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Dragon Ridden Chronicles #5
Where Dragons Collide
Tate is about to face her biggest challenge yet—navigating high society.
After the events in the Harridan’s city, Tate is settling back into life in her chosen home of Aurelia. Peace doesn’t last long when a simple misjudgment leads to an event Tate would do anything to avoid—making her formal debut to court.
When an attack on the palace leads to the discovery of a dead body at the nexus between Tate’s world and the dragon’s, Tate will find that her enemies are no longer content to exist in the shadows. They have a plan and not all her allies will be standing on her side in the final battle for the fate of this world.
Tate must become who she was always meant to be if she has any hope of saving her city. For the ancients who once ruled this world wish for a new age of domination. Who will live? Who will die? Only the dragons know.
After the events in the Harridan’s city, Tate is settling back into life in her chosen home of Aurelia. Peace doesn’t last long when a simple misjudgment leads to an event Tate would do anything to avoid—making her formal debut to court.
When an attack on the palace leads to the discovery of a dead body at the nexus between Tate’s world and the dragon’s, Tate will find that her enemies are no longer content to exist in the shadows. They have a plan and not all her allies will be standing on her side in the final battle for the fate of this world.
Tate must become who she was always meant to be if she has any hope of saving her city. For the ancients who once ruled this world wish for a new age of domination. Who will live? Who will die? Only the dragons know.
Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2021
218 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
T.A. White
25 books3,587 followersT.A. White is the pseudonym for Tobey White. She is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes Science Fiction/Fantasy novels that contain a hint of romance.
Today, she lives in Delaware, OH with her husband and their two cats, Loki and Odin, who view themselves as her overlords. They are harsh taskmasters as long as they aren’t distracted by long naps on Tobey’s keyboard or the yummy, yummy treats disguised as the author’s plants.
Today, she lives in Delaware, OH with her husband and their two cats, Loki and Odin, who view themselves as her overlords. They are harsh taskmasters as long as they aren’t distracted by long naps on Tobey’s keyboard or the yummy, yummy treats disguised as the author’s plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 2, 2021
I will write a longer review, later! 😘
Perhaps 😜
I need time to write it down everything.
But I want you to know, I love and enjoyed this series so much.
Plenty twist and surprises.
If you love Miss White’s books, go read this one too!
I have to let you know, this series story more complicated than her other series. It was combination of Dystopian, High Fantasy and SciFi or maybe Alternate Universe? Doesn’t really matter, all was good for me! 😘
The romance is rather thin, and is not the main thing for the story.
But I don’t care, their romance was there and I love these hero and heroine.
However there are different relationships in this book too, between heroine and her adopted family, and between she and her dragon. Those are wonderful to read too 😍
Ilith the dragon, is scary but hilarious 😜😆
Also the storyline is fantastic! 😍
❤️❤️❤️
Perhaps 😜
I need time to write it down everything.
But I want you to know, I love and enjoyed this series so much.
Plenty twist and surprises.
If you love Miss White’s books, go read this one too!
I have to let you know, this series story more complicated than her other series. It was combination of Dystopian, High Fantasy and SciFi or maybe Alternate Universe? Doesn’t really matter, all was good for me! 😘
The romance is rather thin, and is not the main thing for the story.
But I don’t care, their romance was there and I love these hero and heroine.
However there are different relationships in this book too, between heroine and her adopted family, and between she and her dragon. Those are wonderful to read too 😍
Ilith the dragon, is scary but hilarious 😜😆
Also the storyline is fantastic! 😍
❤️❤️❤️
July 12, 2021
TA White's long-running "Dragon Ridden Chronicles" takes a bow with this 5th, or 6th with the novella, installment, even though there is an overwhelming feeling that it could go on. We get answers aplenty, along with conclusions and a climax that almost glosses over the antagonist and dives at the real heart of the matter.
There are certain books that give you a villain, someone to aim your ire at - and then there are those that present an obvious target while playing the symphony of meaning softly in the background, one that weaves through the narrative and leaves you wondering at the subtle grayscale the final picture paints. This isn't a cut-and-dried evil vs. good theme - though there are some stark examples of that. Rather, this is a theme that teases at the heart of human nature and explores the actions of the 'creators' and those that fought them, and the ones left to pick up the pieces. It's a well-done question, one that could see several more books in this same world.
That said, it feels like we are saying goodbye to these characters, at least Tate and Ryu. It's an implied happily ever after, only lacking the 'the end' finale. If the series ends on this high note, it will be a satisfying conclusion, even though there are questions lingering. If she goes on.... well, the interplay between these characters more than welcomes that event and offers avenues to continue, even though this main plot has come to it's obvious conclusion.
Regardless of an ending or not, this book is a fantastic addition to a masterful series that entertains, thrills, and makes you wonder. Well written and colorfully done, this is one of the few collections I am willing to read again and again.
There are certain books that give you a villain, someone to aim your ire at - and then there are those that present an obvious target while playing the symphony of meaning softly in the background, one that weaves through the narrative and leaves you wondering at the subtle grayscale the final picture paints. This isn't a cut-and-dried evil vs. good theme - though there are some stark examples of that. Rather, this is a theme that teases at the heart of human nature and explores the actions of the 'creators' and those that fought them, and the ones left to pick up the pieces. It's a well-done question, one that could see several more books in this same world.
That said, it feels like we are saying goodbye to these characters, at least Tate and Ryu. It's an implied happily ever after, only lacking the 'the end' finale. If the series ends on this high note, it will be a satisfying conclusion, even though there are questions lingering. If she goes on.... well, the interplay between these characters more than welcomes that event and offers avenues to continue, even though this main plot has come to it's obvious conclusion.
Regardless of an ending or not, this book is a fantastic addition to a masterful series that entertains, thrills, and makes you wonder. Well written and colorfully done, this is one of the few collections I am willing to read again and again.
July 13, 2021
3.5 I liked this series, but I’m not sure what was going on…
January 28, 2022
4.5 And this is why I really like this author!
Yup, I love Tate.
And I love her friends.
And I definitely love dragons!
Anyway, getting back to this end of the series: did I tell you I love dragons and kick-ass characters and amazing plots and really fun worlds?
If you've never read anything from TA White, definitely give her a try. I'm not sure if this is her best series, but frankly, I haven't read something from her that I didn't really really enjoy.
So, if you're looking for badass main characters, well-written plots, and good world-building, give this author a try. She hasn't disappointed me yet!
Yup, I love Tate.
And I love her friends.
And I definitely love dragons!
Anyway, getting back to this end of the series: did I tell you I love dragons and kick-ass characters and amazing plots and really fun worlds?
If you've never read anything from TA White, definitely give her a try. I'm not sure if this is her best series, but frankly, I haven't read something from her that I didn't really really enjoy.
So, if you're looking for badass main characters, well-written plots, and good world-building, give this author a try. She hasn't disappointed me yet!
July 13, 2021
I couldn't have asked for a better ending to the series...although, I could really read more. There is just so much packed into this series that it feels complete but also open to new possibilities. I'm hoping that maybe it was a way for the author to keep her options open.
After finishing this series, I think back to the first book and can't believe that I didn't see the possibilities to come. I'm so glad I forged on and continued because I can see myself reading this series over an over. There was just so much adventure in each book the held me enthralled.
Tate is such a great heroine. I loved her more with each book I got to know of her. All the little glimpses into who she was and what she will become again make her a great heroine to root for.
All the side characters just added so much to the series. I would even love to see a few of them get their own book.
Once again, this author has managed to pull me into a world that was so epically created and made me want to explore it to it's fullest. I loved it!
After finishing this series, I think back to the first book and can't believe that I didn't see the possibilities to come. I'm so glad I forged on and continued because I can see myself reading this series over an over. There was just so much adventure in each book the held me enthralled.
Tate is such a great heroine. I loved her more with each book I got to know of her. All the little glimpses into who she was and what she will become again make her a great heroine to root for.
All the side characters just added so much to the series. I would even love to see a few of them get their own book.
Once again, this author has managed to pull me into a world that was so epically created and made me want to explore it to it's fullest. I loved it!
November 10, 2021
I should have known this author won't let me down. I read all her books except for this series because of the mixed reviews. Although, I have to admit I got invested in the story and characters in book 3 onwards because I was confused at first what was going on.
July 14, 2021
Series and Final Book Review
World Building - 4 stars
Romance - 2 stars
Plot - 3 stars
Character Development - 2 stars
The strength of this series is the world building. It carries the series enough that I kept reading it despite only really liking the first two books. I wanted to see what new history would be uncovered and how it would tie out. I can tell it was planned out. Scenes and ideas connected to create a whole picture at the end that let you know the author had a vision for this series. I've always enjoyed the way T.A. White incorporates space and space travel into her series, and the creativity over the types of creatures is generally very impressive. For these reasons alone, I'd recommend this series.
Unfortunately, I didn't like Tate (FMC) and really didn't like Ryu (MMC). Tate's history is fascinating, but she seems to be comprised mostly of snark and laziness. She's too lazy to have much in the way of goals, to face her past, to face her abilities, to think her way out of a problem. She's almost exclusively an impulsive, emotional reactor to events. This made it feel like her agency was subsumed. In reality, a lot of it was subsumed by males (Ryu, Jost, the Emperor, Thora, etc.). For someone who has the ability to lead, she does absolutely nothing with it. You can argue her lack of memory plays into this, but I think she had the ability but not the focus or willingness. Don't get me wrong, I don't need her to usurp the emperor and rule. But I do need her not to be a docile female follower of men. That stuck in my craw and really felt sexist in a lot of scenes. I found the whole bending the knee to the emperor kinda gross. She just did it because it was expected and she didn't want to bother not doing it. She justifies it as an exchange of legitimacy on both sides. I can see that, but frankly, she has dragon and her friends. She can stand on her own. Heck, she wants to. She just won't try to because reasons that sum up to her being lazy. I'm also not clear on how she was essentially a fighter previously and now she nearly dies in almost every fight scene and has to be rescued constantly. She's a walking disaster and again, it's due to a lack of focus. She loses the thread on an instinctual response frequently, and then is surprised when that enemy or danger pops back up as a problem paragraphs later because she "forgot" about it. It's how she gets stabbed in the 5th book, and at that point I just rolled my eyes because she's literally in a fight and the dragon slayer pulled her weapon out. But ok, let's ignore her right in front of you and go off in lala land and then be surprised when you have a sword in your chest. Of course. Why not?
Her relationship with Ryu was lackluster for me. He's manipulative and controlling, and that about sums him up other than he's got a dragon. She even admits in the final installment that she can't trust him completely, only her friends. And why would she? He's supporting that idiot Thaddeous's rule as the emperor despite the fact Thad mostly a political animal who will sacrifice anything to keep his power. Ryu's really good at treating Tate like a child and acting like he's better than her, but he contributes mostly roars, snide remarks, and the occassional declaration of lust/love that falls flat because it's buried in controlling ultimatums and demands. At least the romance builds slowly. They consummate in book 4 - don't get me started on why it's ok to get laid in the middle of a kidnapping instead of focusing on her actual problems - and again, why does she like him? He's an a**. Not even an interesting one.
The plot was decent. Mostly, I embraced the historical components and their relation to current events rather than the romantic plot points. The book could have been shortened; we spend a lot of time in Tate's head where she makes grand and obvious statements, pontificating on her point and why she's right. I could have done without that as I knew it or could infer it without having it laid out word for word. Paragraphs and paragraphs of this muddy the waters and then you have to look back to figure out where the conversation was left because you just went down a rabbit hole.
Secondary characters Night and Dewdrop were interesting, though they needed more development. They started sounding the same, and their dialogue was a rehash of dialogue in earlier books. The snark got annoying. As did the ridiculousness with Willa and Pax's behavior, and by extension Night, Dewdrop, and Tate's. Young at heart is fine, but do try to adult occasionally. Thank god for Ilith's humor.
Often, the dialogue fell flat and there were dramatic moments and statements that were just awkward and forced, making the story less believable especially in the romantic areas. There were tropes of a romance novel (smelled like thunderstorms) that just jarred. Dramatic popping into dragon form that was just silly, stuff like that. It pulled me out and made it seem less.
World Building - 4 stars
Romance - 2 stars
Plot - 3 stars
Character Development - 2 stars
The strength of this series is the world building. It carries the series enough that I kept reading it despite only really liking the first two books. I wanted to see what new history would be uncovered and how it would tie out. I can tell it was planned out. Scenes and ideas connected to create a whole picture at the end that let you know the author had a vision for this series. I've always enjoyed the way T.A. White incorporates space and space travel into her series, and the creativity over the types of creatures is generally very impressive. For these reasons alone, I'd recommend this series.
Unfortunately, I didn't like Tate (FMC) and really didn't like Ryu (MMC). Tate's history is fascinating, but she seems to be comprised mostly of snark and laziness. She's too lazy to have much in the way of goals, to face her past, to face her abilities, to think her way out of a problem. She's almost exclusively an impulsive, emotional reactor to events. This made it feel like her agency was subsumed. In reality, a lot of it was subsumed by males (Ryu, Jost, the Emperor, Thora, etc.). For someone who has the ability to lead, she does absolutely nothing with it. You can argue her lack of memory plays into this, but I think she had the ability but not the focus or willingness. Don't get me wrong, I don't need her to usurp the emperor and rule. But I do need her not to be a docile female follower of men. That stuck in my craw and really felt sexist in a lot of scenes. I found the whole bending the knee to the emperor kinda gross. She just did it because it was expected and she didn't want to bother not doing it. She justifies it as an exchange of legitimacy on both sides. I can see that, but frankly, she has dragon and her friends. She can stand on her own. Heck, she wants to. She just won't try to because reasons that sum up to her being lazy. I'm also not clear on how she was essentially a fighter previously and now she nearly dies in almost every fight scene and has to be rescued constantly. She's a walking disaster and again, it's due to a lack of focus. She loses the thread on an instinctual response frequently, and then is surprised when that enemy or danger pops back up as a problem paragraphs later because she "forgot" about it. It's how she gets stabbed in the 5th book, and at that point I just rolled my eyes because she's literally in a fight and the dragon slayer pulled her weapon out. But ok, let's ignore her right in front of you and go off in lala land and then be surprised when you have a sword in your chest. Of course. Why not?
Her relationship with Ryu was lackluster for me. He's manipulative and controlling, and that about sums him up other than he's got a dragon. She even admits in the final installment that she can't trust him completely, only her friends. And why would she? He's supporting that idiot Thaddeous's rule as the emperor despite the fact Thad mostly a political animal who will sacrifice anything to keep his power. Ryu's really good at treating Tate like a child and acting like he's better than her, but he contributes mostly roars, snide remarks, and the occassional declaration of lust/love that falls flat because it's buried in controlling ultimatums and demands. At least the romance builds slowly. They consummate in book 4 - don't get me started on why it's ok to get laid in the middle of a kidnapping instead of focusing on her actual problems - and again, why does she like him? He's an a**. Not even an interesting one.
The plot was decent. Mostly, I embraced the historical components and their relation to current events rather than the romantic plot points. The book could have been shortened; we spend a lot of time in Tate's head where she makes grand and obvious statements, pontificating on her point and why she's right. I could have done without that as I knew it or could infer it without having it laid out word for word. Paragraphs and paragraphs of this muddy the waters and then you have to look back to figure out where the conversation was left because you just went down a rabbit hole.
Secondary characters Night and Dewdrop were interesting, though they needed more development. They started sounding the same, and their dialogue was a rehash of dialogue in earlier books. The snark got annoying. As did the ridiculousness with Willa and Pax's behavior, and by extension Night, Dewdrop, and Tate's. Young at heart is fine, but do try to adult occasionally. Thank god for Ilith's humor.
Often, the dialogue fell flat and there were dramatic moments and statements that were just awkward and forced, making the story less believable especially in the romantic areas. There were tropes of a romance novel (smelled like thunderstorms) that just jarred. Dramatic popping into dragon form that was just silly, stuff like that. It pulled me out and made it seem less.
August 1, 2021
This is a difficult review for me to write because for the most part I love the writing of T.A.White. Unfortunately, Where Dragons Collide” is my least favorite in the Dragon Ridden Chronicles. This is the last book in the series; so, for the most part you might think it would be the best. Yet, after the first few chapters the read ventured down a long winded road of endless commentaries and facts that left me setting down the book repeatedly. Then about 67% in the excitement picked up again.
There is a new dragon slayer in town by the name of George. Funny thing is she has never killed a dragon but she is itching to get the chance. George and Tate exude hostility immediately and as a reader you know that there will be an epic butt kicking down the road.
Tate is ordered to attend a coming out party so to speak where the emperor plans to announce her to the court. There is not ounce of civility among this crowd, just a bunch of opportunist and enemies disguised in sheep’s clothing. While wading through the shark infested waters, a fire erupts and all hell breaks loose. Tate spots Peter and gives chase.
After losing her prey, the emperor summons Tate to help him investigate the strange murder. Very quickly it becomes apparent what actually killed the victim.
Honestly, from this point in the read it felt like blah, blah, blah until we were 67% in. Then the action, excitement, drama and intrigue that made this series so endearing to me reappeared. There are moments where I was on the edge of my seat and the future of our heroine and he dragon love were in jeopardy but the outcome left me breathless.
The author has stated that this is the end for these characters for now but I for one would like to see a novella or two featuring the Cubs, Roslyn and even Dewdrop. There are definitely more stories that can be told. I just hope it will happen.
There is a new dragon slayer in town by the name of George. Funny thing is she has never killed a dragon but she is itching to get the chance. George and Tate exude hostility immediately and as a reader you know that there will be an epic butt kicking down the road.
Tate is ordered to attend a coming out party so to speak where the emperor plans to announce her to the court. There is not ounce of civility among this crowd, just a bunch of opportunist and enemies disguised in sheep’s clothing. While wading through the shark infested waters, a fire erupts and all hell breaks loose. Tate spots Peter and gives chase.
After losing her prey, the emperor summons Tate to help him investigate the strange murder. Very quickly it becomes apparent what actually killed the victim.
Honestly, from this point in the read it felt like blah, blah, blah until we were 67% in. Then the action, excitement, drama and intrigue that made this series so endearing to me reappeared. There are moments where I was on the edge of my seat and the future of our heroine and he dragon love were in jeopardy but the outcome left me breathless.
The author has stated that this is the end for these characters for now but I for one would like to see a novella or two featuring the Cubs, Roslyn and even Dewdrop. There are definitely more stories that can be told. I just hope it will happen.
April 24, 2025
3.5 - a bit of an anticlimactic ending, i was hoping for something more epic
buuuuutttttt….TA White has managed to make me read her entire backlog, and for that she deserves a standing ovation
buuuuutttttt….TA White has managed to make me read her entire backlog, and for that she deserves a standing ovation
July 12, 2021
I am a HUGE fan of T.A. White. This was a great ending to the series. I also liked that she left it open for Roslyn to have her own spinoff.
I loved that I got to see how Tate and Ryu's relationship progressed and how Ryu fit into Tate's little family.
I loved that we got to see the things we predicted and the relationships we shipped all come together. We also got some awesome twists that I wasn't expecting.
The only thing I was disappointed about was Jost and crew weren't in this book. I'm really hoping that we get a spinoff with Roslyn and Blade, and that will involve Jost. Or at least we get a novella about Jost so we can see if he ever kills the man he has been hunting.
I loved this book. I'm sad that the story is over, but I'm excited to re-read the story knowing all the things that I know now with the ending twists.
As always, great work T.A. White.
I loved that I got to see how Tate and Ryu's relationship progressed and how Ryu fit into Tate's little family.
I loved that we got to see the things we predicted and the relationships we shipped all come together. We also got some awesome twists that I wasn't expecting.
The only thing I was disappointed about was Jost and crew weren't in this book. I'm really hoping that we get a spinoff with Roslyn and Blade, and that will involve Jost. Or at least we get a novella about Jost so we can see if he ever kills the man he has been hunting.
I loved this book. I'm sad that the story is over, but I'm excited to re-read the story knowing all the things that I know now with the ending twists.
As always, great work T.A. White.
February 4, 2022
Well then, that’s this series finished (probably). This one felt a tad all over the place, and that ending was pretty anti climactic. It certainly didn’t feel like an end.
My thoughts on this whole series in general: I really really liked it to begin with but as the books progressed, there was never a clear sign as to where the story was going, it did not feel as though it was planned well. This had so much potential and I’m feeling a little let down that it didn’t hold up. I feel as though there are still a lot of unanswered questions and things to be resolved. Even still, I did enjoy myself with this story, I just wished for more. If any more books do get released for this series, I don’t unfortunately think I can see myself reading the,.
My thoughts on this whole series in general: I really really liked it to begin with but as the books progressed, there was never a clear sign as to where the story was going, it did not feel as though it was planned well. This had so much potential and I’m feeling a little let down that it didn’t hold up. I feel as though there are still a lot of unanswered questions and things to be resolved. Even still, I did enjoy myself with this story, I just wished for more. If any more books do get released for this series, I don’t unfortunately think I can see myself reading the,.
July 30, 2021
4 1/2 stars
Where Dragons Collide provided a satisfying ending to the events that have spanned across the 5 books in the Dragon Ridden Chronicles. The author has left it open to maybe add more to this series in the future, but at least book 5 had a conclusion that doesn’t leave you waiting/needing more!
I would definitely read more on these characters - Tate & the small family she found and came to love, & Ilith - who added a lot of humour to the storyline with her stubborn and majestic personality:)
Where Dragons Collide provided a satisfying ending to the events that have spanned across the 5 books in the Dragon Ridden Chronicles. The author has left it open to maybe add more to this series in the future, but at least book 5 had a conclusion that doesn’t leave you waiting/needing more!
I would definitely read more on these characters - Tate & the small family she found and came to love, & Ilith - who added a lot of humour to the storyline with her stubborn and majestic personality:)
June 20, 2022
Great ending
4.5 star listen, quite a bit happens in order to wrap up this series in this one.
Loved the fmc, mmc and side characters, we see all our favourites again and liked throughout the series seeing every one of them develop as characters.
Not my favourite series of ta white but definitely not Roth the listen or if your a reader worth the read.
Great author
Great narrator
Great world building and great characters
4.5 star listen, quite a bit happens in order to wrap up this series in this one.
Loved the fmc, mmc and side characters, we see all our favourites again and liked throughout the series seeing every one of them develop as characters.
Not my favourite series of ta white but definitely not Roth the listen or if your a reader worth the read.
Great author
Great narrator
Great world building and great characters
July 21, 2023
I really love White and her books, and I truly enjoyed this series. The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because the end felt a bit rushed to me. It seemed like I only had a fourth of the book left and the characters hadn’t even gotten to the the peak of their plight. Despite that, I can’t say enough good things about this book and the series as a whole. Definitely recommended!
July 21, 2021
Throughly enjoyed this series even though the need for more depth in understanding plagued each book right up to the end. It’s bi-polar love for me, I tell ya! But love just the same.
October 25, 2022
3.5 stars
March 9, 2023
3.5 stars! I enjoyed this series! Good characters!
April 6, 2024
What do I do with my life now that this is over 😪 😫
July 16, 2021
I’m a huge TA White fan so it’s no surprise that I loved this story! And I’m super happy she hasn’t fully closed the door on future stories in this world… Fingers crossed we’ll get more someday.
August 23, 2021
Reading this book was one of the most annoying exercises in frustration and disappointment.
(There are bound to be spoilers in my review, so it’s up to you to read on or not.)
My biggest problem with T. A. White, is her pacing, or lack thereof. It happens regularly, for example, during a critical moment a character asks a question, and we have to read three, sometimes four pages of back story, flash backs, inner monologues and thought processes of either or both people, before we get to the answer, which is usually one sentence!!! By that point you cease to care and when it keeps happening, as a reader it takes it toll on your engagement with the story. She spends pages and pages and sometimes entire chapters expanding on things that are of very little or no interest, and have nothing to do with driving the plot forward, or even developing the world or characters better. In “dragons collide”, I can easily delete 700 pages of the 850+ plus pages of the book, and still you wouldn’t lose anything from the story. And the pacing would improve, the dramatic effect of the plot would be enhanced, and perhaps there would be more room for light to be shed on other questions we may find of more interest than the annoying antics of a very sloppily developed dragon which belongs in pre-school children’s cartoons rather than an adult fantasy novel.
I’d recently read her firebird trilogy with bated breath and Aileen summers was pretty good too, so it was with a great deal of anticipation that I set about reading this one, I first reread the other four books in the trilogy and even though they weren’t perfect, after having read her other books, I had high hopes for this one.
The trajectory of the world, the characters, and the story has completely twisted over the five books, sometimes the cut and paste and delete of the paragraphs is so shoddily done that the text doesn’t make any sense, I’d wanted to make a point of taking note of them but it was just too much work for reading a fantasy novel. In the first book we are introduced to the heroine who is part of a pirate crew, with a mysterious past, who gets entangled in the inner workings of the port-city’s underworld and gang politics, intersecting with conspiracies involving the entire empire. Little by little we are shown that the heroine isn’t what she seems at first glance, as the book advances she makes friends and gains allies and the respect of her enemies even, until her inner power, or her dragon manifests, it takes a couple more books before her relationship with the love interests develops into something more, at the same time we are dealing with ancient mysteries and relics of a past and a people she actually is a part of, which seem to be more advanced than the present world she’s living in, but something just doesn’t mesh. I’d been looking forward to the fifth book, because I couldn’t wait for her to finally come in to her own, but instead of using the expanse of the page to get things resolved in a satisfying way, everything came to a dead end, even the villains fell short. Falling short is a very apt way to describe this last book and i can’t help but feel she should change her editor.
There’s a scene where she stops her love interest from killing the villain because she wants the villain to suffer, when someone else gives the death blow to the villain in the next instant.
There is a lot of hand wrenching and posturing about not killing her blood thirsty enemies who have ruin and destruction of entire countries on their mind, at the end of one of the books we learn that the avatars have evolved on their own and are no longer adhering to the codings of their creator, who used to be the heroine’s lover several thousand years ago, that was actually one of the points I wished to be expanded in this book, but it was barely touched upon.
The heroine’s dragon is so annoying, the inner workings of her mind remind one of a petulant and idiotic, underdeveloped child instead of a being who has lived for several millennia.
Filler. This book was filler, and it was awful and such a let down for this series. It could have elevated the whole series, instead it broke it for me. I hope she refrains from doing the same to the Firebird series which has become one of my all time favourite stories. I had such high hopes for the continuation of those books whereas now, I’m pretty worried.
(There are bound to be spoilers in my review, so it’s up to you to read on or not.)
My biggest problem with T. A. White, is her pacing, or lack thereof. It happens regularly, for example, during a critical moment a character asks a question, and we have to read three, sometimes four pages of back story, flash backs, inner monologues and thought processes of either or both people, before we get to the answer, which is usually one sentence!!! By that point you cease to care and when it keeps happening, as a reader it takes it toll on your engagement with the story. She spends pages and pages and sometimes entire chapters expanding on things that are of very little or no interest, and have nothing to do with driving the plot forward, or even developing the world or characters better. In “dragons collide”, I can easily delete 700 pages of the 850+ plus pages of the book, and still you wouldn’t lose anything from the story. And the pacing would improve, the dramatic effect of the plot would be enhanced, and perhaps there would be more room for light to be shed on other questions we may find of more interest than the annoying antics of a very sloppily developed dragon which belongs in pre-school children’s cartoons rather than an adult fantasy novel.
I’d recently read her firebird trilogy with bated breath and Aileen summers was pretty good too, so it was with a great deal of anticipation that I set about reading this one, I first reread the other four books in the trilogy and even though they weren’t perfect, after having read her other books, I had high hopes for this one.
The trajectory of the world, the characters, and the story has completely twisted over the five books, sometimes the cut and paste and delete of the paragraphs is so shoddily done that the text doesn’t make any sense, I’d wanted to make a point of taking note of them but it was just too much work for reading a fantasy novel. In the first book we are introduced to the heroine who is part of a pirate crew, with a mysterious past, who gets entangled in the inner workings of the port-city’s underworld and gang politics, intersecting with conspiracies involving the entire empire. Little by little we are shown that the heroine isn’t what she seems at first glance, as the book advances she makes friends and gains allies and the respect of her enemies even, until her inner power, or her dragon manifests, it takes a couple more books before her relationship with the love interests develops into something more, at the same time we are dealing with ancient mysteries and relics of a past and a people she actually is a part of, which seem to be more advanced than the present world she’s living in, but something just doesn’t mesh. I’d been looking forward to the fifth book, because I couldn’t wait for her to finally come in to her own, but instead of using the expanse of the page to get things resolved in a satisfying way, everything came to a dead end, even the villains fell short. Falling short is a very apt way to describe this last book and i can’t help but feel she should change her editor.
There’s a scene where she stops her love interest from killing the villain because she wants the villain to suffer, when someone else gives the death blow to the villain in the next instant.
There is a lot of hand wrenching and posturing about not killing her blood thirsty enemies who have ruin and destruction of entire countries on their mind, at the end of one of the books we learn that the avatars have evolved on their own and are no longer adhering to the codings of their creator, who used to be the heroine’s lover several thousand years ago, that was actually one of the points I wished to be expanded in this book, but it was barely touched upon.
The heroine’s dragon is so annoying, the inner workings of her mind remind one of a petulant and idiotic, underdeveloped child instead of a being who has lived for several millennia.
Filler. This book was filler, and it was awful and such a let down for this series. It could have elevated the whole series, instead it broke it for me. I hope she refrains from doing the same to the Firebird series which has become one of my all time favourite stories. I had such high hopes for the continuation of those books whereas now, I’m pretty worried.
July 23, 2022
‘Where Dragons Collide’ is a book that raises a lot of conflicting feelings for me. Love the author – check. Love the main character – check. Love her pseudo family – check. However! Dislike the love interest – check. Too many loose ends – check. Bad guy that didn’t seem bad enough – check. It was a book with so much potential that all just fizzled out in the end. I enjoyed the read, but it also left me frustrated that nothing felt like it was coming together until about 80% through the novel. Even then it left so many open plotlines from the previous books unanswered that I was pulling my hair out. We do get some resolution, but to me it just didn’t read like it was the last book in the series.
After the events of Book 4, ‘Secrets Bound By Sand’, and the revelations around Nathan and his history with Tate as well as what the avatar of Jaxon Kuno shared, I expected to see Tate and her friends training or out looking for potential threats. Instead, we open with the group playing a game with the rescued dragonlettes as if they don’t have a care in the world. The game does turn a little rowdy with Blaise’s dragon and Ilith devolving into a fight and destroying the garden. However, they have to abruptly stop with the entrance of Ben, the Lord Provost Guard who helped in Book 3, ‘Destruction's Ascent’, and Georgiana ‘George’ Rosewood, the Dragon Slayer… even though she has never killed a dragon. George is someone who never met a rule she didn’t follow, she is rigid and inflexible, seeing the world in black and white. Of course, Tate and George loathe each other given their diverse personalities.
Ben and George tell Tate that she has summoned by the Emperor who believes it is time for her to be presented to court, an event, much to Tate’s annoyance, that she can’t avoid.
‘A formal debut was inevitable. Not only would it quell gossip and put a stop to any plans to recruit her, it would show her as firmly being under the emperor’s authority – even if that last part was nothing but an illusion,
Tate would play the game. She had no reason not to. Aurelia was her home and the emperor its ruler. As long as he didn’t cross her bottom line or pose a danger to her small, makeshift family, she’d act in his interests.’
Of course, as with any event that Tate is involved with, things do not go to plan and the evening is bought to a standstill when the palace is attacked. After chasing the suspected perpetrator through the upper and lower sections of Aurelia, Tate head’s back to the palace where she discovers that that attack was merely a distraction. The perpetrators have entered the rift, the place where dragons come from, even though their true purpose in doing so remains unclear.
The majority of the book follows Tate as she tries to unravel who is behind the attack and what they are trying to achieve. There is a lot of time spent talking to different people and the pacing suffered as a result. Whilst I still enjoyed having Tate as the main character, the actions she took seemed not to reflect the dire nature of the danger to the city. It was almost as if she were a little too relaxed about everything until the very last minute. We also do not get to fill in all the gaps in her backstory even though this is the last book in the series according to the author. I don’t mind a little bit of mystery around characters, but the information doled out to the reader was just a bit too all over the place.
I still loved Dewdrop and Night and hope that in the future we will get to hear more about them. They really are a family, fighting over food, playing pranks, teasing each other, and loyally standing by one another no matter the odds. Night has some pretty large developments in the book, and I am interested to see if they will be expanded upon in the future. Roslyn continues to support the group and develop as a character. I liked seeing her interaction with others and learning to stand up for herself. I wish that they had included Roslyn into their pseudo-family a bit more, as I think it would be an interesting dynamic between everyone. We get to see a few of our other favourites, although more Blade would have been better. I did not like the development of Thora and think that it was a wasted opportunity.
There were several new characters in the book and honestly, we just didn’t have time to connect with them. Some were very intriguing, Tyne and Archie, and really deserved more time to flesh out. Whilst others offered nothing apart from background fodder. The world-building also continued even though we didn’t venture outside of Aurelia. However, other elements that were introduced over the course of the books were almost ignored – the Kairi for example, and I still have questions from Book 1 unanswered – what ever happened to the key? Also, why change the name of Daisy's dragon from Lake in Book 3 to Skye without an explanation?
Tate and Ryu are still a couple, and we get some sexy times between the two. I still don’t like Ryu and find their relationship uninteresting. He is controlling and manipulative. Treating Tate like a child rather than helping her when he knows she has amnesia due to her centuries as a ‘Sleeper’. I get she is attracted to him, but what is the foundation of their relationship? Where is the trust and loyalty to help cement them together when times get tough? He says he loved her from when he first met her on Jost’s ship… then why treat her so horribly and continuously put her into dangerous situations without giving her all the information? Sorry Ryu, but you’re a no for me.
Overall, I enjoyed reading ‘Where Dragons Collide’ as I think T.A. White is a phenomenal author. However, I am not too sure she planned out these books past book 2. There are too many loose ends and forgotten plot points to make this a 5 out of 5 stars book for me. The series is a bit lacklustre given T.A. White’s other works so I wouldn’t start with these ones if you haven’t read her before. Instead, I recommend The Firebird Chronicles which is simply excellent. However, if you have read and enjoyed the other books in the series or anything else that the author has written, you will likely enjoy ‘Where Dragons Collide’. If you are new to the Dragon Ridden Chronicles or T.A. White but like fantasy adventure with a sprinkling of tech, magic, mystery and romance, then I recommend the series. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we get more stories from this world to help close out some of the open ends.
4 out of 5 stars!
‘Where Dragons Collide’ is the fifth, and currently final, book in the Dragon Ridden Chronicles by T.A. White. As of July 2022, the series consist of:
Book 0.5: Shifting Seas (Prequel written from Jost’s POV)
Book 1: Dragon-Ridden
Book 2: Of Bone and Ruin
Book 3: Destruction's Ascent
Book 4: Secrets Bound By Sand
Book 5: Where Dragons Collide
After the events of Book 4, ‘Secrets Bound By Sand’, and the revelations around Nathan and his history with Tate as well as what the avatar of Jaxon Kuno shared, I expected to see Tate and her friends training or out looking for potential threats. Instead, we open with the group playing a game with the rescued dragonlettes as if they don’t have a care in the world. The game does turn a little rowdy with Blaise’s dragon and Ilith devolving into a fight and destroying the garden. However, they have to abruptly stop with the entrance of Ben, the Lord Provost Guard who helped in Book 3, ‘Destruction's Ascent’, and Georgiana ‘George’ Rosewood, the Dragon Slayer… even though she has never killed a dragon. George is someone who never met a rule she didn’t follow, she is rigid and inflexible, seeing the world in black and white. Of course, Tate and George loathe each other given their diverse personalities.
Ben and George tell Tate that she has summoned by the Emperor who believes it is time for her to be presented to court, an event, much to Tate’s annoyance, that she can’t avoid.
‘A formal debut was inevitable. Not only would it quell gossip and put a stop to any plans to recruit her, it would show her as firmly being under the emperor’s authority – even if that last part was nothing but an illusion,
Tate would play the game. She had no reason not to. Aurelia was her home and the emperor its ruler. As long as he didn’t cross her bottom line or pose a danger to her small, makeshift family, she’d act in his interests.’
Of course, as with any event that Tate is involved with, things do not go to plan and the evening is bought to a standstill when the palace is attacked. After chasing the suspected perpetrator through the upper and lower sections of Aurelia, Tate head’s back to the palace where she discovers that that attack was merely a distraction. The perpetrators have entered the rift, the place where dragons come from, even though their true purpose in doing so remains unclear.
The majority of the book follows Tate as she tries to unravel who is behind the attack and what they are trying to achieve. There is a lot of time spent talking to different people and the pacing suffered as a result. Whilst I still enjoyed having Tate as the main character, the actions she took seemed not to reflect the dire nature of the danger to the city. It was almost as if she were a little too relaxed about everything until the very last minute. We also do not get to fill in all the gaps in her backstory even though this is the last book in the series according to the author. I don’t mind a little bit of mystery around characters, but the information doled out to the reader was just a bit too all over the place.
I still loved Dewdrop and Night and hope that in the future we will get to hear more about them. They really are a family, fighting over food, playing pranks, teasing each other, and loyally standing by one another no matter the odds. Night has some pretty large developments in the book, and I am interested to see if they will be expanded upon in the future. Roslyn continues to support the group and develop as a character. I liked seeing her interaction with others and learning to stand up for herself. I wish that they had included Roslyn into their pseudo-family a bit more, as I think it would be an interesting dynamic between everyone. We get to see a few of our other favourites, although more Blade would have been better. I did not like the development of Thora and think that it was a wasted opportunity.
There were several new characters in the book and honestly, we just didn’t have time to connect with them. Some were very intriguing, Tyne and Archie, and really deserved more time to flesh out. Whilst others offered nothing apart from background fodder. The world-building also continued even though we didn’t venture outside of Aurelia. However, other elements that were introduced over the course of the books were almost ignored – the Kairi for example, and I still have questions from Book 1 unanswered – what ever happened to the key? Also, why change the name of Daisy's dragon from Lake in Book 3 to Skye without an explanation?
Tate and Ryu are still a couple, and we get some sexy times between the two. I still don’t like Ryu and find their relationship uninteresting. He is controlling and manipulative. Treating Tate like a child rather than helping her when he knows she has amnesia due to her centuries as a ‘Sleeper’. I get she is attracted to him, but what is the foundation of their relationship? Where is the trust and loyalty to help cement them together when times get tough? He says he loved her from when he first met her on Jost’s ship… then why treat her so horribly and continuously put her into dangerous situations without giving her all the information? Sorry Ryu, but you’re a no for me.
Overall, I enjoyed reading ‘Where Dragons Collide’ as I think T.A. White is a phenomenal author. However, I am not too sure she planned out these books past book 2. There are too many loose ends and forgotten plot points to make this a 5 out of 5 stars book for me. The series is a bit lacklustre given T.A. White’s other works so I wouldn’t start with these ones if you haven’t read her before. Instead, I recommend The Firebird Chronicles which is simply excellent. However, if you have read and enjoyed the other books in the series or anything else that the author has written, you will likely enjoy ‘Where Dragons Collide’. If you are new to the Dragon Ridden Chronicles or T.A. White but like fantasy adventure with a sprinkling of tech, magic, mystery and romance, then I recommend the series. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we get more stories from this world to help close out some of the open ends.
4 out of 5 stars!
‘Where Dragons Collide’ is the fifth, and currently final, book in the Dragon Ridden Chronicles by T.A. White. As of July 2022, the series consist of:
Book 0.5: Shifting Seas (Prequel written from Jost’s POV)
Book 1: Dragon-Ridden
Book 2: Of Bone and Ruin
Book 3: Destruction's Ascent
Book 4: Secrets Bound By Sand
Book 5: Where Dragons Collide
December 10, 2022
World Bulding: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character Development: ⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Romance: ⭐️
Ease of Reading: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall Series Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️
This series was difficult for me to rate. I liked and disliked many aspects.
What I Liked:
- I am a huge fan of the author's voice. T.A. White's writing style is usually quite captivating, creating worlds with amazing characters and tons of action. I did find myself having a harder time following this particular series, but overall the writing style still held for me. I did find a few grammatical errors (okay, much more than a few), and certain words and phrases are a bit too repetitive. However, I was still enthralled so that's a win for me.
- The characters were great, especially the side characters. I faulted their development but enjoyed their overall presence. Lots of fun dynamics.
- The world building was the biggest strength in this series. As I have stated, the author is excellent at creating a describing new worlds that really pulls the reader in.
What I Disliked:
- I hated the romance. It felt forced and a bit rushed. Ryu went from being a manipulative bastard to head-over-heels in love. Tate went from cautious and untrusting to accepting and loving. Both happened with very little development and a little too surface level. I think the book would have been better without it.
- The plot took a few turns that made little sense. It felt to me like the author started the series, didn't really have a plan, and then just kind of winged it. Some of the characters got a little left behind, while others seemed to take a complete 180 in personality without explanation in order to fit with the continuing story. I still have multiple questions with no answers, which is never how I want to end a series.
Overall, I finished all five books, so I liked it enough and was invested enough to continue. I did leave feeling not completely satisfied, but satisfied enough to say that particular story is finished.
Character Development: ⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Romance: ⭐️
Ease of Reading: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall Series Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️
This series was difficult for me to rate. I liked and disliked many aspects.
What I Liked:
- I am a huge fan of the author's voice. T.A. White's writing style is usually quite captivating, creating worlds with amazing characters and tons of action. I did find myself having a harder time following this particular series, but overall the writing style still held for me. I did find a few grammatical errors (okay, much more than a few), and certain words and phrases are a bit too repetitive. However, I was still enthralled so that's a win for me.
- The characters were great, especially the side characters. I faulted their development but enjoyed their overall presence. Lots of fun dynamics.
- The world building was the biggest strength in this series. As I have stated, the author is excellent at creating a describing new worlds that really pulls the reader in.
What I Disliked:
- I hated the romance. It felt forced and a bit rushed. Ryu went from being a manipulative bastard to head-over-heels in love. Tate went from cautious and untrusting to accepting and loving. Both happened with very little development and a little too surface level. I think the book would have been better without it.
- The plot took a few turns that made little sense. It felt to me like the author started the series, didn't really have a plan, and then just kind of winged it. Some of the characters got a little left behind, while others seemed to take a complete 180 in personality without explanation in order to fit with the continuing story. I still have multiple questions with no answers, which is never how I want to end a series.
Overall, I finished all five books, so I liked it enough and was invested enough to continue. I did leave feeling not completely satisfied, but satisfied enough to say that particular story is finished.
January 12, 2026
It was entertaining.
July 22, 2025
2 stars — the plot ends, the series doesn’t, and I’m still here wondering why.
This book was supposed to be the grand finale. The culmination of four books worth of secrets, battles, cryptic visions, dragon politics, and emotional trauma. Instead, we got... a poof. A light scuffle. Some dramatic squinting. And then it was over.
🐉 The Final Battle That Wasn’t
We spent four books building toward this showdown. T.A. White planted clues, hinted at ancient forces, built tension with all the care of a slow-burn candle — and then someone sneezed and blew it all out.
There’s no epic confrontation. No clever strategy. No unleashing of all the magic Tate's been not learning this entire time. Just a bit of a tumble, a moment of “oh no,” and then suddenly — victory.
I kept flipping the pages thinking, “This can’t be it.”
But it was.
🐲 Ilith, Dewdrop, Night, and the Twins: Still Carrying This Entire Series
Let’s be honest: if this series has any redeeming value, it lives and breathes in these four characters.
Ilith is the only creature with a brain and zero tolerance for nonsense.
Dewdrop is a fierce, loyal teen who deserved a better-written story.
Night continues to be the only adult in the room.
The twins are chaotic gremlins and I would die for them.
Everyone else? Forgettable. Including the heroine.
👑 Who Even Is the Emperor?
Apparently, he’s all-powerful. Untouchable. Godlike.
Cool, cool.
But also... why?
Where did he come from? What is he, really? How does he fit into the world’s hierarchy? No answers. Just vibes.
🔁 Repeat After Me: We Know Who the Characters Are
We are five books in.
We know what a dragon-ridden is.
We know who the characters are.
Please stop writing entire pages reintroducing them like we didn’t just survive four novels with them. If someone wants to read Book 5 as a standalone — that’s on them. Don’t punish the rest of us.
💎 The Mysterious Shiny Rock (Still Unexplained)
This precious stone Tate left with her friend before her centuries-long nap?
Still no idea what it does.
Still no payoff.
Still mentioned like we should care — and I would, if it ever did something.
⏳ Immortality Questions? Never Heard of Her.
So… Tate is immortal. She doesn’t age. Can’t die.
What happens to Dewdrop? Night? The twins?
Are we just supposed to believe she’ll sit back and watch them age and die like it’s a bittersweet Pixar montage?
What happens to children bonded to dragons — are they frozen in time forever? Do they stay mentally five while their dragon is a thousand-year-old rage machine?
And Ryu — is he just moving in now? What does mating even mean in this universe? Can they have kids? Born dragon-ridden? What’s the cost of this bond? Why do we still not know?!
📚 Unanswered Questions & An Open Ending That Feels Like a Cash Grab
This book was published in 2021. It’s now 2025. No sign of a sequel. No confirmation of more books. Just an open-ended wrap-up that feels like a safety net in case the author wants to revisit this world and squeeze another book out of it.
And maybe that’s the problem.
T.A. White is juggling multiple series, and it shows.
Instead of giving us one tightly written, well-developed arc, she’s scattered her focus across three worlds, each one feeling thinner than the last. This could’ve been so much more. But it reads like something she had to finish, not something she loved to write.
🚫 I Don’t Recommend This Series
I don’t get the five-star reviews. I really don’t.
Yes, Firebird Chronicles was nearly perfect.
Yes, the final Aileen Travers books showed real brilliance.
But this?
This was a disappointment.
The first book had promise. Everything after? Frustrating, repetitive, and full of missed opportunities.
Unless you’re here for Ilith and Dewdrop (and I wouldn’t blame you), save yourself the time. There are better dragon series out there. This one lost its fire a long time ago.
This book was supposed to be the grand finale. The culmination of four books worth of secrets, battles, cryptic visions, dragon politics, and emotional trauma. Instead, we got... a poof. A light scuffle. Some dramatic squinting. And then it was over.
🐉 The Final Battle That Wasn’t
We spent four books building toward this showdown. T.A. White planted clues, hinted at ancient forces, built tension with all the care of a slow-burn candle — and then someone sneezed and blew it all out.
There’s no epic confrontation. No clever strategy. No unleashing of all the magic Tate's been not learning this entire time. Just a bit of a tumble, a moment of “oh no,” and then suddenly — victory.
I kept flipping the pages thinking, “This can’t be it.”
But it was.
🐲 Ilith, Dewdrop, Night, and the Twins: Still Carrying This Entire Series
Let’s be honest: if this series has any redeeming value, it lives and breathes in these four characters.
Ilith is the only creature with a brain and zero tolerance for nonsense.
Dewdrop is a fierce, loyal teen who deserved a better-written story.
Night continues to be the only adult in the room.
The twins are chaotic gremlins and I would die for them.
Everyone else? Forgettable. Including the heroine.
👑 Who Even Is the Emperor?
Apparently, he’s all-powerful. Untouchable. Godlike.
Cool, cool.
But also... why?
Where did he come from? What is he, really? How does he fit into the world’s hierarchy? No answers. Just vibes.
🔁 Repeat After Me: We Know Who the Characters Are
We are five books in.
We know what a dragon-ridden is.
We know who the characters are.
Please stop writing entire pages reintroducing them like we didn’t just survive four novels with them. If someone wants to read Book 5 as a standalone — that’s on them. Don’t punish the rest of us.
💎 The Mysterious Shiny Rock (Still Unexplained)
This precious stone Tate left with her friend before her centuries-long nap?
Still no idea what it does.
Still no payoff.
Still mentioned like we should care — and I would, if it ever did something.
⏳ Immortality Questions? Never Heard of Her.
So… Tate is immortal. She doesn’t age. Can’t die.
What happens to Dewdrop? Night? The twins?
Are we just supposed to believe she’ll sit back and watch them age and die like it’s a bittersweet Pixar montage?
What happens to children bonded to dragons — are they frozen in time forever? Do they stay mentally five while their dragon is a thousand-year-old rage machine?
And Ryu — is he just moving in now? What does mating even mean in this universe? Can they have kids? Born dragon-ridden? What’s the cost of this bond? Why do we still not know?!
📚 Unanswered Questions & An Open Ending That Feels Like a Cash Grab
This book was published in 2021. It’s now 2025. No sign of a sequel. No confirmation of more books. Just an open-ended wrap-up that feels like a safety net in case the author wants to revisit this world and squeeze another book out of it.
And maybe that’s the problem.
T.A. White is juggling multiple series, and it shows.
Instead of giving us one tightly written, well-developed arc, she’s scattered her focus across three worlds, each one feeling thinner than the last. This could’ve been so much more. But it reads like something she had to finish, not something she loved to write.
🚫 I Don’t Recommend This Series
I don’t get the five-star reviews. I really don’t.
Yes, Firebird Chronicles was nearly perfect.
Yes, the final Aileen Travers books showed real brilliance.
But this?
This was a disappointment.
The first book had promise. Everything after? Frustrating, repetitive, and full of missed opportunities.
Unless you’re here for Ilith and Dewdrop (and I wouldn’t blame you), save yourself the time. There are better dragon series out there. This one lost its fire a long time ago.
May 29, 2023
I listed to all 5 of these audiobooks back-to-back during a particularly mindless work project (and about 10 others in other series by this author - it was a very long project!) I had stumbled on this author at someone's recommendation (thank you Goodreads!) and listened to all of another of her series, so I gave the others a chance. Glad I did.
First off: All of Ms. White's heroines have the same personality at their core. If you like one, you will like them all. Secondly: Most of her audiobooks are voiced by the same actor, so there's a lot of overlap in voices from one series to another. This is only confusing if you binge through them like I did. Thirdly: All the series follow the standard urban fantasy trope of a snarky, gifted woman with a heart of gold who collects a family of her own making. And there's always a powerful man who pursues her romantically and eventually helps her shine. If you are good with those, you will probably like these books.
Book One: This series opens with a woman, found abandoned and feral on a deserted island with no memory and a moving dragon tattoo, leaving the pirate ship that rescued her to live in the capital city of the realm. There's something a bit uncanny about her - learning with unbelievable speed- and she's pressured to leave by some of the more unsavory crewmen.
On a lark, she foils a theft by some street urchins, because she's fascinated by the race of their target - a noblewoman who seems part sea creature, apparently. She's never seen the like. This act of kindness does not go unpunished, bringing her to the attention of the kings of the underground. While at their mercy, she breaks out, bringing a sapient large cat (think panther) with her, and adopting one of the street urchins as her sidekick. She's also tortured. Eventually, she turns into a dragon and eats some of the bad guys.
Book Two: So it turns out she's the only female dragon ridden, ever. And all dragon ridden are required to be in the service of the crown. She's assigned to a dragon for supervision and sent to magic school while she adjusts to her new reality, but not given a job that pays. She's got 4 dependents to house and feed, so she and the 2 older dependents are looking for work, and sometimes step on toes. Eventually, she's assigned to escort some people to an archeological find that is in dispute. Slowly, some of her memories are unlocking, and she ends up deep underground at the mercy of a mad AI and some other unsavory characters. By the end, she's recruited another ally and impressed another race of people who seem melded with apex predators.
Book Three: Now our heroine is assigned to the dragon corp and not the best of recruits. I don't even remember the details of this book, but the gist is, there's a conspiracy afoot, and a lot of that conspiracy is layered into 1000-year-old history. One of her adopted meets up with his family of origin in this book, and there are lots of earthquakes. Turns out, the baddies are trying to awake something from below the city that will not be good news for the cities' residents. The heroine upsets a lot of powerful people foiling the plot.
Book Four: Our heroine has a knack for upsetting the powerful, so while things cool off at home, she's sent as an arbitrator to the land of the apex predator people. She's kidnapped, for maybe the 8th time in the series (probably not much of an exaggeration), learns more of her past by interacting with ancient technology, and mostly foils a very bad, no good plot.
Book Five: This does not appear to be the end of this series, though it seems NONE of this author's series are actually complete. By this book, the heroine's memory has been mostly/entirely unlocked. She knows who she is (the oldest dragon alive, and one of the "saviors" of the world from way back when), though she prefers to keep that info on the down low. She has also made some progress identifying the real baddie mastermind, and foiled a few of his plots. She even gets some cool new powers in this one.
First off: All of Ms. White's heroines have the same personality at their core. If you like one, you will like them all. Secondly: Most of her audiobooks are voiced by the same actor, so there's a lot of overlap in voices from one series to another. This is only confusing if you binge through them like I did. Thirdly: All the series follow the standard urban fantasy trope of a snarky, gifted woman with a heart of gold who collects a family of her own making. And there's always a powerful man who pursues her romantically and eventually helps her shine. If you are good with those, you will probably like these books.
Book One: This series opens with a woman, found abandoned and feral on a deserted island with no memory and a moving dragon tattoo, leaving the pirate ship that rescued her to live in the capital city of the realm. There's something a bit uncanny about her - learning with unbelievable speed- and she's pressured to leave by some of the more unsavory crewmen.
On a lark, she foils a theft by some street urchins, because she's fascinated by the race of their target - a noblewoman who seems part sea creature, apparently. She's never seen the like. This act of kindness does not go unpunished, bringing her to the attention of the kings of the underground. While at their mercy, she breaks out, bringing a sapient large cat (think panther) with her, and adopting one of the street urchins as her sidekick. She's also tortured. Eventually, she turns into a dragon and eats some of the bad guys.
Book Two: So it turns out she's the only female dragon ridden, ever. And all dragon ridden are required to be in the service of the crown. She's assigned to a dragon for supervision and sent to magic school while she adjusts to her new reality, but not given a job that pays. She's got 4 dependents to house and feed, so she and the 2 older dependents are looking for work, and sometimes step on toes. Eventually, she's assigned to escort some people to an archeological find that is in dispute. Slowly, some of her memories are unlocking, and she ends up deep underground at the mercy of a mad AI and some other unsavory characters. By the end, she's recruited another ally and impressed another race of people who seem melded with apex predators.
Book Three: Now our heroine is assigned to the dragon corp and not the best of recruits. I don't even remember the details of this book, but the gist is, there's a conspiracy afoot, and a lot of that conspiracy is layered into 1000-year-old history. One of her adopted meets up with his family of origin in this book, and there are lots of earthquakes. Turns out, the baddies are trying to awake something from below the city that will not be good news for the cities' residents. The heroine upsets a lot of powerful people foiling the plot.
Book Four: Our heroine has a knack for upsetting the powerful, so while things cool off at home, she's sent as an arbitrator to the land of the apex predator people. She's kidnapped, for maybe the 8th time in the series (probably not much of an exaggeration), learns more of her past by interacting with ancient technology, and mostly foils a very bad, no good plot.
Book Five: This does not appear to be the end of this series, though it seems NONE of this author's series are actually complete. By this book, the heroine's memory has been mostly/entirely unlocked. She knows who she is (the oldest dragon alive, and one of the "saviors" of the world from way back when), though she prefers to keep that info on the down low. She has also made some progress identifying the real baddie mastermind, and foiled a few of his plots. She even gets some cool new powers in this one.
July 15, 2021
Rated 3.5-4.0 stars. I received an ARC for an honest review.
Returning to the scene of Tate’s chaotic adventures, the long awaited conclusion to the Dragon Ridden Chronicles offers readers a satisfying ending to the story of dragons, hidden secrets, and crazy characters. White uses Where Dragons Collide to wrap up a lot of loose ends that the story line needed to address, while also maintaining the carefree, wild personality that is Tate. Compared to her other series, Dragon Ridden Chronicles exists in a science fiction/fantasy niche that can be difficult to successful bridge the gap between author and reader. The world Tate lives in and interacts is so unique and White does an incredible job in Where Dragons Collide explaining the ins and outs of this world. However, the story line sometimes bordered on repetitive and rushed as she raced towards the finished line.
Personally, I found this book hard to put down once I started actively reading it. White is able to spin an incredible story with intricate details, but some of that story is lost between the actions and interactions of her characters. While I enjoy Tate and her sidekicks, Tate was a hard character for me to enjoy throughout the series due to her lack of consistency and maturity despite situations that should allow her to grow. Where Dragons Collide addresses some of these problems and readers truly get to see Tate flourish and learn.
Overall, for those who have been waiting to see how the Dragon Ridden series ended, Where Dragons Collide will offer a satisfying conclusion for the long wait. The flow of the story is both rushed and stilted as White seeks to finalize major plot points and develop characters even further. Personally, I enjoyed how the story ended. While it was a bit predictable, I think it neatly laid to rest Tate and paved the way for her side characters, which White also leaves the door open for several new adventures with some interesting side characters that I hope will benefit from her writing maturity and a refreshing start. If you are waiting to decide to read Where Dragons Collide, just do it. You will be happy you got the closure. If you are deciding to pick up the series, White will lead you on a sarcastic, unique, and more-than-slightly chaotic adventure that will leave you dreaming of dragons and more.
Returning to the scene of Tate’s chaotic adventures, the long awaited conclusion to the Dragon Ridden Chronicles offers readers a satisfying ending to the story of dragons, hidden secrets, and crazy characters. White uses Where Dragons Collide to wrap up a lot of loose ends that the story line needed to address, while also maintaining the carefree, wild personality that is Tate. Compared to her other series, Dragon Ridden Chronicles exists in a science fiction/fantasy niche that can be difficult to successful bridge the gap between author and reader. The world Tate lives in and interacts is so unique and White does an incredible job in Where Dragons Collide explaining the ins and outs of this world. However, the story line sometimes bordered on repetitive and rushed as she raced towards the finished line.
Personally, I found this book hard to put down once I started actively reading it. White is able to spin an incredible story with intricate details, but some of that story is lost between the actions and interactions of her characters. While I enjoy Tate and her sidekicks, Tate was a hard character for me to enjoy throughout the series due to her lack of consistency and maturity despite situations that should allow her to grow. Where Dragons Collide addresses some of these problems and readers truly get to see Tate flourish and learn.
Overall, for those who have been waiting to see how the Dragon Ridden series ended, Where Dragons Collide will offer a satisfying conclusion for the long wait. The flow of the story is both rushed and stilted as White seeks to finalize major plot points and develop characters even further. Personally, I enjoyed how the story ended. While it was a bit predictable, I think it neatly laid to rest Tate and paved the way for her side characters, which White also leaves the door open for several new adventures with some interesting side characters that I hope will benefit from her writing maturity and a refreshing start. If you are waiting to decide to read Where Dragons Collide, just do it. You will be happy you got the closure. If you are deciding to pick up the series, White will lead you on a sarcastic, unique, and more-than-slightly chaotic adventure that will leave you dreaming of dragons and more.
July 12, 2021
I was thrilled to be back in Aurelia following the rich and detailed world TA White paints with her Dragon Ridden series!
The story follows Tate as she once again is confronted by danger to herself and her loved ones from the ongoing conflict between the Aurelians, their internal factions, and the shadowy historical figures of the Saviors and Creators- whose epic struggle formed the foundation of Aurelia as it is today. I was thrilled to have the Savior/Creator history and context detailed, and to better understand through Tate how she became who she is. With her self-discovery the history and details of the entire world are brought into focus, and once again Tate finds herself and her friends in danger and at the center of a potential cataclysmic change.
The resolution to the current challenge is thoughtful and true to Tate and her company, and is satisfying in it's thoroughness wrapping up the lasting concerns for Tate and Ryu from their previous adventures. It sets the stage for potential new explorations of Aurelia through the eyes of other characters (Roslyn and Blade, please!) as well as showing Tate and Ryu have more to do.
I really enjoyed this installment in the series - while it could be read alone it will be a vastly richer experience after the prior Dragon Ridden books have been enjoyed, so a reader can experience Tate's entire journey. Highly recommend starting at the beginning and running through to Where Dragons Collide for a perfect summer book escape to a fantastic new world.
The story follows Tate as she once again is confronted by danger to herself and her loved ones from the ongoing conflict between the Aurelians, their internal factions, and the shadowy historical figures of the Saviors and Creators- whose epic struggle formed the foundation of Aurelia as it is today. I was thrilled to have the Savior/Creator history and context detailed, and to better understand through Tate how she became who she is. With her self-discovery the history and details of the entire world are brought into focus, and once again Tate finds herself and her friends in danger and at the center of a potential cataclysmic change.
The resolution to the current challenge is thoughtful and true to Tate and her company, and is satisfying in it's thoroughness wrapping up the lasting concerns for Tate and Ryu from their previous adventures. It sets the stage for potential new explorations of Aurelia through the eyes of other characters (Roslyn and Blade, please!) as well as showing Tate and Ryu have more to do.
I really enjoyed this installment in the series - while it could be read alone it will be a vastly richer experience after the prior Dragon Ridden books have been enjoyed, so a reader can experience Tate's entire journey. Highly recommend starting at the beginning and running through to Where Dragons Collide for a perfect summer book escape to a fantastic new world.
July 13, 2021
Sweet sorrow
This is the final installment of the dragon ridden series. It was a bittersweet parting. Hopefully TA White will come back to Aurelia someday and write new adventures. For Tate and Ryu though, this was a good ending. I appreciated how they both got to work together more in this book (though I could have done with a bit more romance/relationship development but I’m a romantic at heart so will always say that) and Tate finally let others help her. I do enjoy a strong, independent character but one who never learns or changes can get a bit stale. Tate was saved that fate in the end and I’m happy for it.
I did get a bit tired of secret layered upon secret-the unrelenting mysteries in the plot got a bit clunky and hard to follow from book to book though the author did a good job of trying to sum up most of the big plot points by the end. New characters were introduced and some drama left unfinished so I do have hopes we will see more from this world. Since I love a bad boy I want more of Tyne and Blade! A story about the emperor would be amazing as well since he obviously has unplumbed depths. And Dewdrop. Maybe all the characters just need their own spin offs?
TA White created a wonderful world in Dragon Ridden and it’s hard to leave it.
Overall, another excellent read from TA White and I highly recommend this series. It had it all-fantasy, aliens, dragons, adventure, and lots of laughs.
I did receive an ARC for my review but all opinions are my own.
This is the final installment of the dragon ridden series. It was a bittersweet parting. Hopefully TA White will come back to Aurelia someday and write new adventures. For Tate and Ryu though, this was a good ending. I appreciated how they both got to work together more in this book (though I could have done with a bit more romance/relationship development but I’m a romantic at heart so will always say that) and Tate finally let others help her. I do enjoy a strong, independent character but one who never learns or changes can get a bit stale. Tate was saved that fate in the end and I’m happy for it.
I did get a bit tired of secret layered upon secret-the unrelenting mysteries in the plot got a bit clunky and hard to follow from book to book though the author did a good job of trying to sum up most of the big plot points by the end. New characters were introduced and some drama left unfinished so I do have hopes we will see more from this world. Since I love a bad boy I want more of Tyne and Blade! A story about the emperor would be amazing as well since he obviously has unplumbed depths. And Dewdrop. Maybe all the characters just need their own spin offs?
TA White created a wonderful world in Dragon Ridden and it’s hard to leave it.
Overall, another excellent read from TA White and I highly recommend this series. It had it all-fantasy, aliens, dragons, adventure, and lots of laughs.
I did receive an ARC for my review but all opinions are my own.
July 12, 2021
Wow! So much happens in this book! I feel like I just read an entire series instead of one book. Going into this, I wasn't sure the author would be able to wrap up all the loose ends in this series, but she did it. And its amazing.
The beginning is a little slow, and there's a lot of recap, but you quickly forget that and get lost in the story. All of the characters from previous books have a part to play and we're definitely left with a good sense of closure by the end of the book.
One thing I love about this series is that there's romance, but it's not the main focus and that holds true here. Ryu plays a major part in this book, but there's no angst. The focus is on Tate accepting herself and reconciling her past and present so that she can look towards the future. Her relationships with Dewdrop, Night, Roslyn, and others are equally important to her. And Ilith! There were a lot of Ilith scenes and those were definitely my favorite. I found myself laughing out loud several times!
The whole series is a must-read, but this book in particular I know I'll re-read often and love it just as much each time. It's sad to see any series end, but this was a great conclusion. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The beginning is a little slow, and there's a lot of recap, but you quickly forget that and get lost in the story. All of the characters from previous books have a part to play and we're definitely left with a good sense of closure by the end of the book.
One thing I love about this series is that there's romance, but it's not the main focus and that holds true here. Ryu plays a major part in this book, but there's no angst. The focus is on Tate accepting herself and reconciling her past and present so that she can look towards the future. Her relationships with Dewdrop, Night, Roslyn, and others are equally important to her. And Ilith! There were a lot of Ilith scenes and those were definitely my favorite. I found myself laughing out loud several times!
The whole series is a must-read, but this book in particular I know I'll re-read often and love it just as much each time. It's sad to see any series end, but this was a great conclusion. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2021
I devoured this in one sitting/lying and was up until an unkind hour of the morning, but it was worth it.
I don't do that for many books, but I really like and admire this author.
In the last month I reread the rest of this series, ready and waiting for this installment.
The review... I think this book was good, and what it needed to be. It didn't tie off all loose ends - just enough of them.
I like that I wasn't entirely sure where it was going, and as the amount of the book got smaller the tension grew until I wasn't sure how White would do it.
I think I'll need a re-read at some point to appreciate it more, but I'm happy with this as it is - a solid finish to a detailed and interesting series.
I am cautiously hopeful for a spin off with Roslyn and Blade, but I won't hold my breath too long. I'll just pine. T.A. White really excels when she has an idea and some room to breathe, and I don't want her to rush something that could be fantastic. The good news is that Roslyn already stands on her own, separate to T.A. White's other characters, so she could make the leap to main character more easily.
If the author does go down the spin off direction with this: I really hope Willa or Pax (or both) go with.
I don't do that for many books, but I really like and admire this author.
In the last month I reread the rest of this series, ready and waiting for this installment.
The review... I think this book was good, and what it needed to be. It didn't tie off all loose ends - just enough of them.
I like that I wasn't entirely sure where it was going, and as the amount of the book got smaller the tension grew until I wasn't sure how White would do it.
I think I'll need a re-read at some point to appreciate it more, but I'm happy with this as it is - a solid finish to a detailed and interesting series.
I am cautiously hopeful for a spin off with Roslyn and Blade, but I won't hold my breath too long. I'll just pine. T.A. White really excels when she has an idea and some room to breathe, and I don't want her to rush something that could be fantastic. The good news is that Roslyn already stands on her own, separate to T.A. White's other characters, so she could make the leap to main character more easily.
If the author does go down the spin off direction with this: I really hope Willa or Pax (or both) go with.
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