This book is a Not For Me title. I mark titles with competitive qualitative content NFM when I find the content personally disinteresting or the writing style to be dissonant to my preferences.

Marked overall as 3 because, while I randomize checks for qualitative markers I do not read anywhere near enough of the book to give either more or less than that rating and a blank rating is not an option.

The premise is interesting, but I found the second half of the book fell really flat. The writing as good and the protagonist was interesting as well, but I didn't enjoy the way the book panned out.

the first book in a new YA fantasy series that has one of my own personal favorite parts of fantsay: dragons!
Sure there is the whole aspect of it that the main character is a dragon slayer, but its such a well done book!

It is so full of fantasy, and dragon as well as such a lovely slowburn romance (which i prefer so much more then the instant love too many especially YA book seemed to prefer, but who doesn't love a good romance that you kind of want to take the characters after a while and just smooch them together so that they will finally get their stuff together instead of continuing dancing around each other! Just me? possible!) and such a great plot overall!

I also absolutely loved the forbidden storytelling aspect of it. Because for some reason who doesn't want to read a book where its part of the story that storytelling is literary deadly?! (Just me? Again? can't be!)

Its overall just such a well done story, let alone a first book in a series.
Its build a world, it makes you love the characters and fight with them and just completely want to be part of their lives for as long as possible!

Beautifully done and such a great book!
Highly recommend!

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

All I can say is that The Last Namsara was intensely gripping, full of claws, horns and fangs. And it hooked me.
To be honest, it did have its fair share of faults—a hole-riddled plot, jarring character inconsistencies and disjointed, forgettable settings to list a few. But let's not dwell on them.
Now, the writing. It was clean and concise, but no less evocative, leaping off the pages and soaring with outspread wings to rarefied heights. And as for the characters—I admit, I wasn't too fond of Asha at first. She was too arrogant, too aloof, and all in all, awful (there's no greater sin than the killing of dragons!). But she was, too, misguided. Scorned and shunned, starved of love from others and from herself. Someone who was wrapped in scars on the outside and inside. And to my surprise (or not), I ended up rooting for Asha. Because of her flaws, because of the regrets and insecurities buried in her heart, she was such a real and relatable character, and her personal growth was all the more powerful.
And the romance was all I could've wanted and more, spun from longing and hurt, hopes and promises. Torwin was the perfect counterpoint to Asha—he was tender, thoughtful and so, so sweet. And the love between them was achingly beautiful, so much so that it made my heart burst into flames inside my chest—and made me breathe fire.

Great fantasy. I loved the world-building and all the secrets. Plus, dragons! Pace felt a bit slow at times, but overall a really great read!

The Last Namsara was a perfect first book, I loved the magic world, the protagonists. It was thrilling and very easy to read.

This book has been an anticipated read ever since I found it on Goodreads. I mean, DRAGONS!

There aren't many books out there about dragons, someone must correct this wrong because dragons are fire-breathing, adorable creatures - who must be protected. I swear, 99% of my having reading this book was because of the dragons. And the ARC has such an adorable dragon on the cover. Okay, that's enough... nope, dragons for the win.

The Last Namsara follows Asha, a dragon slayer - the Iskari. Feared by the people she is sworn to protect. Forever slaying to redeem herself for a past mistake. Asha is fierce and scarred and a sight to behold. I instantly connected to her, she is loyal to a fault and only wishes for one thing - the death of Koku, the first dragon.

The book was super intense and the old stories were absolutely amazing. I'm a sucker for stories told within novels, it adds something more, a new depth to the books. But the old stories are forbidden by the dragon king, but why? The plot was quick, engaging and totally not predicable, I didn't see half the plot twists. But I did find the biggest plot twist reveal to be a bit flat. Where's the suspense?!

The characters were amazing. The deceit, the lies - MY GOD. I truly despised Jared! And I found Dax, Asha's brother, very dull at times, too secretive - tell me your secrets, Dax! I would have loved more on the different places *cough* a map *cough* because maps are pretty. I love maps, gimme a map! But still where the plot went was fantastic and guys no cliffhangers. Hallelujah.

Ciccarelli has upped the bar on dragon fantasy. And I cannot wait to read the next chapter in the Iskari trilogy. This fantasy book will blow you away. So step inside and be treated with dragon fire as this spellbinding debut book plunges you deep in the world of a dragon slasher, who has yet to discover the truth of it all.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me this book to review.

The Last Namsara is an enjoyable fantasy novel with dragons, action and forbidden romance. This world was complex and the story had a unique twist I did not see coming.

Asha is fearless but is also carrying around a lot of guilt and wants to prove that she is not wicked like people think. I much preferred Torwin, compared to Asha as he fights for what he wants, sees the true value of things and does not give up. However, while I like both Asha and Torwin, I was not a fan of their romance, as there was too bigger difference in the power within the relationship and I could not understand why he liked her. The other characters could have had more development as I felt I didn’t know them that well and I hope we get to know them better in the next book.

While it was not perfect it was a good debut book and I am looking forward to reading the next book The Caged Queen. I would recommend The Last Namsara to fans of The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski and Dragon Trails by Ava Richardson.

While much of this was fairly standard fare in terms of genre, the narrative was compelling and the characters were well drawn, elevating this book somewhat. It tells the story of Asha, the Iskari; the Dragon Hunter and her bid to capture and kill the first dragon to prevent her arranged marriage. Throw in some slave rebellion and some star-crossed love and you have a very appealing blend of fantasy tropes that tick all the boxes. What I found particularly appealing, however, were the interstices. Woven through the main narrative are examples of the forbidden stories that Asha uses to entice the dragons. This idea of forbidden knowledge is nothing new, but the way in which Ciccarelli employs the story hint at a world that we are only scraping the surface of in this first instalment. Consequently, I am looking forward to the next book in the series as the glimpses shown here are definitely intriguing. Overall I would say that this is a good opening to a series, but there is definitely more to be told and more to discover.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh oh oh, this was fantastic! I loved the story from start to finish and almost finished it in one sitting. I loved the mythology and the main character's connection to that mythology. Plus, dragons. Oh yeah!

It was super interesting to follow the main character's evolution through the story and I'm so glad that her arc followed her personality truthfully. I sometimes feel like the choices a character does doesn't always fit with how the author portrays him or her as the story goes on. Sure, all people are flawed and only human, but when a character does something that is so completely out of context, it takes something from the flow of the story. This book had no such problems though and I can't wait to read it's companion The Caged Queen!

From the beautiful cover to the amazing last page, this book just wowed. I did not expect to like this book so much and it just blew me away. The fact that I didn't realize that this was a series and that I now have to wait until the next book of the series comes out... hopefully it doesn't take too long because I'm not sure my poor heart could take it..

Anyway to the book..

Asha is such an intense and complicated character. The things that she has to go through as a child and growing up. I honestly don't know how to approach this review without just throwing spoilers everywhere, ugh. Okay so, Asha and her brother, Dax are what Asha believes to be the Iskari and the Namsara. This just shows as to how Asha sees herself. She doesn't believe in herself except to cause pain and darkness and dragon killing. However as the story grows we get to see things from a different point of view because as we all know there are always at least two sides to every story. This book was so so so good and I cannot wait to get my teeth and claws into the next book in the Iksari series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  This review is spoiler-free.

The Last Namsara is the YA fantasy debut that everyone needs to be talking about.  I'm a little torn on this one because there was so much that I really loved about this book, but I also had some issues.

I love the world that Ciccarelli creates for her novel.  There are so many tired fantasy tropes that she twists, creating a fresh world.  From her handling of the old traditions often seen in fantasy cultures (the old stories), to the warrior princess (Asha, the dragon slayer), to her handling of dragons themselves, she takes these old tropes and makes them feel so different.  I really loved that people are rebelling against the old ways -- Asha's father, the dragon king, is trying to wipe out the old traditions that have become poisonous to the people who carry them on.  Ciccarelli creates such a rich, wonderful, fantasy world and I just want to read more.  In fact, this series would be the perfect candidate for a Language of Thorns-style companion book of fairy tales and mythology.

Asha is exactly what I want to see when I read about a strong female character.  She's incredibly sure of herself, physically strong, stubborn, and so fierce in her beliefs.  However, she has the capacity to love and to learn and change.  She's in no way a 'lone wolf' character -- she loves, trusts, and protects, which is something I feel we don't often see in strong fantasy ladies.  I absolutely love her character arc, although I wont say any more about it.

In fact, all the female characters in this book are fantastic.  Safire, Asha’s cousin, is a wonderful force in Asha’s life and they have a wonderful female friendship. Roa, whom we know little about at the moment, seems to be set up as a strong and important character later on in the series.  

Where I have issues with The Last Namsara is with the male characters.  Jared, Asha’s fiancé and tormentor, is a classic mustache-twirling villain.  He’s lewd, physically and emotionally abusive, and an all-around horrible man.  That’s fine, because he works incredibly well not only as a villain, but as a looming force in Asha’s life.  My issues actually stem from the good men in her life: Dax, her brother and the heir to the throne, and Torwin, Jarek’s slave and Asha’s eventual love interest.  I like Dax well enough except in his treatment of Asha, which I will explain more about in a moment.  Towin, however, I have a big problem with.  For me, it felt like he fundamentally misunderstands who Asha was as a human.  He keeps trying to manipulate her emotions and actions so she’ll do what he wants, which he thinks is best for her.  However, if he knew her at all, he would understand that the choices she makes so obviously reflect who she is (my apologies for being vague -- I’m trying to avoid spoilers).  Dax is also guilty of this -- he’s so wrapped up in himself that he doesn’t see or understand her.  The men are just so clueless.

The biggest problem I had with Torwin is that his behavior so closely reflects that of Jarek.  Jarek is always grabbing Asha, digging his fingers into her arm hard enough to leave bruises.  He's so physically domineering over her.  At one point, Asha and Torwin are arguing and he grabs at her, much like Jarek would do.  He crushes her body to his until all the fight goes out of her.  How horrid is that?  I would be slightly more okay with these actions if he were set up to be a bad guy too, but I highly doubt that’s the case.  To me, this glamorizes abuse in a way that YA books have been so guilty of of the past.  Just because she’s a physically and emotionally strong character does not mean she needs to be manhandled in order to be ‘kept in line’ with the hero's wishes.  Violence does not equal passion and I'm sick and tired of seeing this in books.

Despite the issues I had with the romance and love interest, I really do believe that The Last Namsara is so worth your time.  I am very particular about my romance -- I am not sure these issues would bother a lot of readers.  In terms of plot and world building, this book would get a 4.5 out of 5 for me -- same with the female characters.  However, the handling of the romance ended up knocking it down to 3.5 stars.  Regardless, I am so looking forward to continuing this series.  I think Ciccarelli is an author to watch, and I’m looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Asha, daughter of the king, is feared and admired as the greatest dragon hunter. She is nicknamed the Iskari, after the destroyer in the ancient legend of Iskari and Namsara. Her father has ordered her to marry a cruel man, but then offers her a bargain: if she can kill the most dangerous and oldest dragon in Firgaard, she will have her freedom. But during her quest with the help of a secret friend, she finds that not everything is as it seems, and the ancient tales may be more real than she imagined.

What I Liked:

THE LAST NAMSARA has exceptional world building. From the detailed imagery to the ancient legends, this is a novel where you can sink into the setting and feel yourself among the characters. The dragons are particularly great, and I love the different ones we get to meet along the journey.

Asha’s character arc is extremely well done. I had trouble connecting with her character, but regardless, her characterization is full of depth, complexity, growth, and even healing. As she discovers the truth about dragons, the ancient legends, and even her own upbringing, you’ll be amazed at the emotional resonance Kristen Circcarelli captures.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While there is much to enjoy, I found it difficult to make a connection with the story and characters. The plot can be a bit slow going, and it wasn’t until about the second half or so that I was eager to keep turning the pages. Some areas left me with more confusion than answers, but as this is the first book in a series, more explanations might be found in the sequel.

Final Verdict:

Though I wasn’t able to connect with the story as much as I wanted, THE LAST NAMSARA is still an enjoyable adventure with admirable character growth and outstanding world building.

I liked this teen fantasy novel but wouldn't say I loved it. It did have aspects I loved though, like the inclusion of all the legends/folktales/stories the main character tells the dragons, and the world building had promise. The secondary characters lacked a little depth and I found myself getting slightly bored occasionally (I must admit I read this at a similar time to 'Flame in the Mist' by Renée Ahdieh and even though they're quite different they've muddled a bit in my memory of them). I liked it enough overall that I'd probably still read the next one.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

I really enjoyed this book, I haven’t read a dragon YA before but I was really pleasantly surprised! I loved the twists and turns in the book and it didn’t end at all how I thought it would. The descriptive writing used to describe the dragons and their stories was great and I thought the characters were very believable, I really disliked Jarek! I would definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read the next!

The Cover

The cover for Ciccarelli's debut has grown on me. Quite a bit, even if I do still, kinda, prefer the cover that was used on the proofs.

It's a lot different to the one that Gollancz had originally used for the proofs that were sent out a few months back. Red and gold, with a dragon emblem that spoke of hunting and medieval tones that dragon fantasies seem to embroil. But, as I keep looking at it and seeing the final finishing (the GOLD FOILING?!) overall it's rather pretty.

The Content


This is a fantastic debut novel.
The concept unique and well put across.
The characters were well written and their motives believable. And I really connected with the protagonist and her journey to free herself from the binds of her betrothal- let's be honest, what woman wouldn't? Asha is fearless and doesn't let her emotions shroud her decisions, which I really appreciated. Whether or not those decision were bad or not, you'll have to go out and pick up a copy.

There were moments where Ciccarelli's writing fell into writing cliches. Which made it that defining fact of feeling like a debut. And yes, I am talking about the use of: "I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding" thing that has become rather laughable in YA. So if that makes you see red, please skip over the words and keep reading. (Like I'm going to tell you to not buy this book.)

I'm not too mad, I did roll my eyes a little but nothing could be done for that.

We enter this world with a young woman about to slay a dragon. So we meet Asha, she is one of the fiercest dragon slayers in the land and also happens to be daughter of the king. Betrothed to a man she despises, her father gives her a mission to kill the oldest dragon. If she can do that then she is free of the marriage. But things don't go as planned and she finds herself working with people she did not expect and learning things about the recent past that could change a lot.
I liked the overall concept of the book. The idea of the dragons being drawn to stories and a fierce warrior girl intrigued me. I did not like Asha at first, she is very set in her ways and believes strongly in her father's ways. But, as the story went on she showed that she was able to change and learn other viewpoints. I also thought the relationship between her and the slave was well done. She is intrigued by him but her upbringing holds her back. This felt realistic.

There were a few things in the book that didn't make sense to me. The first chapter makes me think her cousin is weak yet subsequent chapters show how strong and skilled she is. I also found it odd that Asha was so strong yet she could not get a way from her betrothed when he wanted to be near her. Finally, the timing of events in the book don't mesh up. Her grandmother started everything, yet in that short time everyone seemed to forget what things were like before and I find it weird that no one could guess why the dragons were so angry about things.

Despite these issues, the overall plot was interesting. The plot twist near the end did surprise me. I did feel that the story got better as it went a long. I might check out the second book. I am curious to see how things work out for Asha.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced review copy of this book.

Asha broke the rules as a child, she told the forbidden stories in the hills outside her city and it drew the attention of Kozu, the most powerful dragon in the kingdom. When she stopped giving him the stories he wanted Kozu flew into a rage, nearly burning Asha to death and destroying half of the city with a rain of fire. Ever since then Asha has been haunted by what happened and has desperately tried to make amends to her people by hunting and destroying the dragons. If she can only find and defeat Kozu her people will be safe and she might even be able to avoid the arranged marriage between her and the commander of her father's army, Jarek.

I love dragons so of course any book about them automatically ends up on my wish list but I have to admit I was a little disappointed when the opening scene starts with Asha capturing a dragon and cutting it's head off - I prefer my dragons as regal allies rather than vicious enemies! Luckily it doesn't take long to figure out there is much more to this story than a one girl mission to kill as many dragons as possible though. Asha is a complicated character, she knows her father hates the old stories but they are a way for her to feel close to the mother she lost as a young girl so they bring a comfort to her even when she knows they could cost her everything. We get to learn snippets of these stories at the beginning of each chapter and they're well worth paying attention to because they give us hints at what is really going on in the rest of the story.

Asha isn't the easiest character to like in the beginning, she's very stubborn and quite closed off to those around her but she's had to become that way to guard herself after everything that happened when she was a child. The entire city blame her for what happened to them and people look at her with fear and hatred wherever she goes so she has no choice but to brazen it out rather than crumble under their disapproval. She goes on a real emotional journey throughout the story learning to trust her own instincts and to question everything she's always been told about both her past and the dragons. I really enjoyed the changes in her and admired the way she stood up for what she believed in even when the price of failure would be so high.

Her only allies have been her brother Dax and her cousin Safire. For much of the story Dax seemed pretty useless but he actually has his own secrets and becomes much more interesting as you start to uncover what is going on with him, I'm really hoping we'll see more of his side of the story as the series continues. Safire was a very positive influence on Asha, she's been treated terribly because of her heritage but she's fierce and determined and she's Asha's biggest ally. Then you have Torwin, the slave boy who Asha frees at great personal risk to herself. He's another great character and one who has an important role to play in showing Asha the truth of what is really going on around her.

The Last Namsara is a brilliant debut and although it doesn't end on a cliffhanger I'm eager to dive back into his world to find out what happens next. Kristen Ciccarelli is definitely an author to watch out for.

From this first line to the last, readers will be drawn into Asha’s beautiful and wild world rich with history, stories, and dragons. Asha is the strong female character readers love to read about, and her struggles, which might seem so foreign at first glance, will resonate with many teens struggling to find their own identity. And did I mention…there are dragons!
This is the first book in a new series, so hopefully characters that played main roles but were not completely developed, will gain more depth in future installments. Otherwise, the conflict between groups might be a little hard to follow for some readers, but everything should make sense in the end.
Overall, an outstanding, new young adult fantasy with adventure, (slight) romance, fight scenes, and, of course, dragons! Highly recommended for readers ages 13 and up.

‘Asha lured the dragon with a story’. This has to be one of the best first lines ever and the reason I was drawn immediately into this book of dragons, magic, and the power of stories. The main character of Asha was realistically flawed and relatable. Her emotional problems and guilt were sympathetically portrayed and her repulsion of her scars felt brutally honest. I seemed to identify with Asha more than most heroines and I became quickly invested in her journey. I especially loved Asha’s character development through the book as it felt very organic.

The world-building was absolutely incredible. The detail that went into the creation of Asha’s world was beautiful and intricate. The dragons were wonderfully described and there was one moment with Shadow that broke my heart. I loved the elements concerning the dangerous potential of stories and the exploration of slavery and imprisonment. Asha is just as much a prisoner of her thoughts and position as Torwin physically is. The relationship between Asha and Torwin was deftly done. Whilst Asha is very independent, her growing relationship with Torwin felt realistic and I was completely invested in them as a couple.

The message of the book is beautifully summarised in the acknowledgements when Kristen writes to the reader: ‘Never forget: you are not what they say you are; you are what lies deep within you’. I felt this captured the essence of the book and of Asha’s journey perfectly. The Last Namsara turned out to be one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait for the sequel. There are some seeds that have been planted in this book that I’m looking forward to seeing mature in the next. I’m really looking forward to continuing Asha’s journey with Kozu and seeing where Kristen takes her next.