Review: enjoyed
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 4, 2013
~Reviewed by ANN & posted at Under the Covers Book BlogMuch of what I enjoyed about this series is still very much present in this book. But after seven books, I'm looking for something different and new. ~ Under the CoversKEEPER OF THE FLAME is book 7 in the Dragon Knights series. I have been enjoying this series quite a bit. There's a lot that D'Arc infuses into this series that takes dragons onto a whole other level. The worldbuilding is unique and executed well and the writing is always stellar. However, for this particular book, I find myself conflicted.I'm torn on this book. The reasons why I loved the other books in the series are the same reasons why I didn't enjoy this book so much. I felt that the same equation was applied to this book as the author has done with all the others and the results are the same. This book felt too similar in style to the others in the series that nothing felt new to me as a loyal reader. That being said, I found that I got tired of this one easily.That is not to say that the author tried to bring something different to the series. For example, the heroine is a Flame Keeper, the first we've seen in the series. The gryphon is introduced and while I was initially intrigued by this concept, I found that the integration of this species seemed translucent and not fully formed. The author wanted or perhaps needed something unique to the story, so she added gryphons but it didn't resonate with me because it's become such a trend in the series. Whenever there is a rare species or a rare ability, either the hero or heroine has the ability or stems from that unknown species. As a result, it has become predictable and no longer new and entertaining after seven books.The same goes for the romance. It's a textbook romance and while I was very pleased with the way the author was able to integrate threesomes in the series, the romances have been merely mediocre as of late.So you can see why I'm a little conflicted. Much of what I enjoyed about this series is still very much present in this book. But after seven books, I'm looking for something different and new. The predictable plot lines and textbook romances aren't doing it for me anymore and I need something new and fresh to take away from it all.*ARC provided by publisher