A Destiny of Dragons

I loved the first book, wherein we learn that nothing Sam's involved in is ever straightforward. It's a masterclass in flipping fantasy tropes on their heads and tickling them until they beg for mercy. It's genuinely funny in that annoying way young people can be sometimes, and if you've read it and wonder, as I did, if the rest of the series can possibly be better, I tell you YES.

#2 is not quite as verbose-silly (dialogue) but the core of these goofballs persists under the onus of Sam's destiny as if condensed, to be spent in every bit of spare time. Just, a lot happens, sometimes really fast and from surprising directions, and if book 1 was five stars, this one by all rights ought to be fifty stars. In fact, though it does not show more cliffhang, it does end in motion, and I am well pleased with myself to have already purchased books 3 and 4. Good job, past-me! show less

It took me a long time to read this, which was largely unrelated to the book, but the book itself really didn't help. It's a bit of a drag. I'm not sure how, given this is apparently shorter than book 1, but it's a drag. It also doesn't help with how frequent the use of a slur against the Roma is used, or the weird reverse racism stuff. This book released in 2017. There really isn't an excuse for this. It serves no purpose other than being in very bad taste, at best. I mean maybe there could have been argument how even the marginalized can be bigots, but it's handled very badly here by being transformed into... what it is.

The dynamics aren't that different from book 1, other than there's no mutual pining (not really), just actual show more partners in relationships. The problem is likely that Kevin is in most of the story this time around, and he is very, very annoying. I'm okay with sex humor - even kinky sex humor - but this one really pushed my limits. It's repetitive, distracting, and... just kind of dumb, honestly. While book 1 was funny to the point that I laughed myself silly, this one is almost nonstop bad sex jokes, and it's... relentless in a bad way.

The plot itself is slow and uninteresting. There isn't really character development so much as 70% of the book is sex jokes, and the characters occasionally change setting. A sort of lust triangle (it's not a love triangle) didn't help, and it's honestly one of the worst triangles I've seen. I dislike like them normally anyway, and that the narrative kind of opens it to not being a problem doesn't help with how pointless it feels.

I don't know if I'll continue. I'd like to read book 5 when it comes out, so I probably will, but given how disappointing this was, and how I know bad things happen in book 3... I can't say I'm that excited.

If you want books about magic boyfriends and kinky relationships, try Pia Foxhall's "Fae Tales" stories. If you want stories about mages dealing with all kinds of relationships and world-ending problems, try Tamora Pierce's "Circle of Magic". I don't know if it's possible to skip this one and still enjoy the series but... if it is possible, I would. show less

The campiness continues with book 2. Ryan and Sam are happily coupled up and ready for their new adventure with the Scooby gang which appears to be full of dragons. I cackled at the 14 year old emo dragon. So surly and ridiculous.

I can’t figure out why we are messing with this grandmother at all though. Was it necessary to go and report back? Maybe it’ll be more relevant in book 3 but I didn’t trust her or get it.

Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Tales of Verania series. I listened to this on audiobook, which I got from Audible.

Audiobook Quality (4/5): This audiobook is well done. The characters sound like I imagine they would sound. Sometimes the voice the narrator uses for Sam gets kind of whiny and annoying but aside from that the audiobook is well produced and works with the story.

Thoughts: I set this aside at about 40% of the way through. It's not that this was a bad read; it is very in keeping with the first book of the series. It was honestly just a bit too much for me at the moment and I plan on picking it up again at a later date.

This book starts back at the main castle and Sam is being harassed by his grandmother, show more Vadoma. Vadoma has brought a man to the castle who is supposed to be Sam’s true cornerstone, which of course sends everything into an uproar. Then there is a vague prophecy about dragons and Sam and the end of the world.

A sI said above, this book was just too much for me at the time I was reading it. By too much I mean there was just too much goofiness, too many sex jokes, and too much crazy sex at inappropriate times. I felt like all the excessiveness was preventing the story from actually going anywhere... I also just kind of wasn't in the mood for it but wanted to read a more serious fantasy with a more solid story. It ended up feeling more annoying than entertaining and I decided to just stop listening rather than get more annoyed.

So, yeah, this has been set aside for now. I will probably pick it up again when I am in the mood for a zany, goofy, fantasy story with loads of dirty sex jokes. For now though it was time to move on to something else. I think part of the issue was that we just dove right into the craziness and it was taking a really long time for any of the actual story to move anywhere.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this is very in-keeping with the first book of the series. The difference is that the Kevin the dragon grossness, the crude sex jokes, and the plentiful sex starts right off the bat. For some reason in this 2nd book I was finding it all a bit too over-the-top for me and it frequently ventured from hilarious territory into annoying territory. Not sure why. However, because of this I opted to set this aside and come back to it when I am more in the mood for something like this. show less

This ridiculoussecond book of Tales from Verania is a tiny bit more serious than the first one. But not that more serious.
I love the talk, the chaos, the adorably silly characters. I still can understand it could be too much for some readers. Their loss. On to the next one!

So EPIC™!

I'm so glad the author didn't take the same route as in Book 1, because if he did, I think it would've been too much. The Lightning-Struck Heart is hilarious and there's so much UST. Here in Book 2 the humor is still very much present, but there's also so much action (which is awesome) and Sam's life finally has a purpose (or let's call it destiny), thus the story has a direction, not that it didn't have one before, but I feel like Book 1 was all about Sam and his love interest, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart; while this book is so much more than that (some would say: there's so much plot). :D

So far this series exceeded my expectations, can't wait to read more! Highly recommended!!! :)

I'm not sure what's happened, but Sam is turning into one of my least favorite character types: an alphahole. He's rude, mean at times, especially to Ryan, and just downright awful (and a bit of a spoiled brat into the bargain). The whole Kevin and Gary argument fest just drags on the story rather than adding any humor, which is part of the reason why it took me so long to get through this book. Thankfully, it's not in present tense. That would have made this book so much worse.