Skylark
The Dragon Lady
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Raised by seafaring pirates, Belladonna Skylark has never known her family. But she’s about to discover her destiny—a binding prophecy that makes her want to run and hide.
Pirate Captain Starlene was the one person Belladonna considered a parent—or, at least, a surrogate caregiver—on the Zodiac, which makes the captain’s death all the more painful. The loss of Starlene thrusts Belladonna’s life into the changing winds of leadership as she takes over command of the pirate ship. But her new role as captain is only the first of many changes that turn her world upside-down.
Not only is she rushed into learning the ways of a true pirate captain, Belladonna then finds herself tied to a prophecy she must fulfill, and not without numerous tests to her strength and character.
As Belladonna and her crew search for the hidden Isla del Dragon, Cornelius Blackfoot lurks in the shadows, and creatures Belladonna has never known begin to surface, ones that both compel and aggravate her journey.
Facing a destiny she cannot change, a betrayal by someone dear, and the stirrings of love pulling her away, it’s clear that none of this was made to be easy—especially as Belladonna’s heart grows black and bitter. But her desire to shirk the prophecy’s call could spell catastrophe for more than just herself, making the cost of cowardice too heavy to bear.
Skylark, The Dragon Lady is an epic, immersive tale that features fantasy world-building and dynamic characters striving against fate’s machinations.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Madison debuts with a thrilling pirate fantasy that fails to stick the landing. In the 18th century, Starlene, captain of the Zodiac, is killed by Cornelius Blackfoot, the "Emissary of Destruction," after years of fighting at sea. But before Starlene breathes her last, she informs her apprentice, Belladonna Skylark, of a prophecy that says Belladonna will be the one to kill Blackfoot and reveals Belladonna's true identity: she's the last of her family line, a Dragon Majestic poised to defeat the Demonclaw Court. With Starlene dead, Belladonna is left to take command of the Zodiac, and, while struggling to make the sailors accept her as their captain, she points the ship for the Isla del Drágon to learn more about her history and her destiny. Madison ups the stakes on this mission by putting the murderous Blackfoot fast on the Zodiac's tail. By combining dragon lore and a golden age of piracy setting, Madison makes both familiar tropes feel new again, and her ferocious heroine will draw readers in. Unfortunately, in setting up a sequel, the author gives the story at hand short shrift, delivering an abrupt and disappointing anticlimax. It's all setup, no payoff.