raven168's review against another edition
3.0
Gemma was a pretty believable character for most of the book. When she was child she suffered a horrible trauma that has shaped how she lives her life and interacts with people. She prefers to be alone and leave her house as little as possible, and she staves off loneliness by always have a dog with her. Unfortunately her most recent companion had passed and she's feeling the sadness more acutely. But that all changes when she backs into one of the hottest guys she's ever seen with her car.
Cináed was going thru stacks of old articles for Ryder when he came across a certain one that completely captured his attention. Not so much the article, but the picture of the young girl with it. The look in her eyes has him desperate to find out more about her. And after some more searching, it turns out that she's right there in town. Coincidence?
Cináed didn't actually intend to talk to Gemma that first day he found her, but her running into him with her car gave him the perfect opportunity and excuse to see her again. When he first tells her he knows of her past and has gone looking for answers for her, she is understandably angry. But Cináed makes her feel safe, which is a feeling she hasn't had in such a long time, that she decides that she will try and finally trust someone. And hope he doesn't stab her in the back like others have done. Together they work to piece together what happened to her family and her history. During which time they quickly fall for the other, of course.
What we learn of Gemma's past and her ancestors is definitely interesting, and that knowledge gives Gemma the strength to stand up for herself a lot more than she has ever done before. It really did not come as much of a shock when we find out who was behind everything either. They are insane after all.
I'm curious what part she will play in the future and am obviously looking forward to the next book.
cupofteabookblog's review against another edition
5.0
tanyad74's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Dragon Claimed is another of the 1001 Dark Nights novellas. It follows Cináed. He is a recently awoken Dragon King. I will admit. Even with the pronunciation spelled out for me. I still had a hard time remembering that his name was pronounced like "kinney". My mind could not compute with what I was seeing on the page! I laughed at myself every time I caught myself trying to call him something else.
Cináed feels a pull to Gemma right from seeing a picture of her as a child. He doesn't understand the pull, but he knows it has something to do with the current fight the Kings are in. What is more convenient is that she is living in the little town just outside Draegan.
I think Gemma subconsciously moves around alot because she fears she is being watched. She was severely introverted and hates to leave her house. Gemma has some pretty horrifying history and you can't blame her for just wanting to be away from people. But who could resist Cináed? He understood her feelings like no one else ever had.
The love story and the adventure were well balanced. We get to see further into the overall arc of the Dragon Kings and how the Others fit in with their desire to kill them. The fae assassin in Dragon Claimed has me confused because I really thought she wanted an alliance with the Kings. She is very powerful, but to everyone's surprise, Gemma has a little something that can help with that. Surprise even to herself! You get to see Gemma really grow and come out of her shell, and Cináed is a big part of that.
I would not miss one of these novellas! They can be read as standalone, but honestly I think readers of the series do not want to miss any of the new revelations we get. Dragon Claimed packed everything I love about a Dark Kings book into a novella and I truly enjoyed the read.
Excerpt
“Gemma!”
She glanced in the direction that her dog had run. She hated storms. Her parents and Kyle knew that. Why hadn’t they helped her? Anger seethed within her. They hadn’t helped because they wanted to leave Daisy behind.
Well, Daisy was hers, and if she had to leave her friends and her home, she wasn’t leaving her dog.
“Gemma!”
She ignored both her parents, who were now shouting her name as she raced after Daisy. If she had to carry the forty-pound dog to the boat, then that’s what she’d do. Just as soon as she found Daisy.
Another flash of lightning bathed the land in light, giving her just a glimpse of the dog as she headed toward the house. Gemma ran as fast as her seven-year-old legs would carry her. She reached the house and Daisy.
“Hey, girl,” she said to the terrified dog. “It’s going to be all right.”
It took her four tries before she was able to lift the dog. She shook badly, but at least she wasn’t trying to get free. Gemma knew her parents were going to be furious with her. She didn’t know why they were sneaking away in the middle of the night in a storm, but the fear in her father’s voice and her mother’s face let her know that the questions would have to wait.
In less than two hours, they had packed up all they could and put it on the boat her father owned. She’d asked where they were headed, but her parents hadn’t answered and her brother had shot her an irritated look.
Once she got on the boat with Daisy, she hoped someone would tell her something. She hated not knowing what was going on. Kyle didn’t care. He always said that their parents would tell them when they needed to know.
Gemma stumbled and fell to her knees. She pitched forward so that she had to release Daisy in order to catch herself, but she managed to keep a tight hold of the leash and pull the dog back to her. Daisy seemed to like being held, so she didn’t put up a fight.
“I’m coming!” Gemma shouted, hoping her family could hear her.
She couldn’t see the dock through the driving rain and dark. Which was odd. There was supposed to be a light on the dock. She knew the way to the water, so she hadn’t gone the wrong way. But...why wasn’t the light on?
This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
redhairedashreads's review against another edition
4.0
I want to know more about Merrill now though.
shahlasworld's review against another edition
5.0
Full Review: https://shahlas-world.blogspot.com/2019/01/pulse-pounding-adrenaline-pumping.html
malissac's review against another edition
4.0
Dragon Claimed is the story of Gemma and Cináed, (pronounced Kenny) and also the story of a little more insight into someone else. As always I can't talk too much about what happens because it will spoil the read for others, but if you have been a long time reader of this series, you want to make sure this one is in your hands. It's these books that give little pieces that make the bigger books come together in the end. I really enjoyed this couples relationship, the fact that for Cináed there was a connection before he ever even truly met Gemma and Gemma's backstory, *sigh*. It's funny because typically it is the Dragon King who's back story gets to me, but this book it was all Gemma. Heck this whole book was just all Gemma, she was the true star in this one, the Dragon King taking a bit of a backseat. I am really to see her in future stories and her interactions with a few other people, who shall remain un-named for now, ha and those scenes....they just make you hate that character a little bit more. When the day comes for that character to wrap up their story it will be a grand one, I can't wait, except that will likely bring us to the end and I am so not ready for that. I want all the current secrets revealed but then I just want new secrets, ha.
Dragon Claimed is classic Donna Grant, hot and steamy, intriguing, swoon-worthy, secretive, and dramatic, both in story and in description. One of the only things I would have liked more of is more Con and more interaction between Gemma and the rest of the Kings and Mates, though that would lead to a full length book I suppose, which is basically what I always want, ha.
So get this book if you are a fan of the series, it is a must read. I will say that I think this is one where yes, you can read it as a standalone but you will enjoy it even more if you are reading it as part of the series. If you do read it as a standalone a little bit may feel confusing for you but it's still going to be a great read and I bet when you're done you head back to the very first Dark King book!
~ HAPPY READING ~
beckymmoe's review against another edition
3.0
A dragon king with a Scottish accent? Yes, please... ;)
Somehow this novella ends up feeling like it's longer than it actually is--so much is going on within its pages. There's a mysterious and ominous backstory, a new and powerful danger, a connection to a possibly-not-so-long-lost family line, and beautiful but isolated Scottish islands.
Oh, and a romance. Plus puppies.
And did I mention dragons? ;)
Though technically yes, this novella *could* work to introduce readers to the Dark Kings books (Gemma is new to the universe. so things are explained to her and you're not totally lost) this is definitely one of the 1001 Dark Nights books that works better as a filler novella for those who already know the series. There's very much a sense of being thrust into the middle of things, and though Gemma and Cináed's HEA is set by the end, there are other overarching plot threads that are still dangling. Gemma does get some long awaited answers, though, and a sense of finally belonging, so for her and Cináed the story is satisfactory.
Rating: 3 stars / C+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.