ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

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Dragon Unleashed

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Happy Book Birthday to Grace Draven, DRAGON UNLEASHED is out today.

A dragon shapeshifter and a healer with power over the earth fight a corrupt empire in this thrilling and deeply emotional romantic fantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of Radiance.

Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it’s far more than what it seems.

Dragas haven’t been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They’re wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him–unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.

Unbeknownst to both, the Empire’s twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire’s machinations and his own lethal birthright.

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I have the first book in the series, PHOENIX UNBOUND, which I loved. I have this book too, which Grace graciously sent over before it was published and which I have not read, because I am the worst friend ever. EVER. We’ve been so busy and I can’t concentrate on anything at the end of the day. I’ve been reading Korean and Chinese webcomics. The OMG, she is a spy who pretends to be a man who pretends to be a butler is just about the limit of my brain power right now.

But my shortcomings should not reason for you to miss out on this book. As always, your mileage will vary, so read an excerpt first.

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Comments

  1. While I normally don’t like seeing spelling errors called out, there is a typo in the first line after Happy Book Birthday on Grace’s last name that you might want to fix…

  2. Oh I remember this series, going to go find my copy of Phoenix Unleashed before I start this!

    • I loved Phoenix & prepurchased Dragon. Saving for the weekend! Grace Draven is one of my favourite authors

    • I have read her Radiance, Eidolon books, and loved them. It has been a while and she slipped out of my mind. Thank you for reminding me! Good luck with the website, it puts me in mind of the Labours of Hercules! We greatly appreciate all the effort you put into extending your world beyond your books’ borders into the site. It is a treasured place for so many of us.

  3. Happy book birthday to Grace Draven!

    I have Phoenix Unleashed and loved it. I haven’t started reading Dragon Unbound. I have another book I’m reading before I decide which book to read next, this one or Alpha Night by Nalini Singh. It’s feast or famine with these books coming out at the same time. 🙂

    By the way I can’t wait to read the Ippos King (this is part of the Wraith Kings series). That one is going to be very interesting.

    • Lord I am SO into the Chinese and Korean webtoons, so great. Chang Ge Xing (Song of the Long March) by Xia Da is AMAZE BALLS. Actually all of her work is. Cheese in the Trap by Soonkki also good. Skip Beat by Yoshiki Nakamura probably my favourite shoujo manga ever on this planet, you will pry all 40+ volumes from my desiccated corpse. Raise was Tanin Ga Ii by Asuka Konishi, a yakuza love story, divine. *Cough* not to mention all the R18 stuff – 19 Days, On or Off, Walk on Water, S Flower, Painter of the Night, Killing Stalking, sigh.

      • Oh thank goodness for the current Skip Beat arc, though. So.Many.YEARS.To.Get.To.This. I see your little ghosts flying about guarding those books.

        I also enjoyed Solo Leveling from S. Korea which is quite different. Season 2 is confirmed but not sure exactly when it might release.

  4. The call out is the least a friend could do so donot beat yourself up to bad 🙂

    • I read that as donut and I was picturing Ilona hitting herself upside the head with a bear claw.

  6. Do you have a suggestion for a Chinese or Korean webcomic? If one wanted to try one?
    I started C- dramas because of you and am addicted now. Btw joy of life’s season two is almost confirmed ????

  7. I’ve read Grace Draven’s Wraith King’s series but haven’t read these yet. I may have to search them out.

      • I haven’t yet, I’ve been dissatisfied with my reading options lately, I’m looking for another series to fall in love with. Nothing compares to both the Hidden Legacy and Kate Daniels series for me but I really want something new to engage me just as much. I’ve tried Patricia Briggs (it was okay), I’ve tried Chloe Neill (*shrug*), the ones that comes close is the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh which I hold close to my heart as well and the Others series by Anne Bishop. These are my four reread series but I need another world to fall in love with and I’m not finding it. I did love the cradle series but I finished that too and the only book in that series that I can reread is Ghostwater. There’s no formula to what I love, just really good writing that I can get lost in. A book that’s stuck with me is Daisy Jones and the Six which was phenomenal and Circe which was also phenomenal in a different way. I’ve also read all the usual suspects; Jeaniene Frost, Cassandra Clare, Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, Karen Chance, Kelley Armstrong, Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Estep, Karen Marie Moning. I’ve read the classics too; Tolkien, Carroll, Stoker, Shelley . I haven’t read Seanan McGuire yet. I’ve tried all genres but I keep coming back to urban fantasy with low key romance (romance has to be secondary for me).

        • Here are a few series that might work –

          The Codex Alrea series by Jim Butcher .
          The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
          The Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire
          The Raine Barnes and SPI Files series by Lisa Shearin
          The Jane True series by Nicole Peeler

        • Try Arena (book 1) and Gauntlet (book 2) by Holly Jennings. Fair warning though the author has put the series into hiatus so we don’t know when book 3 will coming out. Though I do know that if you like Ilona’s style of action writing you’ll likely very much enjoy this new series.

        • You might try Eileen Wilks books of the Lupi. A series with lots of books and Great stories.

        • Hmm… I relate!
          There were some formative books that appealed to me that lead to my enjoyment of urban fantasy:
          Anne McCaffrey, Robin McKinley, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Elizabeth Moon, Lois McMaster Boujold… a lot of these have a science fiction or fantasy base, but the world building is what I especially enjoyed.
          Another author I have greatly enjoyed, although it’s far afield genre wise: Elizabeth Peters- she has the Peabody mysteries set in early 20th centry Egypt (think contemporary to the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb) with a hint of supernatural flair and the Vicky Bliss series which was written as contemporary in the late 70’s/early 80’s and has taken on a delightful nostalgic feel now. Vicky Bliss feels a bit like the female answer to James Bond- she tracks down jewlery thieves or missing artifacts with cleverness and a bit of flirting.
          I hope this helps! Happy reading! 😉

        • Hi, have a look at Keri Arthur, Shelly Laurenston – who also writes as G.A Aiken, and Thea Harrison. They all have some great series out.

        • Seanan McGuire has some really good story lines and also writes under another name as well, I think. Definitely worth the trouble.

  11. Chinese and Korean webcomics are my JAM! Oh my god they’re so good and sometimes so bad that they end up right back around to good. My favorites are the reincarnated heros, especially the one where their reincarnated father is a tyrant that they have to convince to love them but yet they still have time for a love triangle.

      • The one I was specifically talking about is Who Made Me a Princess. My other favorites (all romance) are:
        Lucia
        The Abandoned Empress
        Light and Shadow (although parts of it fill me with rage)
        I Belong to House Castielo
        Iris: The Lady and Her Smartphone
        The Villianess turns the Hourglass
        What It Takes To Be a Villianess
        The Reason Raeliana Ended Up At The Duke’s Mansion
        False Confession
        Dr Elise
        Daughter of the Emperor

        TappyToon has a ton and it feels like they get a new series every couple of days

      • do you use line webtoons Ilona? if so there’s one I think you might enjoy.

    • Recently I started reading “Lady Baby”. The draws are so good. I also recommend “Daughter of the Emperor”,
      “Peerless Alchemist”, “Shen Yi Di Nu”. As you said Queen with a scarpel is soo good. I’m so glad to find someone that loves Manga, manwha, Webtoons, etc, as much as I do ????

    • Also, for a more complicated trama, I recommend “Tower of God” is in the app of Web Toons, and is simply incredible.

      • Yes, Tower of God is soooo good! It’s very long and still ongoing, so there’s a lot there to binge read. The characters are also very complex, with their own motivations that are slowly revealed and make it difficult to label them as “good” or “bad”. The world building is interesting and the art style is lovely. I hope people give it a try!

  12. Thanks for letting us know! I’ve been waiting for it! I love her books, and I would never have found Grace Draven without you!

  13. Yaaaaas! Grace Draven!

    Also, now I have to go hunt down the webcomic because I am mildly curious.

  14. HELP
    Is Blood Heir the name of the ” Ryder” book? Having a mind fog day and a few of the posts never came as emails. I’ve been wondering when it would be announced. Then I
    went directly to Blog and saw several posts that never made it to my email box.
    The new website looks gorgeous! like you got a great professional to do it —
    Oh, wait — You are a Great Professional!!

  15. Hubby and I both loved the first one. I’m just trying to get through my workday so I can get started on Halani’s story!

  16. Yay! Happy Book Birthday to Grace ???? I have it and will be starting it tonight ????

  17. I actually read it and it’s good! Hope you’ll find the time and concentration to read it and enjoy it as well. 🙂

  18. I loved the first book so much, I preordered this one. I have less than 5 authors on preorder status.

  20. Where can we find this webcomic you are reading? I love manga, and I’ve been reading several. I’d love to be reading more.

  21. Thanks.
    I started a new series by an author I love… But I just can’t get into vampires as heroines…just don’t like vampires… I tried, because I love their other books… And they are an excellent story teller but vampires wig me out. (I bought them all, tho, because my kid LOVES vampires…just not sparkly vampires… He has a language processing disorder. Anything that keeps him reading is good.)

    So a new series with dragons… I can do dragons.

    • Oooooo What good Korean and Chinese web novels have you read? Please give some recommendations.

      These are the Chinese ones I’ve read and love:
      -Love Me Again (Yuan Yuan) – short rebirth love story. I like that the rebirth is kinda explained and not just something that randomly happens. It’s actually part of a series but this one is the best.
      -To Be A Virtuous Wife
      -Eight Treasures Trousseau (both by Butterfly’s Shadow Beneath the Moon/Yue Xia Die Ying) – they are transmirgration which is used to explain why the protagonist think differently from other women in ancient China. They are more of a political/harem type of story, not much on the romance
      -The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage (Qian Shan Cha Ke) – rebirth political revenge story with the rebirth explained. The protagonist shows growith from her previous life and actually make intelligent decisions
      -Insanely Pampered Wife: Divine Doctor Fifth Young Miss (扇骨木) – transmirgration xuanhuan long cultivation novel. The transmirgration is explained and has a cool back story. I enjoy the family and friends relationship compared to the back stabing petty drama in other novels. There are still canon fodders but the novel feels like a light fun ride.
      -The Good for Nothing Seventh Young Lady (North Night) – transmirgration western/chinese xuanhuan long cultivation novel that focuses more on empire building once the story moves past the academy arc.
      -Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss (North Night) – transmirgration xuanhuan long cultivation novel that’s a sequel/spinoff to the pervious novel. The attraction of this novel is how the protagonist solves the arcs are like a chess smack downs. It’s like watching a card game play out and you don’t know what other tricks she has up her sleeve
      Sinister Ex-Girlfriend (妹纸爱吃肉) – quick transmirgration novel. Still not finished reading. The quick transmirgration makes sense and they way it’s done in this novel is really cool and different from other quick transmirgration novels

  23. I have read, and loved, all of Grace’s books, since you recommended one of hers several years ago. She’s an auto-buy for me.

    I had this one on pre-order and am now trying to savour it. (Translation: Not stay up all night to finish it because I can’t put it down until I do!)

  24. As a huge manga and manhwa fan, I’m ashamed to say I only recently started really getting into webcomics. I’ve been devouring them for the past two months and right now I’m the middle of Lookism. It’s hilarious!
    Others I’m following are Lore Olympics, Midnight Poppyland, True Beauty, Freaking Romance, Mage and Demon Queen, Let’s Play, I love Yoo, Purple Hyacinth, My dear cold blooded king, and so many more 🙂 My tastes run a bit Shoujo/ rom coms for the most part!

  26. What webcomics have you been reading?? I use LINE Webtoons to read the English-translated (and Mandarin) ones, but the selection can be somewhat limited.

  27. Stayed up all night and read the book already. Loved it! Thank you so much for recommending Grace Draven years ago on your blog, because I would have never thought to read her books otherwise (she’s one of those authors Amazon’s algorithms were trying to force-feed me, and I am a rebellious sort who hates that)

  28. This book is beautifully written! Another masterpiece! I highly recommend! Also Dragons!!!! I’m brain dead right now so I can’t speak more eloquently about the awesomeness of Dragon Unleashed!

  29. Thank you, Ilona Andrews. I enjoy Grace Draven and it’s your Blogs fault I got hooked on her. Grin.
    My baby sister who only reads regency romances loved the Mia Vince “a wicked kind of husband” that you recommended awhile back. I sent her an ebook for her birthday from Amazon. (Evil me.) Grin. My other sister who preferentially reads vampire stories borrowed my dead tree edition to see what we found so hilarious. She bought an ebook copy. ROFLOL.

    Glad your pup was successfully deskunked. Presently reading Nalini Singh. But thanks for heads up.

  30. I’ve read most her books. I got my pre-order last night but gotta finish the new Mercedes Lackey first.

  32. I was blessed to proofread this one, and this book is AMAZING. I have been crying into my morning coffee waiting for it to come out just so I could gush everywhere about it.

    I loved Phoenix, too… but Dragon is better, imho.

    Please insert complimentary profanity here.

  33. Love you guys and Grace draven. Going to have to get this book.
    I’ve been reading web comics too!! So many good ones!!! Have you tried Noblesse on WEBTOON?

  34. Given current events perhaps, among other classics with similar themes, Grace Draven’s book “Radiance” should be required HS reading.

    • Absolutely! I have most of the “Pride” series books in trade paper and ebook (so I can find them when I want to reread them!). I am still working on the ebooks for the “Dragon Kin” books though.
      The new “Blacksmith Queen” series is fun so far.

  37. Fun!! Thanks for the heads up, I’ll go buy it 😀
    It was also a book birthday for TA White! Her latest (and possibly last) Aileen book came out yesterday.

    • I love TA White, too. She has several wonderful series: Aileen Travers, Firebird Chronicles, Dragon-Ridden and Pathfinder’s Way.

      And BR Kingsolver recently released Book 5 of her Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill series.

  38. I have been anxiously awaiting this book. Now, my last day at work is tomorrow (took a package and early retirement), we go to a cabin in the mountains next week for some R&R, and I’m going to just relax and enjoy this book, along with KF Breene’s latest/last in her great Demigod series. Ahhhhh.

  40. Thank you for introducing us to Grace Draven. I look forward to reading more of her books.

  41. Thank you for introducing Grace Draven. After reading the first one I have downloaded all of her releases. Much appreciated…

  42. Grace writes beautifully and I can’t wait to read this latest book. The beautiful cover art is frameable.

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