Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Dragons Saga: Legend of the Oceina Dragon - J.F. Jenkins - Blog Tour Review

Darien Oceina is the youngest son of the Great Dragon Lord of the Water. For years he's loved and cherished Tai Dawson from afar. Tai is a simple, ordinary girl who doesn't even know Darien exists. On his eighteenth birthday, he chooses her as his wife. But there’s one problem: She thinks his choice means she's going to be offered as a sacrifice to the Dragon Lord, but instead, she’s forced to move to his home, far away, to give up her life and be his bride.

When she first sees Darien after the ceremony, she doesn’t expect to feel anything but hatred toward him. The two are struggling with the complications of a new marriage when their nation is attacked by a rival dragon species. Together they learn to love one another while they struggle to stay one step ahead in a game where the prize is their survival.
Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: The Dragons Saga: Legend of the Oceina Dragon
Author: J.F. Jenkins
Genre: Young Adult, Dragons, Paranormal, Fantasy
Publisher: Astraea Press
Publication Date: February 21, 2011
Format: E-book
Source: Received from author courtesy of the Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to J.F. Jenkins and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 
Blog Tour: Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner located below the review. 
Look for it: Amazon
My rating: 3.5/5

Darien and Tai are from two different worlds. Darien is a dragon, and Tai, well, she's going to be the latest sacrifice to the Dragon Lord. Tai accepts her duty with dignity, however she wishes she had time to live life a little before the sacrifice. Darien's looking at the sacrifice as his dream come true, because he will be wedded to the one woman he believes is the one. With such different outlooks, friction sets in immediately, however something larger is at play, and Darien and Tai will have to figure out their relationship as they defend themselves from a rival dragon clan. 
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, but found things were a little rushed between Darien and Tai. They do certain things for all the wrong reasons, though in hindsight, they realize their mistakes and begin to work toward figuring out their new destiny, at each other's side. Darien is a lovable guy, and he is completely head over heels, dedicated to Tai. She doesn't realize or believe that, and she in turn is a headstrong stubborn individual. When they interact, fireworks erupt. 
Though the middle seemed to have less plot movement and tension, once we get into the meat of the story, it picks back up and catapults the reader headlong with Darien and Tai as they discover and explore their feelings for each other. With the added threat from the rival dragon clan, tension is kept high as the book comes to a close. It is left open-ended with trouble brewing on the horizon, as Darien learns more about his role in the upcoming battle. 
All in all, a riveting read, that will keep readers entertained. Dragons abound, and learning about the different clans was interesting. Seeing how Darien and Tai interact was fascinating as well. Though the middle is set at a sower pace, the ending makes up for it completely. With an open-ending, readers will be left wanting to know what is going to happen next. I certainly want to know more. 

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