Dragon Untameable by Ava Richardson – A Book Review

Posted April 17, 2020 by Booksandblurbs in Fantasy, Reviews, YA / 0 Comments

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Dragon Untameable

(Alveria Dragon Akademy’s Untameables – Book 1)

by Ava Richardson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

YA, Fantasy
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

This might be a YA fantasy, but it’s written with a mature plot line that can be enjoyed by older readers as well as younger ones. Shifters, magic and mystery – free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

When Alveria is plunged into a pitch-black darkness, can a dragon-shifter labelled as “Untameable” and the dragon-hunter sent to kill her, bond together to save their world?

Laini Unclaimed, a maid at the Alveria Palace, thought supervising a kid’s birthday party of young dragons was going to be the hardest part of her day. Then a never-ending darkness falls across Alveria, and an army of monsters are unleashed from the underworld. As attacks on humans and dragons rise, there’s little the royals can do to protect the people from creatures impervious to magic—and many think Laini is to blame.

She’s one of the first to face the terrifying monsters when she saves Prince Cade’s life at the palace. After a lifetime of rejection, all the orphan wants is to find her place as an accepted member of Alverian society. But when the realm plunges into eternal night, her uncontrollable—unheard of—power awakens: the power over light and dark.

Despite whispers of suspicion and blame, Laini denies responsibility for the darkness—how could it be her when she doesn’t even understand her powers? Under the king’s guidance, she’s sent to the prestigious Alveria Dragon Akademy to learn control of this newfound magic with a mis-fit group of other Untameables. But even the strong Akademy walls may not keep Laini safe, for a young dragon hunter lurks in the shadows, watching Laini and biding his time.

Now Laini must discover the source of her powers and banish the darkness covering Alveria—before whispers become a cry for her death. But as the truth emerges, she learns that it is far more than her own life that’s at stake, it’s all of Alveria.

Thoughts on Dragon Untameable

Despite this being a second series set in this expansive world, this is my first foray into Richardson’s created Akademy – but it won’t be my last. This YA fantasy hits the page and just keeps on running, stacking up diverse characters and a complex plot line that weaves through the kingdom.

It’s written in a way that appeals to all, offering up a mature flow and an intellectual female main character that truly THINKS things through and doesn’t fall prey to usual YA tropes. All in all, this is a well done book that has caused me to reach back into Ava Richardson’s portfolio to discover the first book set at the Akademy, as I NEED to know about the Queen. Actually, I need to know about all these characters, and what happens next – it’s bloody fasinating!

Favorite Line

And as a famous philosopher she’d once read had said, everything was impossible until it happened. (5%)

Pros:

Well written.
Well plotted.
I enjoy the characters and their inner musings.
It seems there are no true evil or good characters, which is a stark reminder of real life.
Nuances.
Long!

Cons:

This isn’t so much a con, as a personal preference. I would like to see the FMC a bit older – her thought process is mature, yet her age is not. It’s a dissonance that bothers me.
Ends at 96%

Perspective

Third Person, multiple POV

Ending Type

Cliffhanger

Rating

PG-15, YA

Romantic Dynamic

M/F

Character Age Range

17+

My Final Verdict on Dragon Untameable

A fantastic YA Fantasy story featuring dragons, young love, dangerous machinations and a truth that could shatter everything. It’s well written and flows easily, allowing the reader to fall in love with these characters quickly… even with those we shouldn’t. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited, and the series is COMPLETE!

Published August 28th, 2019
344 Pages