Read my full review at The Book Bee

**3 Stars**

Expectations were shattered by this surprisingly thoughtful novel. A relatable protagonist, vivid characters, a few interesting subplots, and a light romance. Though my curiosity for Dessen's novels has been satisfied and I won't be seeking out others, that shouldn't stop anyone else.

At first glance, I must admit that this book didn’t jump out at me. A pretty cover and a unique premise just weren’t enough. Add in the lengthy list of awards that were racked up – 2013 William C. Morris YA Debut Award, Cybil Award for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction, Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year – just to name a few. You’d think I would be ready to tear into this one – but it still wasn’t enough to pique my interest.

Until I was in the mood for DRAGONS. I wanted a good dragon story and, boy, did I get what I wanted.

Seraphina starts out rather slow and I did feel a little like I’d been thrown into the deep-end without any proper explanation of what was what or who was who, but this is just one of those books that immerses you into its world within 50 pages and then you forget how or where it even began. The writing is absolutely stunning – rich descriptions of music and dragons – with politics, philosophy, and religion thrown into the mix to make the reader think.

Questions that I thought to myself while reading this book: What does it feel like to feel? What do I feel like when I’m sad? What about when I’m happy? Could I choose between my family and the one I love? How do people bring peace to times of war? Could (or rather, would) I be willing to put peace and my country in a place of higher priority than my own heart?

This series has the potential to be multiple books – and I would gladly read them all! And there is a sequel, Shadow Scale, but the release date is set for MARCH 2015 (insert sobbing here).

Overall, a magnificent debut that I can’t believe I didn’t read sooner. Exquisite.