raven_nivhaar's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
There may be spoilers in this review. Be forewarned
I really liked this book.
It was funny, and sweet in places, and it was interesting.
I did have a few problems with it, which I will get into in a moment.
I loved how tough Ava was, but it bothered me how much she was unable to open up. And for someone with trust issues, she seemed to trust a little too easily at times.
I adored Cale, he was so cute when he was being protective of her (at the times when it wasn’t warranted). It bugged me that everyone was so quick to assume that sweet, honest Cale had committed the crime he was accused of, his own father disowning him without asking him whether or not it was true.
I did like the Anders, although we didn’t really get to know them all that well. Rory was probably my favorite, aside from Cale. Karma kind of annoyed me that she was so analytical all the time, and yet didn’t seem inclined to offer her opinion very often.
I felt like she could have been a really cool character, but at times it felt like she was just there to provide cold, mechanical observations and information, but the way it was handled was well done, so I didn’t not like her.
Cameron was about the same, he is probably my second favorite (or third, after Cale), as his coldness had a humor about it at times that was lacking in Karma. And I loved when he spoke with Cale, their game.
(And can we just talk about the scene where Cameron and Cale were taking turns making the bouncer at the Cave uncomfortable? I laughed so hard at that. Made me love them even more)
And now onto the things that bugged me:
1. As mentioned above, how come no one gave Cale the benefit of the doubt? Just believing the charges instantly, as his own father did. I know the charges are sort of explained at the end, but it still bothered me.
2. The pacing felt kind of inconsistent at times, one moment they are just meeting, but in the next scene they act as though they have known each other for ages. Literally the next day Ava goes over to his house and he pulls her onto the bed with him and falls back asleep, and she just lays there and goes with it. At least she mentioned how weird it was, which I felt was the author’s way of excusing the actions at times.
3. The fight scenes. The small skirmishes and the minor battles were detailed enough to be pictured, yet the big fight scenes like the one at the Grand Nest was glossed over, as were a few others.
And that may have been due to whether or not the author was comfortable with writing fight scenes, didn’t like doing them, or just wasn’t confident in them, considering how few fight scenes there actually were.
If so, I can respect that.
There were a few typos throughout, mainly towards the beginning, which didn’t take away from the story at all, I just thought I’d mention them.
Overall, I really liked this book and I look forward to reading more about Cale and Ava in the future, as I am really curious as to where their story will go.
I am just sorry that it has taken me this long to read it.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
There may be spoilers in this review. Be forewarned
I really liked this book.
It was funny, and sweet in places, and it was interesting.
I did have a few problems with it, which I will get into in a moment.
I loved how tough Ava was, but it bothered me how much she was unable to open up. And for someone with trust issues, she seemed to trust a little too easily at times.
I adored Cale, he was so cute when he was being protective of her (at the times when it wasn’t warranted). It bugged me that everyone was so quick to assume that sweet, honest Cale had committed the crime he was accused of, his own father disowning him without asking him whether or not it was true.
I did like the Anders, although we didn’t really get to know them all that well. Rory was probably my favorite, aside from Cale. Karma kind of annoyed me that she was so analytical all the time, and yet didn’t seem inclined to offer her opinion very often.
I felt like she could have been a really cool character, but at times it felt like she was just there to provide cold, mechanical observations and information, but the way it was handled was well done, so I didn’t not like her.
Cameron was about the same, he is probably my second favorite (or third, after Cale), as his coldness had a humor about it at times that was lacking in Karma. And I loved when he spoke with Cale, their game.
(And can we just talk about the scene where Cameron and Cale were taking turns making the bouncer at the Cave uncomfortable? I laughed so hard at that. Made me love them even more)
And now onto the things that bugged me:
1. As mentioned above, how come no one gave Cale the benefit of the doubt? Just believing the charges instantly, as his own father did. I know the charges are sort of explained at the end, but it still bothered me.
2. The pacing felt kind of inconsistent at times, one moment they are just meeting, but in the next scene they act as though they have known each other for ages. Literally the next day Ava goes over to his house and he pulls her onto the bed with him and falls back asleep, and she just lays there and goes with it. At least she mentioned how weird it was, which I felt was the author’s way of excusing the actions at times.
3. The fight scenes. The small skirmishes and the minor battles were detailed enough to be pictured, yet the big fight scenes like the one at the Grand Nest was glossed over, as were a few others.
And that may have been due to whether or not the author was comfortable with writing fight scenes, didn’t like doing them, or just wasn’t confident in them, considering how few fight scenes there actually were.
If so, I can respect that.
There were a few typos throughout, mainly towards the beginning, which didn’t take away from the story at all, I just thought I’d mention them.
Overall, I really liked this book and I look forward to reading more about Cale and Ava in the future, as I am really curious as to where their story will go.
I am just sorry that it has taken me this long to read it.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
nissahh's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved it!! I found it hard to put down. I loved/hate every single character, especially Cale. I can't wait for the sequel!
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
5.0
**I won this book free in a Goodreads First Read giveaway, but all the opinions expressed are my unbiased honest review.**
I was hooked at the last line of chapter 1. And the book kept getting better and better. I was lost in it and enjoyed pretty much everything!
This is a new exploration of dragon lore, and I felt it was very original. I really enjoyed the idea of a dragon’s core and the idea of it being sparked by a rider. Throughout the book as the dragon-rider pair got to know each other, a relationship was built on trust and familial love. This was not a relationship based on sexual attraction and was so much richer a story because of that fact. It wasn’t love that got in the way of situations or created unnecessary misunderstandings. The plot is driven strongly by the unique characters and their growth both individually and platonically. Ava is a great character who’s strong and intelligent. Cale is a bit like an Edward/Twilight-type character, intense and protective of his partner, but the two complement each other well. Their biggest obstacle is trust, and this wall is steadily chipped away through character struggles and sacrifices.
I liked the different dragon types, the Anders Nest, the relationships formed, the Great Nest, the mystery of the infamous “pearl,” the battles, the wit, the humor, the belief in God by both human and dragon kind, the unexpected kindnesses, the shifts in points of views (i.e., the black dragon rider and Ava),… WOW! There is just so much to enjoy about this book! The only thing I'm not a fan of is the cover. I do not think it clearly represents what the book is about to potential buyers.
I want more! When is the sequel coming out??? The ending left me satisfied but aware that there will(?)/should be more! There is so much potential! The last chapter was extremely well done. Combs is a very talented author. There is emotional depth, suspense, action, and lots of well-developed characters balanced to perfection in this book. I highly recommend “Core” and look forward to more from this author.
I was hooked at the last line of chapter 1. And the book kept getting better and better. I was lost in it and enjoyed pretty much everything!
This is a new exploration of dragon lore, and I felt it was very original. I really enjoyed the idea of a dragon’s core and the idea of it being sparked by a rider. Throughout the book as the dragon-rider pair got to know each other, a relationship was built on trust and familial love. This was not a relationship based on sexual attraction and was so much richer a story because of that fact. It wasn’t love that got in the way of situations or created unnecessary misunderstandings. The plot is driven strongly by the unique characters and their growth both individually and platonically. Ava is a great character who’s strong and intelligent. Cale is a bit like an Edward/Twilight-type character, intense and protective of his partner, but the two complement each other well. Their biggest obstacle is trust, and this wall is steadily chipped away through character struggles and sacrifices.
I liked the different dragon types, the Anders Nest, the relationships formed, the Great Nest, the mystery of the infamous “pearl,” the battles, the wit, the humor, the belief in God by both human and dragon kind, the unexpected kindnesses, the shifts in points of views (i.e., the black dragon rider and Ava),… WOW! There is just so much to enjoy about this book! The only thing I'm not a fan of is the cover. I do not think it clearly represents what the book is about to potential buyers.
I want more! When is the sequel coming out??? The ending left me satisfied but aware that there will(?)/should be more! There is so much potential! The last chapter was extremely well done. Combs is a very talented author. There is emotional depth, suspense, action, and lots of well-developed characters balanced to perfection in this book. I highly recommend “Core” and look forward to more from this author.
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