Up In Smoke (Silver Dragons #2) - Katie MacAlister

Title: Up In Smoke (Silver Dragons #2)
Author: Katie MacAlister
Published: 2008
Format read: Print copy borrowed from library


From Goodreads:
Though May Northcott’s heart belongs to Gabriel, leader of the silver dragons, being stuck in Abaddon has significantly cooled down her love life. Especially since a demon lord is trying to woo her. Looks like May will have to barter to gain her freedom and fulfill her destiny by Gabriel’s side...

“Carrie Fay always says that nothing is really horrible unless it eats away your face.” Sally said with sublime disregard.

That line made me laugh out loud.  Seriously, its hilarious.  And well, it’s true too!

I loved this book.  This may very well be my newest favorite trilogy.  I want to read the last book more than any other book I have right now.  And I will have to soon, cause they are due back to the library on the 24^th! On the other hand, I’m really sad that its almost over.  Sure, there’s the Aisling Grey series, and the start of the Light Dragon series, but I want more Silver Dragons.

  

Why?  Gabriel.  Woooooohooooo, that dragon could give me his fire any time he wanted.  Ok, so after the first book I claimed that I got more of a Bruno Campos vibe from Gabriel.  Not anymore.  I still don’t know if I can picture him just like the author describes, but I am just about there.   I can picture this guy moving through the room.  Quiet.  Calm.  Deadly.  And he loves May Northcott more than anything in this whole universe.  And boy oh boy oh boy, it is a hot hot love that they have. 

This book takes place right after the first.  We find May in Abaddon, basically getting all prettied up for a whole lotta nothing in her mind.  Magoth, by the way, I am certain is Rudolph Valentino. I may be wrong, but Katie MacAlister keeps saying how he was a dark, brooding, sexy silent film star.  I would place my money on Valentino!  Ok, back to the book.  May is getting a mud mask from Sally, who has designs on becoming a demon lord herself.  You want to hate her, you kind of like her, she’s funny.  She reminds me of Paulette in Legally Blonde.  Up in your face, seemingly naïve…but you know there is more there.  This woman has layers, even if she isn’t a top character in the book.  She has enough personality to have a spin off!  Then May disappears!!  Ok, she doesn’t actually.  But she does get summoned up to see Gabriel, Aisling, and the group.  There’s a plan to get her out of Abaddon.  Annnnnd it involves her becoming Magoth’s consort.

But whatever works, works.  I don’t care, as long as she gets out and gets closer to Gabriel.   And through a series of events, the dragon shard from the phylactery lands itself right inside of May!!  Suddenly she is shifting during sex into a dragon, she is moody, she is flying off the handle.  I loved it!!! She doesn’t, however.  She’s worried about becoming a dragon permanently.  So of course there is a plan to get her out of that situation.

That’s what I love about this trilogy.  There’s a main storyline, and all kinds of shenanigans along the way.  Cyrene gets into trouble, of course.  Kostya is around.  We meet some new dragons.  Its mayhem! There is no way you could get bored reading this series.  Katie MacAlister definitely does a good job of keeping you on your toes.

There’s a lot of action in this book.  Fighting action, plotting action, battle action, sexy as hell on fire action.  I couldn’t read it fast enough.  I love the absolute unfaltering devotion of May and Gabriel.  If I gave stars on my reviews, this book would get all 5 :)




UPDATE:
Ok, I've got it.  I know who I picture Gabriel as:  Jason Momoa!!   I wish I had some quotes on hand so that I could do a "My Book Boyfriend" but maybe next week.  In the meantime, check out these pics!

Playing With Fire - Katie MacAlister

Title: Playing With Fire (Silver Dragons #1)
Author: Katie MacAlister

Published: 2008

Format: Print copy, borrowed from library.

From Goodreads:
Gabriel Tauhou, wyvern of the silver dragons, has found the one woman who can withstand his fire. Too bad May Northcott is already bound to a demon lord. But when the demon orders May to steal one of Gabriel’s treasures:An immensely important relic of all dragonkin— Gabriel has to decide which to protect: his love or his dragons.


First Chapter Impression?
First off, this book sounds interesting.  Twins, and one is a naiad.  I had to look this up: its basically an elemental being, a water nymph according to one dictionary I looked at.  This is described later, but I just didn't know in the beginning. In this case, her name is Cyrene.  The other twin, May, is a cat burglar - and not a naiad.  She seems very street smart.  Cyrene - not so much.  Cyrene seems like a bubbly valley girl.  Interesting to see they are immortal. 


More thoughts?  At first, Magoth seems kind of sexy.  I wonder if he is actually an evil demonlord, or just downright misunderstood?


Moving on...


Gabriel, he is the wyvern (another term I had to look up - two legged dragon with wings) of the Silver Dragons Sept.  He is described as having a goatee and dreadlocks, and very sexy with a silky voice.  However, I can't help but picture him as Bruno Campos for some reason.  I think this is cause of the vampire in Twilight with the dreads.  I don't know, its my own wierd association.  But the author's description is wonderful, you instantly get the impression that he looks like the human version of a dragon.


Ok, so that's all in the beginning of the book, my first impressions.  Wrongo!!!!!!  Some stuff I was dead on with, like Cyrene being kind of bubbly and not so much street smart.  As it turns out, May is a doppelganger created from the image of Cyrene.  Cyrene gave up a personality trait to create her - common sense.  This is clearly evident right off the bat!


As I've stated time and again, I don't like to give up spoilers.  Even if you try not to read them, inevitably you do.  Some people like the surprise.  


May gets herself into a bit of trouble, and while trying to get out of it, she and her twin meet a group of dragons (enter Aisling Grey).  I haven't read the Aisling Grey series (YET!!!) so this was my first introduction to Katie MacAlister's dragons, guardians, demons and mages...


I had just finished reading book #1 of the Dark Ones series from the same author, and I thought this may follow the same formula. This is definitely not the case! This book makes me say "Screw vampires, I want a dragon!!!"  And this is coming from a girl who has spent nearly $500 in the past to put together the perfect vampire costume. My only wish is that I had realized that it would be tied in with Aisling Grey, and I could have read that series first.  Minor thing to deal with.


Later on, after its discovered that May is in fact supposed to be Gabriel's mate, and he explains the importance of mating after May tells him she is bound to the demonlord, Magoth... well ladies, he is an alpha among alphas.  An absolutely wonderful quote to show his immediate devotion, "His eyes promised so much. 'I will move the heavens and earth if you so desire.'"  How freaking wonderful is that?!?!  It's pretty wonderful!   And then when this doppelganger and this Silver Dragon commence with the nakedness.... let's just say they are definitely going to need to invest in fire extinguishers!  The lovin' scenes were very hot without being overly graphic.  If you are after a novel that overuses all the sexual words, this isn't it.  But you definitely feel like you are right there in the moment.  But more important than the sex, you really feel Gabriel's devotion, and you are just waiting for them to profess their undieing forever and ever love for each other. 


Then we come to the trouble in the book, the issue we have to overcome for our heroes to be together.  I really don't know what to say without giving away too much... Watch who you trust, trust those you don't know if you can, keep an eye on your group at all times, and believe in....everything :)


All in all, I really enjoyed this book.  I read through it like it was on fire, no pun intended! And I am so glad it is not 2008 (when it was published) so I don't have to wait for #2.  I just have to find it!  There is a cliffhanger, as with all books in a series and as soon as I publish this review I am going to look up where I can get #2, Up In Smoke


Oh, and on a side note, I'm also on a hunt now to look up fan art on the Silver Dragon's emblem.  Definitely a fan of fan art here :)


Oh, and one last thing.  A great song for this book? Evanescence, Bring Me to Life