Review: Dragons by R.J. Furness

What if dragons hid in the shadows and you could bring them to life by touching them?

Until her eighteenth birthday, Sapphire Smyth had no idea how dangerous her life might become. Living in foster care throughout her childhood, she believed that she was the same as any other ‘ordinary’ teenager. But she never was. Sapphire has extraordinary abilities that she is only just beginning to discover, and she isn’t alone…

After an encounter with the magical beasts that hide in the shadows, Sapphire’s life has changed in ways she could never have expected. Her closest friend, Ben, possesses powers that were once beyond her imagination, and so does she. But Ben also knows things about Sapphire that even she didn’t know, and he has kept secrets about her birth parents for a very long time.

Now in Vanhine—a mysterious town on a hidden island—Sapphire has met a curious group of people known as Trilleki, who all have similar abilities. All Sapphire must do now is prove that she can be one of them. But that won’t be easy, and Sapphire is about to discover that her destiny is much more perilous than she ever thought possible. Some people in Vanhine aren’t who they first appear to be.

Dragons is the third book in the Sapphire Smythe & The Shadow Five serial. Sapphire is learning how to use her powers, but can’t control them. Slowly, more is being revealed about what’s going on, but Sapphire still doesn’t know the whole story. We’re already familiar with the setting and the characters, so it’s all about the plot now. And sadly, that’s where it’s lacking.

The writing is okay and it moves the story along, even if it’s slow. I had to remind myself this is only the first half of the story since it’s a six piece serial. There’s still so much to come. And here arises the question of DNF. Do I keep reading the story, even when it annoys me? Or do I leave it be? It’s easier to give up on a story when it’s separate. I might have finished it if it was one complete book instead of a serial. But in this format, I’m not convinced the faults I see now can change.

One of the biggest disappointments is that I have no idea where this is going. After three books, I still don’t. I see barely any character growth and Sapphire rarely let’s anyone explain anything. Nor do the other characters want to. It’s driving me insane how stubborn everyone is.

I give Dragons two stars. There’s still not much character growth, nor explanation of the world, or whatever is going on. You get glimpses, but I still don’t feel like I have a reason to keep reading.