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Dragon Singer Chronicles #2
Stormdance
Peace is a prize hard won, and for the Dragon Singer, the fight has only just begun.
The dragons have answered Alísa’s call. Now, in order to unite the races and end the war, she must find slayers willing to do the same. But humanity’s long-engrained fear and hatred of dragonkind are far louder than any argument she possesses, and when a rival dragon clan encroaches on Me’ran it’s all she can do to keep the people from calling the largest slayer clan in the east to eradicate all draconic presence.
Leading dragons is one thing—leading humans is another. With the voices and fears of her past rising up against her, Alísa wonders how she ever thought she could be the one to unite the races. As storms within and without threaten to drown all she holds dear, Alísa must decide—run for cover to protect herself and her dragons, or stay in the only place she has a chance to bring peace. But how can she make peace between humans and dragons when she can’t even make peace with herself?
The dragons have answered Alísa’s call. Now, in order to unite the races and end the war, she must find slayers willing to do the same. But humanity’s long-engrained fear and hatred of dragonkind are far louder than any argument she possesses, and when a rival dragon clan encroaches on Me’ran it’s all she can do to keep the people from calling the largest slayer clan in the east to eradicate all draconic presence.
Leading dragons is one thing—leading humans is another. With the voices and fears of her past rising up against her, Alísa wonders how she ever thought she could be the one to unite the races. As storms within and without threaten to drown all she holds dear, Alísa must decide—run for cover to protect herself and her dragons, or stay in the only place she has a chance to bring peace. But how can she make peace between humans and dragons when she can’t even make peace with herself?
536 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2023
4 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Michelle M. Bruhn
4 books60 followersMichelle M. Bruhn is a young adult fantasy author whose stories focus on outcasts, hard questions, and hope. She is passionate about seeing through others’ eyes and helping others to do the same, especially through characters with diverse life experiences. She spends the rest of her free time making and listening to music, walking, reading, and snuggling with her cats.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 1, 2023
Rating: 5/5 Stars
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The wait was totally worth it! Where do I even start?
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I didn’t know it was possible to love these characters more, but here we are. This book has made it absolutely impossible to pick a favorite character. I already couldn’t decide between Alisa, Falier, Sesina, and Graydonn. Saynan and Selene really grew on me in this book, I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book! Also, one of the new characters, Rassim, was an instant attachment. I don’t know what that says about me, given the circumstances in which he’s introduced but here we are.
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There were several parts of this that made me laugh, I absolutely live for banter. Sesina has a few one-liners that I definitely marked to come back and enjoy all over again later.
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This is such a solid sequel. It builds on everything in the previous book and leaves you wanting more. Alisa continues with her struggles with confidence and I loved watching her learn to overcome doubts and fears. The themes were woven into the story so well that I felt called out a couple of times.
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Want clean, soft romance? Look no further! The two romantic subplots were adorable, and though Alisa and Falier are my favorite couple, Selene and Taz aren’t far behind.
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I wasn’t sure what to think of the POV character for the Epilogue at first (no spoilers here), but I’m glad that character got a last-minute moment of redemption. I want this review to be spoiler-free so I’ll have to leave it at that.
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Basically, all this to say, this book has pretty much everything you could want in a high-fantasy story with dragons and Celtic vibes! If you grew up loving the “How to Train Your Dragon” movies, “Eragon”, or “Dragon Slippers”, then this series is definitely for you!
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I can’t wait for the next book!
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**I received an ARC copy from the Author as part of her Street Team. All opinions above are my own and were in no way influenced by this.
.
The wait was totally worth it! Where do I even start?
.
I didn’t know it was possible to love these characters more, but here we are. This book has made it absolutely impossible to pick a favorite character. I already couldn’t decide between Alisa, Falier, Sesina, and Graydonn. Saynan and Selene really grew on me in this book, I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book! Also, one of the new characters, Rassim, was an instant attachment. I don’t know what that says about me, given the circumstances in which he’s introduced but here we are.
.
There were several parts of this that made me laugh, I absolutely live for banter. Sesina has a few one-liners that I definitely marked to come back and enjoy all over again later.
.
This is such a solid sequel. It builds on everything in the previous book and leaves you wanting more. Alisa continues with her struggles with confidence and I loved watching her learn to overcome doubts and fears. The themes were woven into the story so well that I felt called out a couple of times.
.
Want clean, soft romance? Look no further! The two romantic subplots were adorable, and though Alisa and Falier are my favorite couple, Selene and Taz aren’t far behind.
.
I wasn’t sure what to think of the POV character for the Epilogue at first (no spoilers here), but I’m glad that character got a last-minute moment of redemption. I want this review to be spoiler-free so I’ll have to leave it at that.
.
Basically, all this to say, this book has pretty much everything you could want in a high-fantasy story with dragons and Celtic vibes! If you grew up loving the “How to Train Your Dragon” movies, “Eragon”, or “Dragon Slippers”, then this series is definitely for you!
.
I can’t wait for the next book!
.
**I received an ARC copy from the Author as part of her Street Team. All opinions above are my own and were in no way influenced by this.
July 29, 2023
*4.5 stars
I loved every minute I've spent in this world, this being the second book in this self-pub dragon fantasy series, and I eagerly await the third!!! It's a slow-moving and immersive experience, but the arc that Alisa goes through is believable and realistic as a result, especially as she (and the story) never becomes about just fighting her antagonists - it's all about her striving for peace between dragonkind and humanity, and the author pulls it off because it's NOT easy, and not possible to do without bloodshed. The book is full of Alisa's try/fail cycles, so that the conclusion feels earned, and Alisa's character development feels believable. She doesn't change who she essentially is but becomes stronger and grows in confidence.
And that epilogue! I had wondered whether enough had been set up to warrant the continuation of the series without it being in danger of becoming repetitive, but, how could I have forgotten I am so excited and will be waiting on tenterhooks for publication of the next book.
I also loved all the relationships in the book, between both the humans and the dragons, and the romance(s) are so wholesome and adorable. I will say though that I winced every time the word 'pursuer' was used to describe when a man in this world is courting a woman, the word sounds too aggressive and creepy for how it actually plays out.
And this brings me to the one downside for me personally of this series - the society is very heteronormative, chaste, patriarchal. There's no hint of a notion of 'sin' or judgement or religious (or otherwise) reasons for it all being that way though - it seems to be the way it is 'just because', (). I tolerate it because I don't like sexual content and often struggle with romance in books, so other than this niggle, the way romance is written here (and the fact it is not at all central to the story) is totally to my liking.
It is also a bit of a confusing society in terms of gender roles, or perhaps I just haven't fully got to grips with it. It is clearly a kind of patriarchal society, but also kind of not, because there are also female Chiefs?? Or one at least. And other women with powers of other kinds, like the Dragon Singers . But, all the slayers otherwise seem to be men, some of whom have wives and children (and there's more than one mention about 'protecting' their wives and children) - and yet, at one point there's talk of how one particular chief will not allow his slayers to marry anyone who isn't a slayer (whereas his successor is much more liberal than that) - but but but, there are no female slayers that I am aware of?! Only the wives of slayers (and that one female chief), some of whom "are able to wield a weapon" if necessary. Perhaps the children who grow up in slayer clans become either a slayer (if male) or a slayer's wife? (I think that's how I understood Alisa's upbringing - but instead of course, she becomes a . Unless I've grossly misunderstood or misremembered something. So that has admittedly confused me.
On the plus side , setting aside the notion of 'pursuer', do buck the notion that the men should be 'protectors' of their wives, in the sense that I love them together.
That all said, I always find it easier to write about my criticisms of a book than what I loved, and the downsides mentioned above are a very minor aspect - I love this series and its characters, to the point where I was just happy to hang out even during the quieter chapters when not much was happening, and I can't wait for book 3.
I loved every minute I've spent in this world, this being the second book in this self-pub dragon fantasy series, and I eagerly await the third!!! It's a slow-moving and immersive experience, but the arc that Alisa goes through is believable and realistic as a result, especially as she (and the story) never becomes about just fighting her antagonists - it's all about her striving for peace between dragonkind and humanity, and the author pulls it off because it's NOT easy, and not possible to do without bloodshed. The book is full of Alisa's try/fail cycles, so that the conclusion feels earned, and Alisa's character development feels believable. She doesn't change who she essentially is but becomes stronger and grows in confidence.
And that epilogue! I had wondered whether enough had been set up to warrant the continuation of the series without it being in danger of becoming repetitive, but, how could I have forgotten I am so excited and will be waiting on tenterhooks for publication of the next book.
I also loved all the relationships in the book, between both the humans and the dragons, and the romance(s) are so wholesome and adorable. I will say though that I winced every time the word 'pursuer' was used to describe when a man in this world is courting a woman, the word sounds too aggressive and creepy for how it actually plays out.
And this brings me to the one downside for me personally of this series - the society is very heteronormative, chaste, patriarchal. There's no hint of a notion of 'sin' or judgement or religious (or otherwise) reasons for it all being that way though - it seems to be the way it is 'just because', (). I tolerate it because I don't like sexual content and often struggle with romance in books, so other than this niggle, the way romance is written here (and the fact it is not at all central to the story) is totally to my liking.
It is also a bit of a confusing society in terms of gender roles, or perhaps I just haven't fully got to grips with it. It is clearly a kind of patriarchal society, but also kind of not, because there are also female Chiefs?? Or one at least. And other women with powers of other kinds, like the Dragon Singers . But, all the slayers otherwise seem to be men, some of whom have wives and children (and there's more than one mention about 'protecting' their wives and children) - and yet, at one point there's talk of how one particular chief will not allow his slayers to marry anyone who isn't a slayer (whereas his successor is much more liberal than that) - but but but, there are no female slayers that I am aware of?! Only the wives of slayers (and that one female chief), some of whom "are able to wield a weapon" if necessary. Perhaps the children who grow up in slayer clans become either a slayer (if male) or a slayer's wife? (I think that's how I understood Alisa's upbringing - but instead of course, she becomes a . Unless I've grossly misunderstood or misremembered something. So that has admittedly confused me.
On the plus side , setting aside the notion of 'pursuer', do buck the notion that the men should be 'protectors' of their wives, in the sense that I love them together.
That all said, I always find it easier to write about my criticisms of a book than what I loved, and the downsides mentioned above are a very minor aspect - I love this series and its characters, to the point where I was just happy to hang out even during the quieter chapters when not much was happening, and I can't wait for book 3.
March 6, 2023
Like the first book, this one is another masterpiece! I laughed so many times!!!!! nearly (?;) cried and I am still totally enchanted with the world, the story, the people, dragons and dreki,... ❤️❤️❤️
The story continues right where the first book ends and while Songflight was more like 'finding who I am and where I belong' Stormdance is all about the characters growing into their roles.
The story development is well thought through and every action and reaction is perfectly understandable and relatable.
I love Alisas and Faliers relationship, I love that it's not a relationship-drama❤️
We get a dragon POV, which I think is especially precious. And I couldn't get enough about every dragon-human relationship (seriously, I can't get enough! ;)!
The ending left me so unbearable curious about the third book, and because of it I hope/think that the focus will be more on the (direct) relationship between the humans/dragons/dreki and the Maker.
I can't find the words to describe, how great the book is. So just go and read it! ❤️❤️❤️
(and then tell me, how to find my way back to reality and cope with it again🙈)
The story continues right where the first book ends and while Songflight was more like 'finding who I am and where I belong' Stormdance is all about the characters growing into their roles.
The story development is well thought through and every action and reaction is perfectly understandable and relatable.
I love Alisas and Faliers relationship, I love that it's not a relationship-drama❤️
We get a dragon POV, which I think is especially precious. And I couldn't get enough about every dragon-human relationship (seriously, I can't get enough! ;)!
The ending left me so unbearable curious about the third book, and because of it I hope/think that the focus will be more on the (direct) relationship between the humans/dragons/dreki and the Maker.
I can't find the words to describe, how great the book is. So just go and read it! ❤️❤️❤️
(and then tell me, how to find my way back to reality and cope with it again🙈)
April 12, 2023
Fantastic, beautiful, wild, and gentle. I love this series and can't say enough good things about it. There are dragons, lots of action, and the characters grow with the story. The character development is excellent and spot on! Plus, Alisa and Falier are so sweet together. The My favorite was the baby dragons of course! Darling!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
read-multiple-times
May 26, 2023This is the second book in the Dragon Singer Chronicles. It's also mine, so I'm not giving it a star rating, because I'm juuuust a little biased. If you like dragons with personality, found family, a fight for peace, disability & differing ability representation, sweet romance, music as magic, and lots of heart, consider picking it up! (Well, consider first picking up Songflight if you haven't already. You'll be less confused that way 😉 🎶 ⛈ 🐉)
You can read the first four chapters for free and/or get a signed paperback
You can read the first four chapters for free and/or get a signed paperback
February 28, 2023
One of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint!
High-stakes and great character development bring all the feels as Alisa struggles to heal and lead amidst fierce opposition.
Also featuring dragon tea parties, a Slayer I desperately want to punch in the face, and adorkable flirting.
High-stakes and great character development bring all the feels as Alisa struggles to heal and lead amidst fierce opposition.
Also featuring dragon tea parties, a Slayer I desperately want to punch in the face, and adorkable flirting.
February 22, 2023
Content warnings for a couple instances of death, injury, and war violence.
As I'm sure you all know by now, I love these books!
This series is full of compassion, heart, found family, empathy, friendships, dragons, telepathy, action and adventure, and so much more.
In this second book of the series, we delve further into the fray of trying to end the war between humans and dragons. Alísa's clan has grown larger, stronger, and more connected. We get to see Karn again and more often, and some new hatchlings come into the world.
I was actually a beta reader for this second book, and honestly too happy to read it again in preparation for its release on February 28th, 2023!
As I'm sure you all know by now, I love these books!
This series is full of compassion, heart, found family, empathy, friendships, dragons, telepathy, action and adventure, and so much more.
In this second book of the series, we delve further into the fray of trying to end the war between humans and dragons. Alísa's clan has grown larger, stronger, and more connected. We get to see Karn again and more often, and some new hatchlings come into the world.
I was actually a beta reader for this second book, and honestly too happy to read it again in preparation for its release on February 28th, 2023!
March 19, 2023
The stakes are higher than ever as Alisa and Falier seek to end the war between dragons and humans...
In this spectacular sequel, Bruhn weaves together a story that had me up way past my bedtime and finishing in a few days. Alisa's character development is especially touching in this book, as she slowly gains confidence in her new role as the alpha of the dragon-human clan. Falier also develops, discovering his purpose as a "slayer" in Alisa's new clan. And the conflict in this book! I've never seen a book that does such a great job of showing how prejudice affects both sides of an argument, how hatred divides, and how some people will never listen, no matter what you do. And overall, it shows how sometimes, people will only believe you by your actions. All of this is done with a well-developed fantasy setting with clearly defined races and groups of people. There's also a faith element, too, though it is more like a Catholic idea of saints than Protestant. However, I really liked how it was portrayed and developed. This faith portion, for those who aren't Christians, isn't really noticeable. But for those who are, it is encouraging and a beautiful part of the story.
Overall, a fantastic fantasy book with dragons, singing, and a well-developed world.
In this spectacular sequel, Bruhn weaves together a story that had me up way past my bedtime and finishing in a few days. Alisa's character development is especially touching in this book, as she slowly gains confidence in her new role as the alpha of the dragon-human clan. Falier also develops, discovering his purpose as a "slayer" in Alisa's new clan. And the conflict in this book! I've never seen a book that does such a great job of showing how prejudice affects both sides of an argument, how hatred divides, and how some people will never listen, no matter what you do. And overall, it shows how sometimes, people will only believe you by your actions. All of this is done with a well-developed fantasy setting with clearly defined races and groups of people. There's also a faith element, too, though it is more like a Catholic idea of saints than Protestant. However, I really liked how it was portrayed and developed. This faith portion, for those who aren't Christians, isn't really noticeable. But for those who are, it is encouraging and a beautiful part of the story.
Overall, a fantastic fantasy book with dragons, singing, and a well-developed world.
May 25, 2023
Things I liked:
-Getting to know the dragons in Alisa's clan better and watching them learn
-How Alísa grows into her own kind of leader and embraces what makes her unique from others
-The romance didn't take center stage
-Plenty of action
-Sesina's humor--she's my favorite character! :)
-Seeing all of Alísa's hard work paying off. Bruhn did an excellent job balancing the slayers, dragons, and 'normals' in the story, their reactions, and relationships to each other. I can't imagine juggling all these characters and cultures!
-Baby dragons! Nothing else needs to be said about this.
-The world building was consistent, and there were a few more layers added, like the Nameless' followers and cultural details.
-Glossary of names: this came in VERY handy! More on this below.
Things I Didn't Like:
-SO MANY NAMES. The table of contents came in really handy to keep track of them all, but it seemed like Bruhn relied on this guide a little too much. She could have slipped in a few helpful reminders within the story to remind the reader of the characters' relationships to each other without being too blatant.
-A few things could have been clarified a little more. One character, Taz, shows up almost out of the blue, and I couldn't remember who he was, where he'd been, why he was suddenly there, and the relationship he had with the main characters. It took too long before I grasped it, and a little more explanation would have cleared up the unnecessary confusion. (These details didn't happen to be in the table of contents).
-The theme of the storm/dance wasn't as prolific as I expected. It was brought up once, and then again at the end. It would have been nice to see that show up a bit more.
-Kallar's character arc fell a bit flat for me. The surprise about him seemed a bit too unbelievable, and I don't remember any hints along the way. Also, I know that Alísa had a lot going on at the end of the book, but she didn't seem to process the implications of this surprise very long. I expected her to be more worried that Kallar would get in her way, supplant her, or undo all her hard work. She just takes it all pretty much in stride, which was odd to me.
I really enjoyed Stormdance, almost as much as Songflight, and there are so many things that Bruhn did well--too many to list here. I can't wait to read the last book in the series next year!
-Getting to know the dragons in Alisa's clan better and watching them learn
-How Alísa grows into her own kind of leader and embraces what makes her unique from others
-The romance didn't take center stage
-Plenty of action
-Sesina's humor--she's my favorite character! :)
-Seeing all of Alísa's hard work paying off. Bruhn did an excellent job balancing the slayers, dragons, and 'normals' in the story, their reactions, and relationships to each other. I can't imagine juggling all these characters and cultures!
-Baby dragons! Nothing else needs to be said about this.
-The world building was consistent, and there were a few more layers added, like the Nameless' followers and cultural details.
-Glossary of names: this came in VERY handy! More on this below.
Things I Didn't Like:
-SO MANY NAMES. The table of contents came in really handy to keep track of them all, but it seemed like Bruhn relied on this guide a little too much. She could have slipped in a few helpful reminders within the story to remind the reader of the characters' relationships to each other without being too blatant.
-A few things could have been clarified a little more. One character, Taz, shows up almost out of the blue, and I couldn't remember who he was, where he'd been, why he was suddenly there, and the relationship he had with the main characters. It took too long before I grasped it, and a little more explanation would have cleared up the unnecessary confusion. (These details didn't happen to be in the table of contents).
-The theme of the storm/dance wasn't as prolific as I expected. It was brought up once, and then again at the end. It would have been nice to see that show up a bit more.
-Kallar's character arc fell a bit flat for me. The surprise about him seemed a bit too unbelievable, and I don't remember any hints along the way. Also, I know that Alísa had a lot going on at the end of the book, but she didn't seem to process the implications of this surprise very long. I expected her to be more worried that Kallar would get in her way, supplant her, or undo all her hard work. She just takes it all pretty much in stride, which was odd to me.
I really enjoyed Stormdance, almost as much as Songflight, and there are so many things that Bruhn did well--too many to list here. I can't wait to read the last book in the series next year!
March 1, 2023
Dragons and courage and so much heart.
This is a beautiful, wonderful book with lots of dragons (and some snark), great disability rep, and a heroine learning to be brave and bring peace to their clans. I highly recommend the first in the series, Songflight, and this is a spectacular next installment in the series.
This is a beautiful, wonderful book with lots of dragons (and some snark), great disability rep, and a heroine learning to be brave and bring peace to their clans. I highly recommend the first in the series, Songflight, and this is a spectacular next installment in the series.
July 28, 2023
Yes, yes, YES!! As the second installment of the Dragon Singer Series, Stormdance did not disappoint ❤️ We see some lovely character development and satisfying twisty storylines that we didn't see coming. Now we need book 3!
August 11, 2023
4.5 RTC!
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