The Dragon and the Rose - Addison Moore

It's no secret that I was anxiously awaiting "The Dragon and the Rose" for practically ever.  This is the second book in the Celestra Forever After series.  I love all things Addison Moore and all things Celestra, Count, and totally hot Nephilim.  

I was not disappointed in this book.  It picked up just where I expected.  Skyla figuring out Gage's secrets and desperately trying to figure out if he is good or wicked.  Now, I've always sorta been Team Gage.  Or I was in the Celestra series.  This series is making me seriously question whose side I am on.  Team Gage, Team Logan, or Team Marshall.  Well, okay, everyone is Team Marshall.  But between the Oliver boys, I think I'm moving to Team Logan. This installment in the CFA series really took me on an emotional rollercoaster.  Who is good?  Who is wicked?  Who can you trust?  I even began to question Laken, who is my all time favorite female in the Nephilim world.

The beginning of this story was a little slow and difficult for me to get through.  I was aggravated with Skyla for awhile.  She takes the whole "stand by your man" thing to a ridiculous extreme.  If my husband had done half of what Gage had done, he'd be out the door and out of my bed faster than he could say the word "Fem." I would have already abandoned him for Logan or Marshall.  I think that is why I had trouble getting through the first part of the book.  Skyla would get mad at Gage for the things he was doing, the lies he was living, and then all he had to do was take off his clothes and it's like she forgot how to think for herself.  

Despite that, the story was beautifully written.  I loved delving deeper into the Fem drama and heartbreak that comes with Skyla's responsibilities.  Once I got past my frustrations with Skyla, I could not put the book down.  And the ending...ohmigosh.  I am not going to spoil it, but it seriously broke my heart.  I couldn't think about anything else for a couple days.  I refuse to believe that how it ended is really what it seemed.  Something else has to be afoot.  It was just so incredibly heartbreaking.  I didn't know that Addison had that kind of passion and bravery in her to just end things like that, but I think after reading the end of the book, I became her #1 fan.  I already adored everything she has written, but this took my thoughts to a whole new level.

So, get off your computer and go get the book (or the first book, or the Celestra and Countenance series').  Now!  Go!