiently for book three!

It’s interesting - you don’t often see a romantasy sequel that keeps the central couple apart for 80% of the book. Definitely a risky move, and I’m not sure it paid off. The other love interest was so icky, and I really wanted the MMC to return much earlier. Also, the time jump between book 1 and book 2 was jarring, as was the abrupt ending and vague epilogue. I think there was a lot of good in this duology, and it certainly captured my attention, but I didn’t love book 2.

I feel as though this review could be summed up in two sentences:
1- I devoured this book in three days.
2- I am already DYING for book 3.

Sophie Jordan has created a world where humans and dragons collide in the most delicious way. This unique take allows Sophie to explore complex human situations, emotions, and themes in a way that also feels like an escape into a fantastical world that takes the reader on an adventure we would never be able to experience in the real world. The result leaves you cheering for the defeat of the bad guy while also hoping that love, loyalty, and hope truly do prevail.

I found the time jump at the beginning of the book to be a little jarring, yet I was satisfied in the end as Sophie uses it as a way to propel the story forward without giving up details that lead to Tamsyn's character development. There are plot points that I wish were fleshed out and explored more, but overall, the pacing of the book leaves you breathless as Sophie brings the story to life with her incredible imagery and action on every page. I will 100% be buying a physical copy when it is released and waiting, as patiently as possible, for book 3.

#AScarintheBoneDeluxeLimitedEdition #NetGalley

Much much better! I really didn’t think I was going to like this follow up to A Fire in the Sky but I was sorely mistaken. This is an excellent example of when the 2nd book surpasses the 1st. Tamsyn did not annoy me as much this time and I wish her and Fell had a bit more time together in this one, but I’m sure they will have plenty of time together in the next. The intrigue of a second love interest when we all feared the first was dead had me turning pages. Tamsyn is in desperate need of strong female characters to help further develop her skills and maturity. I really hope Kerstin is developed further and either gets her own love interest or her own book.

🐲 ✦ A Scar in the Bone ✦ 🐲
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sophie Jordan
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: A Fire in the Sky book #2
𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 352
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Epic romantasy

VIBES
✦ Humans/dragons/witches
✦ Fated mates
✦ High stakes
✦ Magic
✦ Plot twists

THOUGHTS
One of my most anticipated sequels to read this year. A Scar in the Bone is the second installment in the A Fire in the Sky series and takes place a year after Tamsyn found out that she was half dragon. She now lives with her mate’s twin brother’s dragon pride. She struggles to fit in and except her fate as well as the fate of her mate. Definitely a filler book in the series but I loved it because we got a deeper connection with the characters. I read this sequel in less than 24 hours because the storytelling and pacing were fantastic. I love Sophie Jordan’s writing style; it’s easy to follow and pulls you in. The ending left me wanting more and felt a little rushed.

Quick thoughts on the characters: Tamsyn! She is my girl. I love her character. She is kind and always likes to do what is right even in difficult situations. We get a lot of Vetr (Fell’s twin brother) in this book and you will find yourself consistently questioning his intentions. I adored his nickname for her (‘little flame’). Stig is turning more and more evil, ugh, and you will be surprised by who he marries. I loved Kerstin’s character and her spunk. I hope to learn more about the witches in book three. Color me intrigued.

🥵 The steamy, electric romance between Tamsyn and Fell is still so so good. I definitely wanted more Fell in this book!

✦ Thank you Sophie Jordan and @Avonbooks and @HarperVoyagerUS for the gifted eARC!

A Scar in the Bone
by: Sophie Jordan

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Holy moly was I excited when I saw I got approved for an ARC for this book! A Scar in the Bone is the sequel to A Fire in the Sky, and we do not pick up where we left off at the end of book one; we fast forward a year, and see that Tamsyn has been honing her dragon skills. Fell is absent when we start, which gets explained fairly early in the book.

I did find the pacing of the plot to be a bit awkward at time. There was a lot of time passed throughout this book off page, which is not something I am used to in fantasy books. Overall, I enjoyed the continuation of Tamsyn and Fell’s story!

I don’t want to say too much about the plot because it would be spoiler heavy for the first book, but definitely plan on picking this one up if you liked book one! 👀

This book is a must read if you like:
🔥 Fated Mates
🐉 Dragon shifters
🔥 Political Intrigue
🐉 “Who did this to you?”

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked! Tamsyn’s journey from outcast to warrior is intense, emotional, and so satisfying. With Fell gone, she’s struggling to survive in the dragon pride, training like hell, and clashing (in the best way) with his brooding brother, Vetr. The tension? Chef’s kiss.

The action is nonstop, the world-building is lush, and the emotions hit hard. Plus, the Deluxe Edition is absolutely stunning—sprayed edges, artwork, and all the collector’s goodies. Even though I’ve already read it, I had to preorder this edition to add to my shelf. It’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to have the physical copy in my hands!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Jordan knows exactly how to weave longing, love, and sacrifice into something that leaves you breathless. The writing is sharp, lyrical, and cinematic, pulling me into a world where magic is fading and only belief can keep it alive. The weight of legacy, the pain of loss, the fire of resilience; it all collides in a story that doesn’t just ask whether magic can survive, but whether love can, too. And the answer? I felt it in every single word.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the arc of this book. A Scar in the Bone is the second book in the A Fire in the Sky series. I loved the first book in this series and absolutely loved the female main character in the first book. I continued to love Tamsyn in this book also. This book picks up about a year after the first book. This book has more story and less world building. This book felt faster paced than the first in this series which I loved. I couldn't put this book down, I read it one day. If you liked the first book, you will love the second book.