Flying Blind (The Dragon Diaries #1)

Oct 26, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Hex Hall, Darkest Powers

Shelves: pn-shapeshifters, fantasy, young-adult, canadian, hilarious, heroines-butt-kicking, 2011-favorites, favorite-ya, read-2011, training-schools-supernaturals, 2011-publication, action-packed, pn-dragons

Aerial dragon battles. A girl with a cool mystical powers. Cute boys on motorbikes. What more could you ask for in a fun and fluffy paranormal book?

Flying Blind took me completely by surprise. The story follows Zoë Sorensson, the only female dragon shapeshifter in existence, who has important duties to assume when she comes to maturity. The problem is, her powers haven't bloomed properly and the few times they begin to appear--in the form of a mesmerizing flame in the pupils of her eyes and a si...more Aerial dragon battles. A girl with a cool mystical powers. Cute boys on motorbikes. What more could you ask for in a fun and fluffy paranormal book?

Flying Blind took me completely by surprise. The story follows Zoë Sorensson, the only female dragon shapeshifter in existence, who has important duties to assume when she comes to maturity. The problem is, her powers haven't bloomed properly and the few times they begin to appear--in the form of a mesmerizing flame in the pupils of her eyes and a single curved talon--she can't control them. As a result, she's shipped off to dragon "boot camp" where she's huddled with a group of dragon boys she's known all her life, including Nick, the attractive guy whom she may be destined to be with.

The dragon lore is exceptionally well thought-out, with specific behaviors and mythology. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the different dragons, from a green one with silver-tipped scales to a beautiful garnet and gold one to a regal pewter and purple one with silver accents. The dragon battles are also very easy to picture, with muscular physical tussling, claw-slashing, orange-flamed fire-breathing, and tail-whomping--and with none of the typical fast-healing, "easy fix" powers to lessen the stakes.

Zoë is a bright, funny heroine who narrates in a breezy tone that's immensely appealing. She's attempting to gain control of her body while trying to figure out why such a dark cloud seems to hang over her normally good-natured friends, and there's a lot that's thrown at her as she's coming into her role as a member of the Pyr. She makes a lot of mistakes, but she owns up to them and is never afraid to take action when it matters most. I like that every person in the huge cast of secondary characters has a distinct voice and identity, and that things don't always go the way that seasoned YA readers might expect with mysterious strangers or popular girls. The story is fairly complex for a short book, but it's very light-hearted in tone, which is a refreshing change from all those supernatural YA books that aren't well-thought out or that take themselves too seriously. One of the many humorous touches? Zoë, kickass girl dragon, is a vegetarian.

This book is apparently a spinoff of the author's adult PNR series, but it doesn't feel like something that's hastily cobbled together or that is at all lacking in explanation. The author does a terrific job of gradually revealing the rules and history of dragon behavior, as well as in giving enough time (but not too much time) to characters from the other series in a way that doesn't feel tiresome or forced. It's also great to see a book that shows teens with strong, loving relationships with the adults in their lives--but the crises are deftly handled and solved by the younger dragons themselves. I will say there's a lot of information to process, some of the "dark cloud" behaviors drag on for a little too long, and Zoë does occasionally get a little moony over her crush. But all the romance issues are resolved by the end of the book, and there is plenty of time spent on the family and friend relationships, mythology, plot, and personal development to balance the relationship stuff out.

I'd highly recommend Flying Blind to any fan of non-angsty paranormal/fantasy YA, especially to fans of series such as Hex Hall or The Darkest Powers. Zoë does a lot growing up in this zippy, action-packed story--and after having such a fun whirlwind of an adventure in her company, I can't to see where the next story takes her!

This review also appears in The Midnight Garden.

P.S. The cover and title are very misleading, in my opinion. I think a story that has such a humorous feel to it deserves a cover design that makes it stand out a little more from all the other typical paranormal YA books out there. I really can't picture Zoë with such a serious look on her face at all! Also, newsflash: gorgeous battling dragons are a huge selling point. At least for me, anyway.(less)

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May 10, 2012 jo mo rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bleh-or-snooze, fantasy, shapeshifters, paranormal, partly-read, futuristic

beginning:

there was a guy in my bedroom.
it was six in the morning and i didn’t know him.
i’m not much of a morning person, but that woke me up fast.
i sat up and stared, my back pressed against the wall, sure my eyes had to be deceiving me. no matter how much i blinked, though, he was still there.
he seemed to think my reaction was funny.
he had dark hair and dark eyes, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt, just jeans—and he had one heck of a six-pack. his arms were folded across his chest and a smile tugg...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zoe is a combination of Jacinda and Sophie. Where Jacinda’s tale is a little bit more of the romantic kind with her dragon hunter and star crossed lovers’ tale, Zoe is not quite that. She felt much younger for one; it’s her youth that had her prone to the most awkward of exchanges in the boy/girl department. It’s also these boy/girl moments that allowed for a lot of the Sophie-esque moments to crop up. So there was snark, but there was pining too. I liked that.

I dove into Flying Blind unaware o...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Anoolka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, dragons, fantasy, urban-fantasy, young-adult, romance, paranormal, series-to-follow, series, female-protagonist, shapeshifters

It pulled me in right away only to lose me the more and more the main character acted like a brat. I know, I know - there was dark magic at work and confusing dreams and new powers, but it did not make reading through all that a pleasure. I am glad I went on because the second part gets better again, once things clear up and the heroine begins acting more mature and badass. (And stops swooning about boys for a minute.)
I love the whole idea of how the dragons and dragon lore works here. I liked a...more

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May 09, 2013 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-read-again-books, favorites, more-from-this-author, interesting-ya, so-awesome-i-need-more, reading-romance-book-challenge, to-be-read-again

I love Deborah Cooke’s Dragonfire novels and was intrigued to see she was doing a spin-off series centered on young adults. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get in all reality. Maybe a watered down version of her Dragonfire books but when I started FLYING BLIND, I was captivated by Zoë and the entire world of the pyr that she lives under. This is an author who took her beloved adult series world and made it her own in the young adult genre in The Dragon Diaries. The story is intriguing, filled...more I love Deborah Cooke’s Dragonfire novels and was intrigued to see she was doing a spin-off series centered on young adults. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get in all reality. Maybe a watered down version of her Dragonfire books but when I started FLYING BLIND, I was captivated by Zoë and the entire world of the pyr that she lives under. This is an author who took her beloved adult series world and made it her own in the young adult genre in The Dragon Diaries. The story is intriguing, filled with teenage drama, mysteries and an amazing cast of characters that steal your heart. By midway through FLYING BLIND, I could not put it down. I needed to know what would happen next for Zoë and her friends as well as the pyr.

What I loved the best about the introduction into the young adult spin-off was some of the adult characters had their own stories in the Dragonfire Series and I was thrilled to see them pop up, giving advice and helping guide Zoë and her friends. Lots of suspense, action-adventure and a bit of a romance that was unexpected. Zoe, for all intent and purposes, is still a teenager and one I loved completely. She was a perfect heroine to enjoy-strong and with just the right amount of vulnerability to make her human and there is a lot to her character that readers will enjoy immensely. This isn’t your average young adult book, that’s for sure. The writing was tight, story flowed smoothly and the characters were written so realistically, I expected to see them walking down the street or soaring above in the skies in their dragon forms.

FLYING BLIND is a wonderful way to be introduced into the Dragonfire world for new readers of this author to enjoying a pick-me-up while loyal readers wait for the next book in either her adult Dragonfire series or the Dragon Diaries series. This had the right amount of drama, action, suspense, humor and more that will please both adult fans and her new young adult fans. Deborah Cooke delivers one heck of a high octane ride in FLYING BLIND. Are you ready to explore the world of the pyr?(less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zoë is the Wyvern of the Pyr – the one female dragon shape shifter with special powers. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr, and her powers are AWOL. Worse, there’s no reference book to consult, and the last Wyvern is dead….

Everything changes when Zoë’s best friend is bullied and Zoë reacts. Before she can blink twice, her inner dragon is loose, and she’s suspended from school and headed to a shape shifter boot camp with guys she’s known all her life. But soon she’s...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can be a stick in the mud sometimes, so I'm starting this review with a PSA moment. When someone is threatening to destroy your personal property and asks you what you're going to do about it, you say, "I'm going to make you pay for the replacement." You can fairly easily, in fact. You know a lawyer. It may be the parent of a band/choir/orchestra/whatever friend or someone who attends your religious institution of choice. You know one. Explain the situation and ask him or her to send a letter...more I can be a stick in the mud sometimes, so I'm starting this review with a PSA moment. When someone is threatening to destroy your personal property and asks you what you're going to do about it, you say, "I'm going to make you pay for the replacement." You can fairly easily, in fact. You know a lawyer. It may be the parent of a band/choir/orchestra/whatever friend or someone who attends your religious institution of choice. You know one. Explain the situation and ask him or her to send a letter on official letterhead. People react when they get a letter from a lawyer. NEXT, AND VERY IMPORTANT: If someone breaks your face, you do not accept him or her telling the teacher you fell down. You press charges. Let me repeat that. YOU. PRESS. CHARGES.

Onto the story!

FLYING BLIND starts at Zoë Sorensson's school. The popular girls bullying her friend pushes her to shapeshift for the first time. Unfortunately, she's not supposed to let people know she's a dragon shapeshifter. Fortunately, her dad decides to punish her by sending her to boot camp. Boot camp is where the young Pyr go to figure out how to use their powers. Zoë really needs it since she's the Wyvern: the only female shapeshifter, who is supposed to be able to see the past and the future. But mostly she wants to go because Nick will be there.

There are several spanners in the works, however. There's Isabelle, a Pyr's adopted human daughter, who is beautiful, sophisticated, and also attending boot camp. There's Jared, Nick's human cousin, who looks like a pirate and flirts with Zoë. There's also Adrian, an outside Pyr who doesn't fit in, but does defend Zoë against her friends' expectations.

Zoë and the other boot campers felt like true, young teens. They're petty and impulsive. Sometimes their inability to just state their feelings or to try to get along grates, but luckily, there is an explanation for the worst behavior. I also liked the romantic storyline. Zoë wrote a story in her head about what her life would be like, and now she's having to face reality.

The worldbuilding is disappointing. Each scene has a good sense of place, but there's no sense of the larger world. The kids are all excited about winning the newest messenger, which seems to be something like an iPod Touch. Is this a way to get around using trademarked names, or is it some kind of future technology? The scenes at school and in the library seem contemporary, not futuristic. While humans don't know dragon shifters exist, they do know that dragons exist. How would a world with dragons develop differently than ours? What attitude do humans who aren't in the know have toward dragons?

FLYING BLIND is a fine character-driven fantasy, but Deborah Cooke made a few missteps. I am tempted to read her adult Dragonfire novels as well as future Dragon Diaries. I would like to find out more about the world, and hope she chose not to write about it here because it's in a different book. (less)

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Jun 03, 2012 Sherryl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved reading about Zoe & her friends. Not many authors will write spin-off stories about their characters children which I think is awesome! Reading Deborah Cooke's YA series the Dragon Diaries it expanded the world Cooke had already made about the dragons & their mates. I loved the idea of now following their children & the struggles they are going through growing up. I love reading coming-of-age stories where the characters grow as you read each book and that is Zoe. Zoe is the Wy...more

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May 11, 2012 Tia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zoe is a teenage girl who is a dragon shapeshifter, the only female of her kind. There can only be one female at a time because female have a lot more different powers and they lead the Pyr. (Pyr is a clan of dragons)When she is sent off to boot camp to learn her new powers and how to control them, her and the other Pyr are attacked and turned against each other by mages. When Zoe learns to control her powers she saves the younger dragons, her friends but the older clan members were held captive...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Aishah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Flying Blind is the first of a dragon related book that I have read. I was surprised because I enjoyed it and loved the concept that Deborah Cooke had developed and introduced the Dragon Shape Shifters world to us bookworms!

Zoë is the daughter of a dragon shape shifter elder and is rumoured to be the next Wyvern, a female dragon shape shifter which there is only one of at any time. As one dies another one is born, two Wyverns cannot coexist. Because of this she is expected to have great abilitie...more Flying Blind is the first of a dragon related book that I have read. I was surprised because I enjoyed it and loved the concept that Deborah Cooke had developed and introduced the Dragon Shape Shifters world to us bookworms!

Zoë is the daughter of a dragon shape shifter elder and is rumoured to be the next Wyvern, a female dragon shape shifter which there is only one of at any time. As one dies another one is born, two Wyverns cannot coexist. Because of this she is expected to have great abilities to help out the rest of the Pyr who are dragon shape-shifters however no matter what her and best friend try to do Zoe is one of the few girls who haven't reached puberty so currently her dragon powers are AWOL. At first you sympathise with Zoe loss of powers but then an times you find to dislike her a little because of her jealousy towards other characters. At other times you just can't put Zoe and her actions together as I have to be honest she does act a bit like a brat. However she does progress throughout the book and develops as a person but also as a Wyvern as well.

The storyline is really good as originally being set to be a boot camp turns out to be a life or death situation. There are so many hidden things that you never realise and when they're actually revealed you're like 'What..no that can't be!'. This is what keep s you interested as there are no boring aspects to the book and there is always something to hold your interest throughout the whole book to the very end. The concept of Zoe developing as a Wyvern is what I really like and then she can stand on her own legs for once and do something amazing for the rest of the Pyr. Her loyalty and braveness towards the Pyr and how she is ready to fight for them is a beautiful concept that immediately makes you like her as a character despite her previous actions.

It is a really good concept of bringing dragons to the paranormal literature and Deborah Cooke has nailed it! There is excellent imagination and creativity behind the 'Dragon Diaries' and is something new that all Paranormal and fantasy book lovers will love! I can't wait to get my hands on Wingin It the second book and start reading!

Errm...I do find myself comparing to Claire Danvers out of 'The Morganville Vampires Series' . Although I'm not such a brainiac I am quite clever. Also my favourite subjects that I love to study is Science and Maths. Claire does seem to like Science a lot so I don't think she's really fond of Maths especially Calculus. I think my personality kind of relates to Claire's too though I was a really quiet person at first and much more bold but I don't think I'm as brave as Claire. I do love her though and I think she is a brilliant character to find similarities between.(less)

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Jan 30, 2012 K rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library

The dragon-y stuff: pretty cool. The character stuff: not so much.

Zoë is a Pyr and, more specifically, the Wyvern. Or she’s supposed to be. The book tells me this is a big deal. She’s the only female dragon shape-shifter and as her generation’s Wyvern she'll be able to help her kind, albeit from a distance. She only knows this is her supposed future because others have told her, she’s fifteen already and has never been able to shift. She gets her period (mmm-hmm) which means that *something* is...more

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Dec 05, 2011 The Sweet Bookshelf rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Only one female dragon shifter?! OK! I'm game! I'm a fantasy fan and it has been awhile since I've read anything good. I was intrigued with the preface of dragon shape shifters. If you've never read anything dragon, then you should. They are cool!

Zoe is a young teenage girl who is suppose to be the Wyvern (only female dragon Pyr) but she hasn't shifted yet. She doesn't have any powers and everybody is wondering what's going on. She gets invited to an annual dragon boot camp to possibly help her...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

When I first heard of Flying Blind its sounded really good and when I received it from Allison & Busby I was really happy however this was short lived.

Upon starting Flying Blind I wasn't impressed with the main character Zoë, to me she appeared self centred and wanted everything to revolve around her and the only good side I saw of her was protecting her friend from bullies, which then again got turned around to her.

I liked the plot line and idea behind Flying Blind, and some of the seconda...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Book Binge Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, nal-trade, for-review

Zoe is a little distressed. Here she is at the ripe old age of 15 and she still doesn’t have either boobs or her period. She’d love to get the boobs more than the period but with puberty comes the ability to turn into a dragon. You see she is the only female Pyr (Pyr are shape shifting dragons) and since the male offspring of the older Pyr started getting their abilities when they hit puberty she assumes she will too.

Funny (read: strange) things do start to happen when she wakes up one morning b...more Zoe is a little distressed. Here she is at the ripe old age of 15 and she still doesn’t have either boobs or her period. She’d love to get the boobs more than the period but with puberty comes the ability to turn into a dragon. You see she is the only female Pyr (Pyr are shape shifting dragons) and since the male offspring of the older Pyr started getting their abilities when they hit puberty she assumes she will too.

Funny (read: strange) things do start to happen when she wakes up one morning but she really has no idea what to make of it. Since she’s the only female Pyr she’s supposedly this “all-knowing” being called the Wyvern but frankly Zoe doubts that she is since she just feels like a regular girl. When she partially turns into a dragon in front of her classmates at school not only does she get suspended but her father (who is the leader of the Pyr) sends her off to Pyr boot camp which is a kind of training session for the younger Pyr.

Zoe’s actually pretty excited to be at boot camp. She gets to see the other Pyr that are more around her age but most importantly Nick, fellow Pyr and the boy she likes. Unfortunately when she arrives so does Isabelle who is not Pyr but is the adopted daughter of one. Nick’s interest is fully on Isabelle and that pisses Zoe right off. She does meet a hunky guy named Jared but she’s not exactly sure what to make of him.

When all the teens get to boot camp there’s a new enrollee that they’re not familiar with but that’s the least of their problems – or so they think. Donovan, who normally runs the boot camp, isn’t around and they’re not sure what they should do with themselves. When the truth comes out about why the new enrollee, Adrian, is there and that the Pyr are in trouble with Mages Zoe needs to prove that she is not only a capable and smart dragon but also the Wyvern and can hump in to help when needed.

If you have been reading the Dragonfire series by Cooke then you’ll recognize the names in this book as these are the teen children of the Pyr from that series. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started the book – especially since I don’t normally read YA books but this one delivered.

The book has a teensy bit of a romantic element but this is not a romance. This is a book about Zoe coming of age and discovering not only her abilities but her limitations. Most of the limitations were set up by Zoe’s own lack of confidence in who she was but when she finally believed in herself she really became a shining star.

Cooke did a fabulous job of giving us characters that were so very normal in their teenage lives while still being these incredible beings. I loved how she brought in the older Pyr that we’d been reading about in the Dragonfire series in a way that was more in line with teaching the younger Pyr about their strengths. Also, so many YA books that I’ve read have teens that have been abandoned, abused, neglected or raised by grandparents that didn’t quite know what to do with them. I thought it was great that we could read about a girl who was incredibly loved, had two parents as well as a huge support system and had rules and limitations, just like normal teens should. I think this is a series that I’m very much going to enjoy and I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment in the Dragon Diaries.

Rating: 4 out of 5

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Tracy.(less)

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Jun 21, 2011 Bailey (IB Book Blogging) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Flying Blind is a beguiling YA debut that I couldn't put down! It is a feverish and intense read that will have you staying up way past your bed time. I cannot wait until the next installment in this highly addictive series!

Zoë is a fierce and intelligent protagonist that I was rooting for the whole time! It was wonderful seeing her reawakening to her dragon powers, and how she dealt with them. Zoë is a courageous friend who is willing to go to any lengths to protect those she loves. She is alwa...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Lilibeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As it turns out, this first book in a spin-off series of the Dragonfire Novels exceeded my expectations and went beyond.

Zoe knows that she’s a failure when it comes to conjuring the makeshift powers of the Almighty Wyvern. Being the only female dragon shape shifter is suffocating, especially when she does not meet expectations. Finally, in a scene at her high school, Zoe discovers this new rage that triggers parts of her Wyvern powers. Along with this new discovery comes a field trip to spend a...more As it turns out, this first book in a spin-off series of the Dragonfire Novels exceeded my expectations and went beyond.

Zoe knows that she’s a failure when it comes to conjuring the makeshift powers of the Almighty Wyvern. Being the only female dragon shape shifter is suffocating, especially when she does not meet expectations. Finally, in a scene at her high school, Zoe discovers this new rage that triggers parts of her Wyvern powers. Along with this new discovery comes a field trip to spend a week with her Pyr friends at boot camp. Despite the obligatory feelings that come when hearing the words “boot camp”, Zoe is thrilled to go because she will finally have a chance to prove herself to her destined mate, Nick.
However, when it’s time to leave for this adventurous competition, an obstacle enters Zoe’s path in the form of all the bad-boy traits any rock-star fan girl can imagine. Jared has the attitude and persona of all things masculine.
When they all arrive at the boot camp site and find no sign of Donovan, Nick’s father, they know something must be amiss but figure it is just another test in the line of competition. Soon, they find out how deeply wrong they assumed.

While I haven’t read many fantasy books that involve fire-breathing dragons, I imagine that Cooke really nailed it on the head with Flying Blind. She creates the heroine to be this lost skinny girl who doesn’t know white from black when it comes to differing what it is a Wyvern’s responsibilities. Hence the titles meaning, Zoe is flying blind in a world where the men around her find it effortless to conjure and control their dragons. This is the part where Jared is introduced, and I have to say that the chemistry between him and Zoe was practically steaming off the pages. There is a lot of male eye candy in this book, and that had to be one of its lovely attributes. The writing style really flavored each character’s individual personality in a sense that it complimented their contribution to the novel.

With a more than fascinating background, the Pyr initially had a long history before it’s introduced to us in Flying Blind. In its self, that is what makes up the stepping stones that Zoe must follow in order to fulfill her great destiny. A lot of what’s holding her back is what makes up a big message in her story, be bold and believe in yourself, and you shall succeed. The plot truly ascends to the climax where secrets are unfurled and the truth and deception of others comes to light. Alongside the creation an admirable heroine, Cooke is able to surmise that confidence needed in the most trifling of battles to save the fellow Pyr. With such vivid and beautifully written settings, the mental movie that plays in one’s head as they read Flying Blind is clear and conspicuous.

Unlike Cooke’s Dragonfire Novels, I hope that she keeps The Dragon Diaries centered around Zoe’s struggles and triumphs in the Pyr world. (If only to see more of the infamous Jared.)

Grade: B+(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 YA Novelties rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Check this review out our blog!

OK, to be honest, this isn't really a new book. I feel a bit guilty because this book was, in fact, published a little over a year ago. I don't know if many of you have read this book yet, but I will review this anyway. Who wouldn't wanna read a book about kick-ass dragons-people and cute boys on motorbikes??? Hey, and not to mention, the female POV is the only female dragon at the moment, and just happens to have a few good lookin' dragon dudes hangin' around. Do...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Annmarie Ager rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Yep you guessed it another dragon book I must be going through a dragon reading stage in my life :D flying blind is the fist book in the dragon diaries series.

The book follows Zoe she is the only female dragon of her kind they call her the Wyvern, while the males are the Pyr they can change from human to dragon in seconds. Apart from poor Zoe who’s powers are not showing up for her. I really liked Zoe I kind of felt for her even as the only one of her kind she is still an oddball that struggles...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Rai rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

This book was a surprise. I'm not one for dragon books. Not because I don't like them... I like dragons a lot, but they are really hard to do right.I've read many bad dragon books that I usually stay away from them. This one caught my attention nonetheless. and while it has some off the obvious ya flaws (relationships too much a feature..) it has some great elements.

Top points for placing it in the future but not so far that the world is unrecognizable. These teenagers are very much just like th...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Lynda Tatad rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The spin off series to Deborah Cooke's Dragonfire series is a YA paranormal series featuring Zoe Sorensson, daughter of the leader of the Pyr, dragon shifters, and the new Wyvern. The series is called the Dragon Diaries, and the first book is called Flying Blind. In this series, the children of the characters from the adult series are now in their teens and learning about their Pyr abilities. Zoe is behind the curve, as she hasn't manifested any of her Wyvern (the only female dragon shifter) abi...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Haley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zoë is supposed to be the Wyvern of the dragon shape shifters called the Pyr. The Wyvern is the only female Pyr. There is only ever one at a time. She is supposed to have special abilities, and Zoë, whose 15 and a half, has been waiting for her powers to appear. When her friend, Meagan, gets bullied after gym, Zoë steps into defend her, accidentally almost shifting partially. Her talons and eyes only, but still, she has broken the covenant to keep shifters secret. Her Dad sends her to boot camp...more
Zoë is supposed to be the Wyvern of the dragon shape shifters called the Pyr. The Wyvern is the only female Pyr. There is only ever one at a time. She is supposed to have special abilities, and Zoë, whose 15 and a half, has been waiting for her powers to appear. When her friend, Meagan, gets bullied after gym, Zoë steps into defend her, accidentally almost shifting partially. Her talons and eyes only, but still, she has broken the covenant to keep shifters secret. Her Dad sends her to boot camp so she can learn to gain control of her now appearing powers.
This book looked really interesting. I just was confused when reading it. I read Firelight by Sophie Jordan last year and though the whole dragon shape shifter thing sounded cool so I checked this book out. I did think that it was cool that Zoë lived in Chicago (Because I live near it) and that she has a great sense of humor. I also liked the lists in the book. “5 things” list that gave interesting info about Pyr and Mages. There was also the four elements: water, fire, earth and air. I’ve read many book where characters have affinities for elements. The descriptions in this book were good. Dragon scales were gem and metal colored.
This book felt like it was lacking a few things. Either the guys didn’t feel hot enough, or they just didn’t seem to play a big role. There just wasn’t much romance. I can’t even remember Nick or Jared hair color, only that Jared had the greenest eyes. I guess I couldn’t get into the book because the whole dragon thing was a bit confusing. And what is a messenger? A cell phone or mp3 player? I was confused.

Art Review: I like the cover, but I think it could used a bigger dragon on it. I almost thought it was an angel book when I saw Flying Blind, but then saw The Dragon Diaries in the top corner. So, I guess Zoë probably has green eyes and dark hair based off the cover. The blue stuff around her is light that surrounds Pyr when they shift. The cover works. Nice texture too.

~Haley G

My blog:
http://breathlessbookreviews.blogspot...(less)

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Jul 11, 2011 Shdnx rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Extremely bored and desperate dragon and YA fans

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, shapeshifters, dragons

(Contains minor spoilers - although they would hardly come as a surprise to anyone who begins reading it -, and it's assumed that you've read the book description.)

I love dragons. I really do. Actually, the best thing about this book was that it was about dragons. Unfortunately, this was also the only good thing about it, and it was the only thing that made me keep reading, hoping it would get better. It didn't. If we subtract dragons, the book is a junk. A huge disappointment.

The world is appar...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Paranormal Haven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-stephanie

3.5 Stars

Zoë Sorensson has more to worry about than the typical teenage girl. She is the Pyr's Wyvern, a lone female dragon shifter with special powers. Problem is Zoë has yet to come into her powers and the Pyr need their Wyvern. Unfortunately her abilities start to arise while trying to protect a friend against a bully and the most important rule is never to expose her kind to humans. Now suspended from school, Zoë is on her way to shifter boot camp with her fellow Pyr friends. Despite this be...more 3.5 Stars

Zoë Sorensson has more to worry about than the typical teenage girl. She is the Pyr's Wyvern, a lone female dragon shifter with special powers. Problem is Zoë has yet to come into her powers and the Pyr need their Wyvern. Unfortunately her abilities start to arise while trying to protect a friend against a bully and the most important rule is never to expose her kind to humans. Now suspended from school, Zoë is on her way to shifter boot camp with her fellow Pyr friends. Despite this being her first time, Zoë knows something isn't right. Mages are at work weaving their dark magic on the group of young shifters, causing distrust and anger among friends. Zoë must gain confidence in herself in order to become the Wyvern her people need and stop the Mages' plans of exterminating all Pyr before it's too late.

In Flying Blind, we see the world of Deborah Cooke's Dragonfire series through the eyes of a teen age girl who would love to wake up one morning and finally have use for a bra. Yes, Zoë wishes for the usual things a 15 year old girl would love to have. Breasts, the cute older guy to ask her out, not to have to go to gym class, hoping to finally shift into a dragon. Well that last one is unique to Zoë. Along with wanting to fly, breath fire and have the powers to help her kind. Zoë has a lot of pressure on her to become the Wyvern. She complains about her lack of powers but I didn't feel it was necessarily for selfish reasons. She loves what she is and wants to be able to help her Pyr family as only a Wyvern can.

If you think reading about teenagers at book camp is boring, think again. Fighting, dark magic, and jealousy are running ramped through the younger Pyr and Zoë's powers is what's need to stop her kind's extinction. Zoë's loyalty to her shifter family and bravery to face foes who have no issue with killing teenagers, makes her a character that a reader of any age can admire. By her side are the sons of the older Pyr who have their own stories in Deborah's Dragonfire series. The supporting character I most enjoyed was Jared. He's not a Pyr but an untrained mage who refuses to join sides with those who are after the Pyr. He's more than just the rebel he wants everyone to know he is and I'm interested to see how his character develops as the series progresses. There was one problem I had with him regarding his relationship with Zoë. He's older than her and when Zoë was fighting against the mages I didn't feel the age difference but when she would blush at the slightest attention he gave her or talk about listening to his music (he's in a band and rides a motorcycle) over and over again like a girl with a silly crush, the relationship didn't feel right. It didn't feel inappropriate, just rather unexpected. This is only the third YA book I've ever read so this may not be unusual but rather something I'm not use to yet.

Flying Blind started off good and got better as the story went along. At first it almost felt too young for me with all the high school drama but as the story continued and the tone of the book took on a darker feel, I found myself not wanting to put the book down. Zoë actually surprised me with how strong of a lead she was. For someone who is so young, there is a lot to her character and most of it I absolutely loved. This is a YA book but with just the right amount of action, suspense, humor and just a touch of of romance, I think fans of both YA and adult fantasy books will enjoy dragon tale.
-Stephanie(less)

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May 07, 2011 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, reviewed

See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

FLYING BLIND's beginning was the embodiment of what I needed in a YA right now: it was refreshingly unique, combats bullying in a satisfying, physical way, and leaves a sweet taste my mouth when I think about teenage girls pining for their "soul mates." Alas, the entire book does not continue on such a strong note--especially the last 15% of the novel.

Zoë is a reject in high school who's forced to deal with the popular girls o...more See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

FLYING BLIND's beginning was the embodiment of what I needed in a YA right now: it was refreshingly unique, combats bullying in a satisfying, physical way, and leaves a sweet taste my mouth when I think about teenage girls pining for their "soul mates." Alas, the entire book does not continue on such a strong note--especially the last 15% of the novel.

Zoë is a reject in high school who's forced to deal with the popular girls on a daily basis. Thing is, when said girls take their bullying too far, torturing Zoë's best friend, things take a turn for the worst. You see, our young heroine is a dragon--a wyvern, to be exact--and she's got a short temper. Go figure the dragon in her would reveal itself at the most inopportune time.

The remainder of the book explores dragon life. I thought that all of this information was presented in a clean and crisp way. I wasn't bogged down with overwhelming amounts of information all at once, and because this is a spinoff series, I wasn't left in the dark (too much), regretting not reading the other series first.

Zoë is likable enough in the beginning, but as the story progresses, her immaturity quickly got on my nerves. For a 15 year old, she behaved pretty abhorrently at times, which lessened her in my eyes.

By the time the "first" bad guy is vanquished, I was ready to close the book and call it a night (which I did). I felt that the story began to lose its momentum the closer Zoë got towards her real transformation. During the first showdown, I felt some moments were corny, and I actually cringed at how many times Zoë lifted her claws up in the air, ready to fight. I wish that, instead of overusing this, Cooke thought of a few more creative ways for the fighting newbie to prepare herself for battle.

After the crew learned the fate of the other dragons (or Pyr), I could confidently say that I was done with the story. I was emotionally exhausted after all the drama, and was not ready to pick myself up and continue on. When I finally did, about four days later, a lot of the initial magic and excitement for this story dissipated.

I think I'm being a bit generous by giving FLYING BLIND a 4 star rating. Initially, I wanted to lower it to 3.5, but I think that my physical and mental exhaustion played a role in my lack of interest with the ending of the book. I also wanted this higher rating to reflect how I was unable to put the book down; I began it in one evening, and was up until 2AM (had to get up for classes at 6:30AM). Would I recommend this to others? If you're not sick of dragons, and if you can deal with an immature heroine, I'd say go for it!(less)

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Mar 28, 2011 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Flying Blind book one of The Dragon Diaries
Deborah Cooke
Penguin Group – Publish date June 2011
272 Pages – ISBN 13: 9780451233882

Zoe Sorensson is well aware of magic and myth so well aware in fact that she’s part of it. Zoe is the prophesied Wyvern, the only female Pyr, a dragon shape shifting species created to protect the earth. But being aware and becoming the Wyvern seems to be escaping this otherwise typical 15 year old, you see these so called powers of the Wyvern and the Pyr appear with th...more Flying Blind book one of The Dragon Diaries
Deborah Cooke
Penguin Group – Publish date June 2011
272 Pages – ISBN 13: 9780451233882

Zoe Sorensson is well aware of magic and myth so well aware in fact that she’s part of it. Zoe is the prophesied Wyvern, the only female Pyr, a dragon shape shifting species created to protect the earth. But being aware and becoming the Wyvern seems to be escaping this otherwise typical 15 year old, you see these so called powers of the Wyvern and the Pyr appear with the onset of puberty, something that seems to be taking it’s own sweet time for Zoe. Her father Erick the Pyr’s leader decides it’s time for Zoe to attend Pyr boot camp, a week long session run by the older Pyr to help the younger generation come of age and into their gifts. When she arrives things really take on a very different face as there’s dissention among the guys she’s known all her life plus a newcomer. Have they become complacent, is there something evil here or is it just teenaged hormones and angst at work. Zoe will have to work it all out if she wants to stop “Flying Blind”.
Deborah Cooke fans who love her paranormal romance Pyr series, with her yummy dragon heros always coming to the earth’s and human rescue will adore this new spin off staring the children of the Pyr we know and love, in this new Dragon Diaries YA series, Deborah will not only keep her adult fans but will gain quite a following from her target audience as well. She introduces us to her cast of youngsters with dialogue that will fit right in with the social media savvy teen and yet will appeal to her older audience as we experience the coming of age of her new and exciting Pyr generation, characters that we her Pyr series followers have met as wee ones. She gives us wonderful picturesque and descriptive narrative that takes us into her amazing and imaginative paranormal world. She does this with a plot that’s definitely outside the ordinary box and yet makes believers of her readers. Her characters will wow us in their enormity and their normality as she tells us their story in glowing Technicolor quality. Her heroine Zoe is likeable and an enigma at the same time and will worm her way into the hearts of readers as we can’t turn pages fast enough to learn what happens next. Her other characters are equally magical and majestic both in their human and dragon forms along with a cast of others who will keep us enthralled as well.
So whether your young or just young at heart you will equally enjoy this brand new series by Ms. Cooke. Come join me in experiencing her newest foray into the world of the Pyr from the younger point of view in this new coming of age for dragons tales. It’s entertaining, it’s exciting and it’s adventurous and it will fill the gap for her adult fans and bring new younger fans to the table as well.
Thanks Ms. Cooke for an out of this world novel and the start to a wonderful new series.
(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Sally-ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was new to me but I must admit I really enjoyed it.
Zoe is an almost sixteen year old female dragon, called a wyvern, there is only ever one, for the next one to be born the existing one has to die.
All the other dragons are male called the pyr. Zoe lives with her mom and dad, her dad is the pyr leader.
She's afraid her powers aren't coming to her, is she realy the wyvern? Her dad decides to send her to their version of boot camp, where all the pry youngsters go to practice their skills and le...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Katya rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, kudos-for-the-worldbuilding, oh-come-on, teen-lit, dragons, the-ya-project

You know, there is something to be said about reading a lot of the same genre.

On one hand, you gain an incredible perspective about what is good, what is bad, and how your favorite books hold up after you've gotten through several similar ones. On the other, there's this thing where everything starts looking alike.

Flying Blind is neither here nor there. It's definitely different from what I've seen in the paranormal genre, in the way it subverts and changes some of the more annoying aspects of...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifantasyfi

This was cute.

I really would have liked this book when I was a teenager, therefore that is who I recommend this book for.

So I've read the whole series, or at least I think it's complete, and now I am reviewing, so this may be a little revealing. Not spoiler-type revealing, just mannerisms in writing.

Zoe is just a regular teen doing her thing, trying to survive peer pressure, mean girls and overall puberty. EXCEPT she had another characteristic she's trying to develop besides boobs; She's the Wav...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Zoe has always known she would be special, being the only female Pyr, or dragonshifter. However, she wishes her specialness would hurry itself along as she is drastically behind all of her male counterparts. In hopes of hurrying things along for her, Zoe's father sends her to the Pyr's boot camp. However, things are not as they seem as boot camp turns out to be a giant trap. More than ever, Zoe will need to learn to believe in herself, becau...more Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Zoe has always known she would be special, being the only female Pyr, or dragonshifter. However, she wishes her specialness would hurry itself along as she is drastically behind all of her male counterparts. In hopes of hurrying things along for her, Zoe's father sends her to the Pyr's boot camp. However, things are not as they seem as boot camp turns out to be a giant trap. More than ever, Zoe will need to learn to believe in herself, because the alternative may just mean the end of her kind.

The world behind Flying Blind was by far the best part of the book. The world is set a little in the future, but not too far that it felt overly sci-fi. Also, the supernatural was semi-open to the rest of humanity. In other words, humans are aware that there are dragons (Pyr), but do not know them in their human forms. Only a select few know any Pyr in either form as the group stays very secretive for their own protection. Apparently they were nearly eradicated by slayers many years ago, and now are overly cautious. Of course this does make things a little interesting between the younger and older generations as they both have different ideas about things. Since the slayers had been eliminated before the younger generation was born, they don't feel the need to hide. But of course the older Pyr remember what it was to be hunted. I have a feeling there will be a lot more tension and battles of wills as the younger Pyr start to come into their positions of power. They may just shake things up.

As much as I enjoyed the concept behind the world and the secondary characters, unfortunately the narrator drove me batty. She's fifteen but acts more like a 12 year old (or younger) with their first crush. She is incredibly whiny about a whole slew of things, but even that could have been overlooked due to the huge burden placed on her shoulders by being the only female Pyr. My biggest problem was the way she behaved about the boys she was mooning over. If they even looked at her she blushed from head to toe. Then there is the extreme hatred and jealousy of a character who didn't deserve it, just because this girl was interested in the Pyr of Zoe's affection. What make the situation worse was that Zoe knows that Pyr can only "mate" with humans, yet she somehow overlooked that fact for most of the book. Then all of a sudden she gets a clue and realizes "Hey, this couldn't work," and then her attention turns to a guy in his twenties. To be honest age differences do not really bother me in books as long as the younger character is very mature for their age, but that definitely was not case here.

I'll be honest that I didn't think I was going to be able to get through this book. At 25% of the way in I was ready to throw in the towel, but decided to hang on a little longer. I'm glad I did, as things started to pick up and Zoe's immaturity wasn't grating on my nerves as bad. In all honesty, Zoe did do a fair amount of maturing and waking up to her own behavior in Flying Blind, so I do have hopes for the next installment. As I said earlier, the world behind the story is what really made the book, and since the Paranormal YA genre hasn't been over saturated with dragon shifter books, Flying Blind was a very fresh read. I'm also interested in checking out the author's other books that center around the adults in the book as it would be great to see their back stories. (less)

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May 14, 2011 Yan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is only one Wyvern of the Pyr and Zoe Sorensson is that lone female dragon shape-shifter. That is when and hopefully all her powers start to manifest. It is already proven that Zoe can shift when in a fit of rage, Zoe shifted to defend her friend against bullies. But controlling her powers and not letting the white hot blind rage take over will be Zoe’s biggest issue. Maybe the camping trip with the other shape-shifters will help things along.

In her debut young-adult series, Deborah Cooke...more There is only one Wyvern of the Pyr and Zoe Sorensson is that lone female dragon shape-shifter. That is when and hopefully all her powers start to manifest. It is already proven that Zoe can shift when in a fit of rage, Zoe shifted to defend her friend against bullies. But controlling her powers and not letting the white hot blind rage take over will be Zoe’s biggest issue. Maybe the camping trip with the other shape-shifters will help things along.

In her debut young-adult series, Deborah Cooke already proves that she can string the readers in a sky-high tale. Make no mistake, readers will not want to be “Flying Blind” when delving into this new series or else miss all the actions, juicy romances, and dangerous twists and turns. Mystic powers, cryptic dreams, and a hot guy with an equally hot motorcycle make Flying Blind a joy to read.

Before Flying Blind, I already had a few books about Wyverns under my belt. And yet, Flying Blind was so much different because Cooke focused on structuring the story and building upon itself. Rather than concentrating on appearance and those small insignificant details, Cooke takes the time to engage the reader in the history of the shape-shifters. And what a history it is. I must admit I have a love-hate relationship with Romeo and Juliet coupling and was so pleased to find that Flying Blind does feature that, but not as the focal point. That’s not to say Cooke doesn’t take the effort to extend the reaches of the history. Opposing enemies and other shape-shifters play a large role in Flying Blind with just enough background information and motive to make actions plausible and the storyline fleshed out.

Zoe and the rest of the gang were a joy to read. Readers will get a feel on their different personalities and shortcomings within the first several chapters but I’m expecting more in the upcoming sequels. I can already imagine a romance budding out to be quite steamy if the smoldering looks weren’t enough. That being said, Cooke has the potential to do a lot with the relationships: romantic ones, friendships, family connections, etc. Tons to dissect. Though I wish the best friend would be included more, but the sequel should definitely make up for that.

I desperately want fun dialogues between two people in the near future just to get a sense of where they stand and how balance their relationship can be. What I find lacking in the novels I read are the simple everyday talk, not the whole stay ‘away I’m no good for you’ or ‘the his eyes pierced through my soul’ (gag). Fun, teasing bantering that reflects personality and can convey emotions. Flying Blind does include some great dialogue scenes where things become filled with tension, red rage starts to cover characters’ eyes, and long drawn out anguish takes over. Now I’m just waiting for the softer approach.

Okay before I end this review I must, must mention families and what it means in Flying Blind. Yes! to dads taking a center stage in a YA novel. I’ve read tons of novels where the mothers are seen more and the fathers are somewhere in the background. In Flying Blind fathers rule the air.(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy and Vampi...: November 2012 BOM Flying Blind	2	24	Nov 26, 2012 03:21am
Deborah Cooke's other series "Dragonfire"	5	13	Nov 23, 2012 02:22am
Good YA Series: The Dragon Diaries	1	10	Jan 22, 2012 11:53am

title link	preview: Flying Blind
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Flying Blind (The Dragon Diaries #1)

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