Hello everyone!
Because, of course, I AM going to talk about Phoenix Rising's sequel, since I feel like it's even better than the first one, which is a hard thing to do, honestly.
Following up a release is always a tough act, but whoooooo boy, does Ms Provost manage!
If you were even a little bit hooked by Lochlyn and Rosalie's story in Phoenix, then I can promise you right now that this one is even better.
Why, you may ask?
Because we have everything of the initial meet-ups and get-to-knows already behind us, we're right in the thick of the story, and the biggest revelation that's ever reveal-ated drops before the book ends, dropping jaws alongside with it.
That's why!
So without further ado: Dragon Descending.
So in Phoenix Rising, Rosalie marries Lochlyn, the Black Duke of Dragon Ridge, in place of her sister Caterina, who runs off with phoenix knight Curran. They're on the run, but when it's time for Cat to give birth she goes to her sister, and when Curran grabs her on orders from both his Grand Master (his father, natch) and the king, it's Rosalie and Lochlyn who raise little Jonathan in the interim.
And then of course they go to rescue the other couple, rescue a random basilisk along the way just because they can, and learn/reveal that Rosalie is actually Grand Master Arthus' granddaughter, through her mother, who was Curran's sister.
To top it off, because Lochlyn was poisoned during the whole palace debacle in Serpens, he currently can't shift into his dragon form anymore.
Which is where our story begins.
Everyone's waiting for the other shoe to drop now that they're back in Dragon Ridge, but nothing. No peep from the capital, nothing from the Grand Master, and only Rosalie's belly getting bigger as her pregnancy advances.
You'd think all was well, especially as Lochlyn removes the piece of lead stuck in Devlin to release his phoenix powers, but no.
Word reaches them that the king, instead of, you know, punishing the people who actually caused chaos across his city (and set fire to his house ... cough, Lochlyn, COUGH), has sentenced his personal seer to death because she helped them.
Nobody ever said this king had one single functioning brain cell.
Our cast of characters decide welp, THAT can't happen, so Curran and Lochlyn head back to Serpens with Cervus, Lochlyn's spymaster, to try and free the seer, because, obviously. And since the Grand Master conveniently abandons them right as they reach the city, despite having promised his aid, their only other option - short of torching the place entirely - is to find the basilisk from book one and see if he might be game to help.
He is. After trying to eat Curran and Lochlyn, obviously.
But he seems to both know the city REALLY well, and knows the seer in question very well, so it's all a bonus for them while they launch their rescue mission, succeed, and then hunker down together at the inn which Cervus knows can be trusted - because the owner is his mate, Damala.
Not that they're acting on their bond, since apparently it snapped into place when they were very young, and Damala has since tried to suppress her shifting as best as possible because does and stags and the like get hunted a lot (don't worry, they figure everything out).
Just when things seem to be looking up, even with the king imposing martial law and curfew on the capital, since the residents are helping one another in secret, there's another blow: the baker who sold his goods to Lochlyn and Damala is taken prisoner.
Ergo, time to head back to the palace to save his hide, except this time Lochlyn is staying outside with Cervus, and Basilisk is going in with the seer and Damala to get said baker. This wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary - just another rescue mission in the book, honestly! - if not for the fact Damala gets accosted by the king while he's bathing, and Basilisk is like, nu-uh son, not on MY watch.
The more he says, the more you're like: who ARE you, you slithery, wine-drinking creature? And why does the ROYAL SEER know you??
At this point I'm convinced it's a long lost brother to the royal line, particularly because Caterina, while perusing the lineage, was adamant there IS no brother, there were only two sisters.
Anyway, the girls make it out (baker included), and then the lot of them almost get caught trying to flee, though the Grand Master apparently remembers he's got promises to keep and gets them out to safety. This means they can all return to Dragon Ridge, there's plenty of happy reunions (Cat and Curran need a special mention here, based on her unfortunate PTSD after all she's suffered), and the Grand Master comes calling.
The visit is very brief, doesn't go all that well since Arthus practically demands Lochlyn resurrect his daughter through dragon-fire, but of course the old man goes and nabs Devlin to threaten Rosalie, who trades herself for her brother.
If you're thinking this prompts a VERY angry return of a big ass dragon shifter, you're thinking right (and Curran makes an interesting observation earlier in the story that Lochlyn's current inability to shift may not be poison-related but psyche-related, his own form of PTSD after what happened). Arthus, knowing his feathery ass is cooked if Lochlyn gets him, flees for his life, and Rosalie is back in her husband's arms.
As for Basilisk?
Remember Rosalie's father, the idiot who hunted dragon skins, married the king's sister, and is generally a loathed person all around?
He and his brother did the unthinkable.
They nabbed the ACTUAL KING, STOLE HIS HUMAN FORM FROM HIM, leaving him permanently as a basilisk, and with a living dragon made Rosalie's uncle half-shifter, putting him on the throne as the king, pretending it's the same person. The seer was trying to protect the real ruler at the time and got the same wounds from manticore venom as a thank you, and she now can't see any visions about those who were affected by said poison.
And also, Rosalie's old man knows and controls the rift between this world and their OG one, where manticores still roam free, so that's where he gets his wealth from (and where ARTHUS gets manticore venom, while he's at it, SO HE'S TOTALLY IN ON EVERYTHING, the asshole).
My jaw was on the floor. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE ACTUAL FRAKKING KING IS THE BASILISK THAT'S BEEN RUNNING AROUND EVERYWHERE AND TRIED TO EAT OUR HEROES AT ONE POINT?!?
Everyone and their mother is like, this is insanity, he's really not the brother. But also, we're outnumbered and Arthus is a major pain in the arse, so we need someone who can counter him.
We need Aurielle, Curran's sister and Rosalie and Devlin's mother. An unmatched, unparalleled warrior with a proven history of going against the grain, and getting her way.
So that's decided, the resurrection WILL be happening, and Curran and Cat can now officially marry; Rosalie also mentions OH I've been corresponding with your aunt, Lochlyn, and she'd be more than happy to visit with Alexander.
Lochlyn blinks. Alexander who?
Rosalie's confused, because, isn't Alexander the aunt's husband?
Actually, Lochlyn says, one of my brothers was named Alexander.
...
BASILISK BURNING NEEDS TO GET HERE YESTERDAY!
Also, since this book was only JUST released, you guessed it: I read an ARC. Much love to the author, it was amazing. 5 out of 5 stars for THAT REVEAL ALONE. It's been a hot minute since I've had my jaw drop like that. And I've been reading for a while.
Lochlyn and Rosalie remain my favourites, and while I enjoy seeing into the heads of others, I feel Curran and Cat might have deserved their own book rather than simply be in this one as well solving their problems.
I do enjoy meeting more characters as the ever-expanding cast adds a lived-in note to Dragon Ridge.
The surprise guest star is a hoot, too! I love the comedic timing haha
The Order of the Sun's Grand Master and the King remain asses, and that's all.
With the plot thickening, and a sneak peek like THAT (not me side-eyeing the grinning idjit thinking WHERE THE F HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE LOCHLYN WAS A LITERAL CHILD AND WHY HAVE YOU LET HIM DO IT ALL ALONE?!) I can't wait for the third book.
Ms Provost continues a captivating story with the same wit and charm that begun it, but manages to add layer upon layer that sucks you further in the more you turn the page. It's gripping and a mystery that deepens, but will hopefully get SOME answers in book 3!
I know I'll be here for them.
Lochlyn and Rosalie remain my favourites, and while I enjoy seeing into the heads of others, I feel Curran and Cat might have deserved their own book rather than simply be in this one as well solving their problems.
I do enjoy meeting more characters as the ever-expanding cast adds a lived-in note to Dragon Ridge.
The surprise guest star is a hoot, too! I love the comedic timing haha
The Order of the Sun's Grand Master and the King remain asses, and that's all.
With the plot thickening, and a sneak peek like THAT (not me side-eyeing the grinning idjit thinking WHERE THE F HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE LOCHLYN WAS A LITERAL CHILD AND WHY HAVE YOU LET HIM DO IT ALL ALONE?!) I can't wait for the third book.
Ms Provost continues a captivating story with the same wit and charm that begun it, but manages to add layer upon layer that sucks you further in the more you turn the page. It's gripping and a mystery that deepens, but will hopefully get SOME answers in book 3!
I know I'll be here for them.
xx
*image not mine
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