Review: Find out what are advantages of being a dragon-shifter ...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 3, 2014
Mention of fire in the title of Going Down in Flames got my dragon detection sense tingling. Reading the summary confirmed my hunch – there will be dragons in this book. In fact heroine Bryn is a dragon-shifter. Urban fantasy with dragons? You know I had to read it!Going Down in Flames start with an usual young adult novel plot: Bryn is stalked by some creepy (but handsome) guy and then she discovers that she is special and has hidden powers. I must admit, I was a little bit turned down in the beginning because it all sounded familiar. But soon I forgot to complain about the cliches because I got immersed into the interesting world of dragon-shifters.Being a dragon-shifter has a lot of advantages:- Eating as much as you want and not gaining weight. “Bryn burned through her stress, literally.”- Shooting fireballs at everyone who annoys you.- Flying!- Going to elite boarding school.- All of your new friends are dragons.BUT, there are downsides too:"Acid surged from her stomach and shot up her throat, burning her esophagus. Pressure built in her chest. She coughed. Her lungs constricted. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak. Flames exploded out of her mouth and shot across the room, setting the kitchen curtains on fire."Blowing fire does not sound like a pleasant experience. More like a bad case of heartburn.Chris Cannon invented a world of modern dragons that is intriguing and very complex. Dragon-shifters have different powers based on their color, are divided in clans and have strict rules for everything (even dating and marriage). And since our heroine is new to the dragon world, we get to be acquainted with it along with her. I know it’s a cliche, but this is still one of the best ways to do world-building. Something new appears and Bryn and you will exclaim together: “Wow, what’s that?”Another aspect of Going Down in Flames I liked is Bryn’s friendship with Clint and Ivy. Clint was especially funny and full of puns. It reminded me of my high school buddies, friendly teasing and adventures we had together. Happy times! *sigh*One big flaw of Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon that I must point out is that it’s not a standalone novel. I’m guessing it’s a first book in a series, because it ends in a big cliffhanger. I wish there was an info about this on cover or book title page, I would have been a little bit less surprised.IN THE ENDIf you like young adult urban fantasy novels set in boarding school with dragons then you should check out Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon. It’s fun and easy to read – perfect for the summer. There might be a couple of usual cliches in the plot and heroine is sometimes too hot-tempered to think rationally, but it’s still quick and entertaining read.Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via blog tour in exchange for a honest review.