Playing with Fire (Silver Dragons, Book 1)

I thought it was a very good read, very smooth. The only thing I had a problem with is that while it's the first book in a new series, it isn't the first book in the over-all series. I felt like I was coming in on the middle of something that had been going on for a while, and I was struggling to figure out what was happening for the first half of the story. After a while, I just settled down and went with the flow. So it isn't the best as a stand-alone story.
Other than that major problem, in my point of view, it was a very nice book.

I have been a fan of Katie MacAlister for a long time. I bought her first
book and have been buying the others as they come out. I love the inclusion
of the silver dragons into the Guardian senario but I just have to admit
that I have a jones for the "dog" Jim or Jinn. He is a combination of a
smart rough talking Mickey Spillane type character and a scruffy yard dog.
He always has a smart alec type comment within his character as a genie in the
body of a dog.
Her books are always fresh and keep me wanting more. Keep the dog or genie or
whatever he is and just keep on writing. I will be ordering new books as
they come out.

I am such a dragon fan I look for anything with the word in the title. That doesn't mean the characters don't have to be interesting or that I have to sacrifice an intriguing plot. Sorry, this just didn't hold my interest enough to even finish the book.

Katie MacAlister is known for her Aisling Grey, Guardian, series which is an enjoyable, if at times rather over-the-top, group of books. 'Playing With Fire' is the start of a new series, the Silver Dragons, although most of the characters are familiar from the other series. This means that readers who are new to this author might find themselves rather lost because of the large cast of characters, many of whom are barely introduced, and the continual references to events that have happened in the Aisling Grey books.

Initially this book started out with our heroine, May Northcott, in the middle of an attempt to steal an artefact. She is a thief who has to work at the bidding of her master, the demon Magoth. May has some rather unusual characteristics as she's a doppelganger, created from her sister Cyrene but with the ability to almost disappear, to 'shadow walk'. Doppelgangers are very rare so few know much about them and their abilities, thus May's success as a thief. However at the beginning of this book when May steals the requested artefact she also takes something else, something very valuable, which starts a whole host of problems. May very quickly has a price on her head and decides to return the extra item. In doing so she runs into a whole bunch of strange people including the dragon Drake, Aisling Grey, the demon dog Jim and another dragon, Gabriel Tauhou, leader of the Silver Dragons.

When Gabriel discovers that May is his mate he doesn't realise what her being bound to the demon Magoth means. As they try to work out who has stolen an artifact, as they have to rescue various members of their group who are kidnapped and as old Dragon politics seem to be coming back to haunt them, Gabriel and May have to see what they can build together, despite May's fears about Magoth. Gabriel might also have to choose what is more important to him - May or his band of dragons.

This was one of those stories where it's never clear where the plot is going but the ride is enjoyable. The variety of characters adds to this book, although as previously mentioned they could also be a problem for new readers. May is an interesting heroine with some un-heroic moments, a ridiculous sister and a sinister and yet also slightly laughable demon master. However a big disappointment to this reader was that the book didn't end with any great resolution - many of the plot threads weren't wrapped up and there was a major element of the main story that was not completed. It's clearly a precursor to the next book but this reader would have appreciated more of a close to this particular novel.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

So - I loved this book. The characters were great, there was plenty of conflict, and I loved the way the main character, May, reacted with her dragon. Most of the paranormal romances that I have read where there is 'mating' they fight. Mercy fights against Adam, Lily fights Rule - but May embrases being the mate of Gabriel. She enjoys being with him and really enjoys being his mate. I really liked that aspect. I also laughed out loud quite a few times. Gabriels dialect is enough to make me laugh.

Now for the ending, it isnt a spoiler by saying that it does leave you completely hanging and doesnt have ANYTHING close to a conclusion for anything. But I was VERY happy that we got a few pages from the next novel in this book. That really helped smooth over the feelings I had about the crappy ending. I know everything will work out (that is the point of these books - if they dont end up together, then where is the romance). If it takes a couple of books, that is okay - I am really just enjoying the ride!