♥Donnie Darko Girl♥: Bridges Burned by Chris Cannon ~ Blog Tour: #Review & #Giveaway

Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on the Bridges Burned Book Tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours! Click here to follow along with the full tour schedule.

Title: Bridges Burned

Series: Going Down in Flames #2

Author: Chris Cannon

Publication date: January 27, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: Copy for review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Synopsis

Don't just fight the system...burn it.

Since discovering she is a shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragon on her sixteenth birthday (surprise!), Bryn McKenna's world has been thrown into chaos. Being a "crossbreed" - part Red dragon and part Blue - means Bryn will never fit in. Not with dragon society. Not with the archaic and controlling Directorate. And definitely not when she has striped hair and a not-so-popular affection for rule-breaking...

But sneaking around with her secret boyfriend, Zavien, gets a whole lot harder when he's betrothed to someone else. Someone who isn't a mixed breed and totally forbidden. And for an added complication, it turns out Bryn's former archnemesis Jaxon Westgate isn't quite the evil asshat she thought. Now she's caught between her desire to fit in and a need to set things on fire. Literally.

Because if Bryn can't adapt to the status quo...well, then maybe it's time for her to change it.

Getting ready to read Bridges Burned gave me an excuse to re-read the first book, Going Down in Flames, and I'm so glad I did. I really didn't need an excuse to read it again though - GDiF was just as awesome the second time around! Bryn is the kind of heroine you don't soon forget. In case you haven't read GDiF yet, I've done my best to make sure not to include any spoilers.

A couple of things stood out to me right away. It's interesting when an author can subtly shift your opinion of a character and even more so when it's achieved with multiple characters. That's exactly what Chris Cannon did in Bridges Burned. I found myself starting to feel differently about some of the characters than I had in GDiF, and it was surprising because I never would have thought my opinions could change that way.

I'm also super jealous that dragons can eat as much as they want without gaining weight. Like SUPER jealous. And it can be anything, even food that isn't good for you. Bryn could eat three or four pieces of cake after dinner! How can anyone not be jealous of that!

Like in the first book, I felt Zavien, the black dragon who is kind of Bryn's protector, is a jerk. I don't get his appeal. I can see it, I just don't get it. Nola, a black dragon and Zavien's friend, becomes super needy this time around, and of course he runs to her rescue at the drop of a hat. I was sad to see Bryn get left behind over and over.

I always liked Valmont, Bryn's literal knight in shining armor, and it was cool to get to know him and his backstory. He works at an Italian restaurant near the school in Dragon's Bluff. Bryn brought out the knight in him, so he really does protect her. There were definite sparks flying between them, and I think he's much more noble and caring than Zavien.

There was a lot of story around Bryn and her love life, which definitely kept me turning the pages. But I was also eager to delve into the politics of the Directorate and the ways in which Bryn could really shake things up. With conspiracy theories and the mystery of who would have gained what from trying to kill her, there was plenty of action and suspense to keep me reading straight through.

I love this series! Chris Cannon delivers once again with a heart-pounding and action-filled story with romance and heart.

My Rating:

~ Book One ~

Going Down in Flames

Chris Cannon

Release date: 6/30/14

Entangled Teen

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Synopsis

If her love life is going down in flames, she might as well spark a revolution.

Finding out on your sixteenth birthday you're a shape-shifting dragon is tough to swallow. Being hauled off to an elite boarding school is enough to choke on.

Since Bryn is the only crossbreed at the Institute for Excellence, all eyes are on her, but it's a particular black dragon, Zavien, who catches her attention.

Zavien is tired of the Council's rules. Segregated clans, being told who to love, and close-minded leaders make freedom of choice almost impossible. The new girl with the striped hair is a breath of fresh air, and with Bryn's help, they may be able to change the rules.

At the Institute, old grudges, new crushes, and death threats are all part of a normal day for Bryn. She'll need to learn to control her dragon powers if she wants to make it through her first year at school. But even focusing on staying alive is difficult when you're falling for someone you can't have.

Click for my review of Going Down in Flames! :D

About the Author